Ricardo L Ahumada

US Patent:

7564950, Jul 21, 2009

Filed:

Feb 17, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/357610

Inventors:

Dieter Manthey - Clayton CA, US
Dave Pond - Novato CA, US
Johannes Stahl - Walnut Creek CA, US
Ricardo Ahumada - Martinez CA, US

Assignee:

Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. - Malvern PA

International Classification:

G21K 1/04
G01N 23/04

US Classification:

378150, 378 62, 378151

Abstract:

A system and method for capturing a portal image using a linear accelerator having a multi-leaf collimator (MLC) and an imager allows the portal image field to be automatically clipped using the multi-leaf collimator so that the projection of the portal image field onto the imager falls within the allowed image area of the imager. In this manner, portal images may be obtained in instances where the projection of the portal image field onto the flat-panel imager is larger than an allowed image area of the imager, or where the projection of the portal image field onto the imager is not centered and would extend beyond the allowed image area, so that radiation sensitive electronics outside of the allowed image area are protected from undesirable exposure to radiation.