Patent ID: 11878186
Assignee: H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CENTER AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A system for improving the accuracy of a charged-particle beam used in cancer therapy, the system comprising:
a source that produces a charged-particle beam, wherein the source controls an energy level of the charged-particle beam and incrementally increases the energy level as a function of time;
one or more fiducial markers that produce fluorescent x-rays of one or more distinct energies when struck by the charged-particle beam produced by the source, wherein the one or more fiducial markers are adapted to be implanted in a target;
one or more fluorescent energy detectors for measuring energy levels of the fluorescent x-rays emitted by the one or more fiducial markers upon being struck by the charged-particle beam, wherein the one or more fluorescent energy detectors generate signals that have an amplitude proportional to the energy levels of the fluorescent x-rays;
a processor and memory to calculate penetration of the charged-particle beam in the target based on the energy level of the charged-particle beam and the energy levels of the fluorescent x-rays as measured by the one or more fluorescent energy detectors; and
a display that presents an indication of the penetration of the charged-particle beam in the target.