A first generation compact microbeam radiation therapy system based on carbon nanotube X-ray technology

Appl Phys Lett. 2013 Oct 28;103(18):183505. doi: 10.1063/1.4826587. Epub 2013 Oct 30.

Abstract

We have developed a compact microbeam radiation therapy device using carbon nanotube cathodes to create a linear array of narrow focal line segments on a tungsten anode and a custom collimator assembly to select a slice of the resulting wedge-shaped radiation pattern. Effective focal line width was measured to be 131 μm, resulting in a microbeam width of ∼300 μm. The instantaneous dose rate was projected to be 2 Gy/s at full-power. Peak to valley dose ratio was measured to be >17 when a 1.4 mm microbeam separation was employed. Finally, multiple microbeams were delivered to a mouse with beam paths verified through histology.