Salah M Captain

20030031297, Feb 13, 2003

Aug 13, 2001

09/929713

Ed Mateo - Pittsburg CA, US
Rolando Tayag - Benicia CA, US
Salah Captain - Moraga CA, US
William Gibb - San Anselmo CA, US
John Hughes - Martinez CA, US

Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.

H05G001/54

378/117000, 378/205000

A beamblock tray for use with multiple defining heads within a medical linear accelerator is disclosed. The beamblock tray comprises a tray portion, and a plurality of coded connectors coupled to the tray portion that make the tray “intelligent” enough to identify its orientation to a user. The tray portion can be inserted into the defining head in a plurality of directions based upon the plurality of coded connectors. A system and method in accordance with the present invention utilizes a plurality of coded connectors that can be used to identify a patient. In addition, the connectors and a mounting flange are such that permits the tray to be inserted in a plurality of directions. Finally, a coding system is provided that prevents radiation from being delivered if the tray is oriented correctly. A dual axis beamblock tray in accordance with the present invention circumvents this problem by a counting for the two possible orientations of beamblock tray holders, thereby permitting the radiation therapist to use a single tray with a variety of linear accelerators.