Patent ID: 7217235

Claim:
A solid state brachytherapy applicator for performing radiation therapy treatment in an animal body, said applicator comprising: an x-ray emitting surface; a vacuum cavity having spatial geometry and containing a cathode and an anode spaced apart at a first distance from each other; emitting means for emitting free electrons from the cathode; electric field means for applying a high-voltage electric field between said cathode and said anode for accelerating said emitted free electrons towards said anode; said vacuum cavity being at least partly transparent to X-ray radiation emitted by said anode; said vacuum cavity being bound by first and second plate-shaped elements spaced at a second distance from each other, said first plate-shaped element serving as said cathode and said second plate-shaped element serving as said anode, said first and second plate shaped elements having longitudinal dimensions substantially greater than said first distance; and wherein during use said x-ray emitting surface is brought into contact with tissue of the animal body to be treated thereby emitting x-ray radiation having a dose contribution conformal to the spatial geometry of the vacuum cavity.