Patent ID: 7576344
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A target positioner comprising: a radiation source disposed in a source housing, said radiation source adapted to emit a radiation beam; a target holder adapted to be attached to and generally immobilize a target organ, said target holder being rotatingly attached to a bearing assembly; a patient support table for supporting a patient thereon; a rotator for turning said patient support table about a rotation axis; and a source arm fixedly attached at one portion thereof to said source housing and at another portion thereof to said bearing assembly, such that when said target holder is attached to a target organ and said rotator turns said patient support table about said rotation axis, said target holder constrains said target organ from translating with respect to said radiation source and said source housing, and wherein said target holder permits said target organ to rotate by means of said bearing assembly relative to said source housing while experiencing slight translations with respect to said patient support table, so that said radiation beam emanating from said radiation source impinges upon said target organ at a plurality of angles irrespective of said misalignments between said radiation beam and said patient support table and between said patient support table and said target organ.