Range Shifting Helmet
- Detailed Technology Description
- Researchersat the University of Iowa have developed a range shifting, helmet-shaped devicethat enables the treatment of shallow brain lesions. The device is made of atissue-like plastic that mimics first four to seven centimeters of human tissuewhen inserted into the radiation beamline. This process reduces the distancebetween the proton beam range shifting device and the actual skin entry pointof the beam, thereby minimizing the dose of radiation delivered to healthybrain tissues outside of the tumor. The ‘helmet’fits over existing medical head frame structures with high reproducibility andaccuracy. This device will be of increasing commercial value as the use ofprotons in SRS becomes more widespread.
- *Abstract
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Background Information
Nearly 700,000 people in the United Statesalone are currently living with a brain tumor. Whether benign or malignant,brain tumors can have permanent physical, cognitive, and psychological impactson a patient’s life, and may even result in death. Brain tumor treatments costsignificantly more than any other cancer group, with an average annual per-patientcost of well over $100,000. These treatments typically use x-ray beams totarget affected areas in the brain. While x-ray beams are effective in treatingsmall, uniformly shaped regions, they can produce significant side effects whenused to treat large, irregularly shaped targerts. Proton beams could bring more benefits intostereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) applications due to their superior depth doseproperties. However, one issue regarding proton therapy is that the energygenerated by current proton accelerators is too high to allow for directtreatment of lesions occurring less than four centimeters below skin.
Technology Summary
Researchersat the University of Iowa have developed a range shifting, helmet-shaped devicethat enables the treatment of shallow brain lesions. The device is made of atissue-like plastic that mimics first four to seven centimeters of human tissuewhen inserted into the radiation beamline. This process reduces the distancebetween the proton beam range shifting device and the actual skin entry pointof the beam, thereby minimizing the dose of radiation delivered to healthybrain tissues outside of the tumor. The ‘helmet’fits over existing medical head frame structures with high reproducibility andaccuracy. This device will be of increasing commercial value as the use ofprotons in SRS becomes more widespread.
Advantages
· Lowersthe energy requirement of the radiation beam to target tissue depths less than4cm
· Reduceslateral beam size growth by placing helmet within 5cm of all tissue entrypoints
· Ensuresspecial displacement from original positioning does not exceed .3mm
· Minimizesthe amount of radiation delivered to healthy brain tissue outside of the tumor
- *Licensing
- Mihaela Bojin, PhD, CLPSenior Licensing AssociateUniversity of Iowa Research Foundation2660 UCCIowa City, Iowa 52242Phone: (319) 335-2723Email: mihaela-bojin@uiowa.edu
- Country/Region
- USA
