Patent Document ID: 5511549
Application ID: 08404207
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of treating a patient with proton radiation, comprising: (a) utilizing a first beam delivery system to emit a proton radiation beam having a standard beam configuration; (b) detecting the radiation dose supplied by the beam of standard configuration; (c) utilizing said first beam delivery system to emit a proton radiation beam having a beam configuration tailored for a specific treatment plan; (d) detecting the radiation supplied by the beam configured for the specific treatment plan and producing a signal corresponding to the detected radiation; (e) comparing the signal detected in step (d) with calibrated dose detection data to develop at least one treatment plan calibration factor; (f) treating said patient with a proton radiation beam that has been calibrated with said treatment plan calibration factor and that is configured for the specific treatment plan; (g) subsequent to steps (a)-(f), utilizing a second beam delivery system to emit another proton radiation beam having said standard beam configuration; (h) detecting the radiation dose supplied by the subsequent proton radiation beam having the standard beam configuration; (i) comparing the dose detected in step (h) with the dose detected in step (b) to develop at least one normalizing factor; (j) utilizing said second beam delivery system to emit a normalized proton radiation beam tailored for said specific treatment plan by utilizing said normalizing factor; and (k) treating said patient with the normalized proton radiation beam configured for said specific treatment plan.