A new miniature x-ray source for interstitial radiosurgery: device description.
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.
Dinsmore
M
M
Photoelectron Corporation, Waltham, Massachusetts 02154, USA.
Harte
K J
KJ
Sliski
A P
AP
Smith
D O
DO
Nomikos
P M
PM
Dalterio
M J
MJ
Boom
A J
AJ
Leonard
W F
WF
Oettinger
P E
PE
Yanch
J C
JC
D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004582:Electronics, Medical; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008904:Miniaturization; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic