RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS FOR TREATING A PATIENT

摘要

A treatment source (4) such as a radiation source, is attached to the inner surface (50a) of a drum (50), which drum (50) is mounted to a support (3) so as to be rotatable with respect to the support (3) about a central axis (R) displaced from the treatment source (4). The source provides a treatment beam (X) having a treatment beam axis (TB) extending through the rotation axis (R). A patient support (6) for receiving a patient (2) to locate a target treatment area (6) on the treatment beam axis (TB) is housed at least partially within the passageway defined by the inner surface (50a). The overall size of the apparatus is thus reduced. A preferred treatment technique, to which the apparatus may be adapted, is also described.