Radiation delivery devices and applications thereof

Abstract

Radiation delivery devices are described herein having compact and lightweight design in comparison to existing architectures. A radiation delivery device comprises a source body including a plurality of radiation sources and a collimator component for directing radiation from the radiation sources to a common focal area, wherein the radiation sources are arranged within the collimator component. In some embodiments, for example, the source body is positioned within an interior cavity of the collimator component.

1 . A radiation delivery device comprising:
 a source component including a plurality of radiation sources; and   a collimator component for directing radiation from the radiation sources to a common focal area, wherein the radiation sources are arranged within the collimator component.   
     
     
         2 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the source component is positioned within an interior cavity of the collimator component. 
     
     
         3 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the collimator component comprises a primary collimator body including one or more sets of primary collimator passages for directing the radiation from the radiation sources. 
     
     
         4 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 3 , wherein the source component and primary collimator body are rotatable relative to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 3 , wherein the source component is rotatable to a position wherein the radiation sources face a shielding body. 
     
     
         6 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 3 , wherein the collimator component further comprises at least one additional collimator body including one or more sets of additional collimator passages for directing the radiation from the radiation sources. 
     
     
         7 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 6 , wherein the additional collimator passages are different than the primary collimator passages in shape and/or size. 
     
     
         8 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 6 , wherein the primary collimator body is arranged within an interior cavity of the additional collimator body. 
     
     
         9 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 8 , wherein the source component, primary collimator body and additional collimator body are rotatable relative to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 8 , wherein sets of additional collimator passages are arranged at differing radial positions on the additional collimator body. 
     
     
         11 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 10 , wherein the additional collimator passages arranged at differing radial positions have different shape and/or size. 
     
     
         12 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 8 , wherein the source component exhibits a non-concentric arrangement with the primary collimator body and/or additional collimator body. 
     
     
         13 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the common focal area has a diameter or width of 2 mm to 60 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation sources are arranged along a curved or non-curved surface extending along the source component longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation sources comprise radioactive material. 
     
     
         16 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 15 , wherein the radioactive material is selected from the group consisting of cobalt-60, cesium-137 and iridium-192. 
     
     
         17 . The radiation delivery device of  claim 1  configured for integration in stereotactic radiosurgery apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . A method of directing radiation from a plurality of radiation sources to a common focal area comprising:
 positioning a source component comprising the radiation sources within an interior cavity of a collimator component; and   directing the radiation to the common focal area with the collimator component.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the collimator component comprises a primary collimator body including one or more sets of primary collimator passages for directing the radiation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the source component and/or primary collimator body are rotated to align the radiation sources with the primary collimator passages.