title: A new miniature x-ray source for interstitial radiosurgery: device description.
abstract: A device that generates low-energy x rays at the tip of a needle-like probe was developed for stereotactic interstitial radiosurgery. Electrons from a small thermionic gun are accelerated to a final energy of up to 40 keV and directed along a 3 mm outside diameter drift tube to a thin Au target, where the beam size is approximately 0.3 mm. All high-voltage electronics are in the probe housing, connected by low-voltage cable to a battery-operated control box. X-ray output, which is nearly isotropic, consists of a bremsstrahlung spectrum and several lines between 7 and 14 keV, with characteristic radiation contributing 15% of the total energy output. To date, 14 patients with metastatic brain tumors have been treated with this device.
authors.affiliation: Photoelectron Corporation, Waltham, Massachusetts 02154, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dinsmore
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Harte
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sliski
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Nomikos
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dalterio
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Boom
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Oettinger
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yanch
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004582:Electronics, Medical; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008904:Miniaturization; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic