A multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device and method

Abstract

This application discloses a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device and method, relating to the field of proton therapy detection. In the device, a mounting bracket is mounted on the head of a proton therapy machine and rotates with the machine's rotating gantry. A microstructured gas detector is used to measure proton information. The detector and motion control components are used to: receive detection instructions issued by a remote control center; drive the microstructured gas detector and / or lead point to a preset position based on the detection instructions; collect proton information corresponding to the preset position and transmit it to the remote control center; the detection instructions are determined based on the detection requirements; and the remote control center is used to analyze the proton information to obtain detection results. This application can complete multiple measurements, allowing a single device to be used for multiple purposes, improving work efficiency while ensuring measurement accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of proton therapy detection, and in particular to a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device and method. Background Art

[0002] Proton therapy is an advanced radiotherapy technique that utilizes high-energy proton beams to precisely deliver a dose to tumor tissue. With technological advancements, newer proton therapy systems have implemented pencil beam scanning (PBS) technology, enabling more precise control of the proton beam's dose distribution. Along the longitudinal direction of the beam's exit, the PBS energy is adjusted to correspond to the proton range at different depths, achieving dose conformity at the depth of the tumor. In the transverse direction, a set of orthogonal scanning magnets at the end of the treatment head enable transverse scanning of the PBS beam, achieving dose conformity across the tumor, ultimately achieving a three-dimensional dose distribution. In terms of clinical effectiveness, proton therapy has demonstrated excellent local control rates and low complication rates across a wide range of tumor types.

[0003] Despite its significant dosimetric advantages, proton therapy remains a developing technology. Its steep Bragg peak is also a double-edged sword. Without a precise and reliable quality control system, consistency between planned and actual treatment parameters cannot be guaranteed, leading to under-irradiation of the target area or high-dose areas falling on normal tissue. Existing proton beam detection systems still have the following shortcomings:

[0004] The functions of the equipment are relatively simple. One device can generally only complete one corresponding measurement content, and users often need to purchase multiple measurement devices. The design of existing equipment cannot be adapted to proton therapy systems with rotating racks, and it is not convenient to measure parameters at multiple rack angles, and the usage scenarios are relatively limited. The detection performance needs to be improved, the price is expensive, and it relies heavily on imports. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device and method, which can complete multiple measurements, use one device for multiple purposes, improve work efficiency and ensure measurement accuracy.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device, which is arranged on a proton therapy machine and includes:

[0008] A mounting bracket is provided on the head of the proton therapy machine, and the mounting bracket rotates along with the rotating frame of the proton therapy machine;

[0009] A microstructure gas detector is arranged on the mounting bracket via a detector and a motion control component, and is used to measure proton information;

[0010] The detector and motion control component are used to: receive a detection instruction issued by a remote control center; drive the microstructure gas detector and / or lead point to a preset position in the mounting bracket according to the detection instruction; collect proton information corresponding to the preset position and transmit it to the remote control center; wherein the detection instruction is determined according to the detection requirements, and different detection requirements correspond to microstructure gas detectors with different core detection areas;

[0011] The remote control center is used to perform analysis based on the proton information to obtain a detection result corresponding to the detection requirement.

[0012] In a second aspect, the present application provides a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection method, which is applied to the multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device, and the method includes:

[0013] Turn on the proton therapy machine and make the rotating gantry rotate according to the preset angle;

[0014] After each rotation of the preset angle is completed, the remote control center determines the detection instruction according to the detection requirements and sends it to the detector and motion control component;

[0015] By means of the detector and the motion control component, the microstructure gas detector and / or the lead point are driven to move to a preset position in the mounting bracket according to the detection instruction, and proton information corresponding to the preset position is collected and transmitted to the remote control center;

[0016] The remote control center performs analysis based on the proton information to obtain a detection result corresponding to the detection requirement.

[0017] According to the specific embodiments provided in this application, the present application achieves the following technical effects: This application utilizes a microstructured gas detector with electrical signal readout, combined with a removable mounting bracket mounted on a proton therapy machine, to achieve accurate and rapid proton information measurement. The microstructured gas detector offers advantages such as high measurement accuracy, high radiation resistance, and low cost. The mounting bracket secures the microstructured gas detector relative to the proton therapy machine's handpiece, enabling convenient rotation with the proton gantry, enabling efficient proton information measurement at various gantry angles. Furthermore, by using lead dots as markers, other measurement requirements can be met. Overall, this application generates detection instructions based on different detection requirements, then automatically adjusts the device structure based on the detection instructions to collect the corresponding proton information and analyze the detection results. This application offers advantages such as low cost, high precision, and radiation resistance, significantly improving the efficiency of proton therapy system beam detection. Furthermore, the combination of the microstructured gas detector with the mounting bracket and other structures provides a high level of functional integration, enabling multi-purpose use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is another schematic diagram of a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the Micromegas detector.

[0022] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the GEM detector.

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the device structure is provided when the detection requirement is for the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size of the multi-point scanning beam at different rotation angles of the rotating gantry.

[0024] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the device structure when the detection requirement is a single-point proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different upstream and downstream positions of the central axis.

[0025] Figure 7Schematic diagram of the device structure when the detection requirement is to measure the consistency between the image center and the beam center.

[0026] Figure markings: 11-microstructure gas detector, 12-mounting bracket, 13-detector and motion control component, 14-remote control center, 15-first drive motor, 16-clamp, 17-second drive motor, 18-third drive motor, 19-lead point clamping component, 20-scanning proton beam, 21-central axis proton beam, 22-lead point, 23-scanning pencil beam; 31-membrane window, 32-electronic readout board, 33-connecting board, 34-electronic board, 35-drift pole, 36-working gas, 37-GEM membrane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] The device presented in this application boasts the advantages of multifunctional integration and high measurement accuracy. It utilizes a micro-pattern gas detector (MPGD) with electrical signal readout, combined with a mounting bracket mounted on the proton therapy machine's head and movable along the beam direction, to achieve precise and rapid measurement of proton beam spot size and position. The mounting bracket secures the detector relative to the therapy machine head, enabling convenient 360-degree rotation with the proton gantry, enabling efficient measurement of the beam spot position and size upstream and downstream of the beam's central axis at various gantry angles.

[0029] This application, relying on the MPGD and mounting bracket, integrates the measurement of the PBS proton beam spot size and position, the measurement of the two-dimensional dose distribution of the proton field, and the measurement of the consistency between the beam center and the image center. Combined with the surface of the microstructured gas detector and the use of lead dots as marking points, verification measurement of the consistency between the image-guided system center and the beam center can be achieved. This function is also very important for equipment manufacturer debugging and proton therapy center acceptance testing and QA (Quality Assurance) and QC (Quality Control). It can meet the needs of proton therapy centers for QA, QC quality assurance and quality control, and proton equipment manufacturers for beam debugging. This application has the advantages of low cost, high precision, and radiation resistance, which can greatly improve the efficiency of proton therapy system beam detection. It is very important to the entire proton therapy system upstream and downstream industry and terminal clinical use.

[0030] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 As shown, a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device is provided. The device is arranged on a proton therapy machine and includes a microstructure gas detector 11, a mounting bracket 12, a detector and motion control component 13 and a remote control hub 14.

[0032] The mounting bracket 12 is disposed on the head of the proton therapy machine and rotates along with the rotating frame of the proton therapy machine. The mounting bracket 12 is a columnar structure and is provided with a mechanical guide rail.

[0033] In a specific application, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the detector and motion control component 13 includes a first drive motor 15, multiple clamps 16, a second drive motor 17, a third drive motor 18, and a lead point clamping component 19. The first drive motor 15 is mounted on the mechanical guide rail; the microstructure gas detector 11 is movably mounted on the mechanical guide rail via multiple clamps 16. The first drive motor 15 is used to drive the microstructure gas detector 11 to move along the z-axis via the clamps 16. The z-axis is the beam emission direction of the proton therapy machine.

[0034] The second drive motor 17 and the third drive motor 18 are both arranged on the mechanical guide rail; the lead point is movably arranged on the mechanical guide rail through the lead point clamping component 19; the second drive motor 17 and the third drive motor 18 are used to drive the lead point to move on the x-axis and the y-axis through the lead point clamping component 19; wherein the x-axis and the y-axis are both perpendicular to the z-axis.

[0035] The clamper 16 and the lead point clamping component 19 are clamped and fixed by fixing screws or magnet attraction.

[0036] In another specific application, the mounting bracket 12 is made of one of stainless steel, carbon fiber, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy, and the length of the mounting bracket 12 in the z-axis direction ranges from 0.1 meters to 2 meters.

[0037] In another specific application, the microstructure gas detector 11 is set on the mounting bracket 12 via the detector and the motion control component 13, and the microstructure gas detector 11 is used to: measure proton information; the proton information includes the proton beam spot size, proton beam spot position and proton field two-dimensional dose distribution of the pencil-shaped scanning beam.

[0038] The microstructure gas detector 11 is a signal receiving detector that can be read electronically and is applicable to high-intensity medical radiotherapy particle beams such as protons, gamma rays, and neutrons. This application specifically provides the application of the microstructure gas detector 11 and the corresponding overall device in protons. The microstructure gas detector 11 is a microgrid gas detector (Micromegas, such as Figure 3 As shown, it includes a membrane window 31, an electronic readout board 32, a connecting board 33, an electronic board 34, a drift electrode 35, a working gas 36), a double-layer grid gas detector (DMM), a gas electron multiplier (THGEM / Gas Electron Multiplier, GEM, such as Figure 4 As shown, it includes a membrane window 31, an electronic readout board 32, a connecting board 33, an electronic board 34, a GEM membrane 37) and one of the resistive micro-well detectors (μRWELL), which cooperates with the corresponding low-noise multi-channel readout electronics to realize the measurement functions of proton beam spot size, proton beam spot shape, proton beam spot position, etc. Among them, the Micromegas detector is usually a single-layer Mesh, but a double-layer Mesh structure can also be used to improve signal multiplication. The microstructure gas detector 11 has good dose response characteristics and can also be used for proton field two-dimensional dose measurement. The above Figure 3 and Figure 4 The two detector structures provided are typical of microstructure gas detectors, which have the advantages of strong radiation resistance, high detection accuracy, large area and low cost.

[0039] The core detection area of ​​the microstructure gas detector 11 is selected according to the needs of proton, gamma and other high-intensity beam detection. In the proton application scenario, the core detection area of ​​the microstructure gas detector 11 is in the range of: 3cm 3cm to 40cm 40cm, for different detection, choose different sizes of MPGD, which also corresponds to different drive motor configurations, such as Figure 1 As shown, it corresponds to a preset large-area microstructure gas detector 11; Figure 2 As shown, it corresponds to a preset small-area microstructure gas detector.

[0040] The gas components used in the microstructure gas detector 11 during operation include argon, neon, xenon inert gases and polyatomic molecular gases. The polyatomic molecular gases can be selected from carbon dioxide, isobutane, carbon tetrafluoride, methane, ethane, etc., and single-component gases such as methane can also be used.

[0041] The detector and motion control component 13 is electrically connected to the microstructure gas detector 11 and the remote control center 14 respectively, and the detector and motion control component 13 is used to: receive the detection instruction issued by the remote control center 14; drive the microstructure gas detector 11 and / or lead point 12 to a preset position in the mounting bracket (specifically in the column structure of the mounting bracket) according to the detection instruction; collect proton information corresponding to the preset position and transmit it to the remote control center 14; wherein, the detection instruction is determined according to the detection requirements, and different detection requirements correspond to microstructure gas detectors with different core detection areas; the lead point is a miniature shielding body used to accurately control the dose distribution in the proton therapy machine. By moving it above the microstructure gas detector, the proton beam can be absorbed, thereby changing the proton beam dose irradiated on the microstructure gas detector.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the detector and motion control component 13 is installed on one side of the mounting bracket 12 to control the drive motors of different axes to move on different guide rails, receive real-time positioning information, and simultaneously collect signals detected by the microstructure gas detector 11. The instructions and collected data information are then exchanged with the remote control center 14. The signal transmission between the detector and motion control component 13 and the remote control center 14 is carried out using a network cable, Bluetooth, or wireless network.

[0043] The detection requirements include: the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size of the multi-point scanning beam at different rotation angles of the rotating gantry; the two-dimensional proton irradiation field dose distribution; the single-point proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different upstream and downstream positions of the central axis; and the consistency measurement between the image center and the beam center.

[0044] The remote control center 14 is used to analyze the proton information to obtain detection results corresponding to the detection requirements. Specifically, the remote control center 14 is set up in a control room outside the proton therapy room during measurement, and other structures are set up in the proton therapy room. The operator needs to be in the control room outside the proton therapy room for remote control, and the remote control center 14 is linked to the detector and motion control component 13 by signal. The remote control center 14 is mainly an image interface center for measurement personnel to remotely control and instantly collect MPGD signals, and analyze the size, position, beam direction and two-dimensional dose distribution data of the proton beam spot.

[0045] In summary, the present application provides a multi-purpose beam measurement device for PBS proton therapy systems based on an MPGD with high position resolution and good dose response, a mounting bracket structure adapted for a proton therapy head, and a device using detectors and motion control components to ensure the precise control of the MPGD or lead point along the guide rail, while collecting the signal detected by the detector. The measurement content that can be achieved by the device of the present application includes at least: the beam spot position and size of the multi-point scanning proton beam at different gantry angles; the position and size of the single-point proton beam spot at different upstream and downstream positions of the central axis; the two-dimensional proton irradiation field dose distribution, and the consistency measurement of the image center and the beam center. Whether it is a manufacturer of proton therapy equipment or a hospital that uses proton therapy equipment clinically, it can provide excellent application scenario adaptation.

[0046] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present application also provide a multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection method, which is applied to the multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device described above. The implementation solution provided by this method is similar to the implementation solution described in the device described above. Therefore, the specific limitations in one or more method embodiments provided below can be referred to the limitations of the device described above and will not be repeated here. In an exemplary embodiment, the method of the present application includes:

[0047] Step 100 turns on the proton therapy machine, causing the gantry to rotate according to a preset angle. In one specific application, the overall rotation range can be set to 360°, with a preset angle of 30°. This means that a measurement is taken every 30° of rotation, and corresponding measurement results are obtained through subsequent steps. Ultimately, twelve rotations are performed, resulting in twelve sets of results. The specific value of the preset angle can be adjusted by relevant technicians as needed, such as 1°, 15°, etc.

[0048] Step 200: After each rotation of the preset angle is completed, the remote control center determines the detection instruction according to the detection requirements and sends it to the detector and the motion control component.

[0049] Step 300: The microstructure gas detector and / or lead point are moved to a preset position in the mounting bracket through the detector and motion control component according to the detection instruction, and proton information corresponding to the preset position is collected and transmitted to the remote control center.

[0050] Step 400: Analyze the proton information through the remote control center to obtain a detection result corresponding to the detection requirement.

[0051] Among them, when the detection requirements are: the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size of the multi-point scanning beam at different rotation angles of the rotating frame, the corresponding detection instructions are: using a preset large-area microstructure gas detector (for example, 30cm 30cm), the first driving motor 15 drives the preset large-area microstructure gas detector to move on the z-axis to collect the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different positions on the z-axis, as shown in the following example. Figure 5 As shown, the scanning proton beam 20 is irradiated onto a microstructure gas detector of a preset large area along the z-axis direction.

[0052] Currently, advanced proton therapy equipment can generally provide more than 20cm The 20cm irradiation range is suitable for treating large tumors. The Varian ProBeam proton therapy system can also achieve an irradiation range of up to 30cm in the ISO position. 40cm. ISO stands for isocenter, the three-dimensional intersection of the proton therapy machine's rotation axis and the patient positioning system. It serves as the reference point for dose calculation and mechanical movement. During beam commissioning by manufacturers, clinical commissioning by hospital physicists, and routine equipment quality control, measurements of the position and size of scanning points away from the central axis are performed. The goal is to ensure accurate proton beam position and consistent beam spot size throughout the entire field of view.

[0053] In practical applications, the MPGD is driven by the first drive motor 15 (which may be a linear motor) to move along the beam emission direction (z-axis), and the size and position parameters of the beam spot are measured at different positions on the z-axis.

[0054] When the detection requirement is: two-dimensional proton irradiation field dose distribution, the corresponding detection instruction is: use a preset large-area microstructure gas detector, stack solid water of different thicknesses on the preset large-area microstructure gas detector to measure the two-dimensional dose distribution of the proton irradiation field at different water depths.

[0055] This application utilizes a pre-designed, large-area microstructured gas detector to measure and verify proton beam parameters over a wide irradiation range. Furthermore, leveraging the excellent dose responsiveness of the MPGD, by placing different solid water layers on the surface of the microstructured gas detector, it is also possible to measure the field parameters (such as field uniformity, size, and symmetry) of square irradiation fields of varying sizes. Furthermore, this system can also perform patient treatment plan verification similar to that of a two-dimensional matrix ionization chamber (such as the IBA Matrixx PT). By placing solid water layers of varying thicknesses on the MPGD, the patient's treatment plan is actually executed, generating two-dimensional dose distributions at varying water depths. These distributions are then compared with the calculated dose distributions to verify the patient's treatment plan, ensuring treatment accuracy and safety.

[0056] Of the two detection requirements mentioned above, the application scenarios focus on quality control measurements related to large-area scanning proton beams, which can ensure the accuracy of multi-beam parameters.

[0057] When the detection requirements are: the position and size of the proton beam spot at different upstream and downstream positions of the central axis, the corresponding detection instructions are: using a preset small area microstructure gas detector (for example, 5cm 5cm), the second drive motor 17 and the third drive motor 18 drive the lead point 22 to move on the x-axis and y-axis to move out of the position of the preset small-area microstructure gas detector, and the first drive motor 15 drives the preset small-area microstructure gas detector to move on the z-axis to collect the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different positions upstream and downstream of the isocenter ISO, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, the central axis proton beam 21 is irradiated along the z-axis direction to a microstructure gas detector of a preset small area.

[0058] When using a preset small-area MPGD, a second drive motor 17, a third drive motor 18, and a lead point clamping component 19 are used to drive a lead point 22 to translate to any position in the two-dimensional plane above the microstructure gas detector. The lead point 11 has a diameter of 5 mm.

[0059] The aforementioned detection requirements do not require a lead dot, so the dot is moved outside the MPGD detection plane by controlling two sets of motors in the x and y planes. At this point, the MPGD, driven by the first z-axis drive motor 15, moves along the beam direction, enabling quick and convenient acquisition of the proton spot size and position of the central axis beam at various locations upstream and downstream of the ISO.

[0060] By collecting spot sizes at different upstream and downstream locations, hospital physicists can use them for TPS beam modeling. In beam modeling using analytical algorithms for dose calculation, it is necessary to measure the spot sizes of proton beams of different energies at different upstream and downstream locations on the ISO to derive the "scatter kernel" term for the dose calculation algorithm for the scanning pencil beam 23. By precisely moving the MPGD position by the first drive motor 15, the spot size parameters at the corresponding location can be quickly determined, helping hospital physicists efficiently complete beam modeling data collection.

[0061] The final step in beam tuning for proton therapy equipment manufacturers is to calibrate the treatment head. This requires ensuring that the beam exiting the central axis of the delivery line is perpendicular to the ISO plane. This requirement also allows for precise measurement of the beam spot position at various ISO locations upstream and downstream, helping equipment manufacturers precisely tune the proton beam's transmission direction, ensuring that it exits along the central z-axis.

[0062] In addition, users of proton therapy machines can use the above requirements to quickly collect the beam spot size of the central axis beam at five positions upstream and downstream of the ISO (the number of positions can be adjusted as needed) for accurate treatment planning system beam modeling to ensure the accuracy of dose calculations.

[0063] When the detection requirement is: consistency measurement between the image center and the beam center, the corresponding detection instruction is: use a preset small-area microstructure gas detector, drive the lead point to move to the image center by the first drive motor, the second drive motor and the third drive motor, measure the proton beam spot position of the beam emitted along the central axis, so as to check the consistency between the image center and the beam center, such as Figure 7 As shown, the central axis proton beam 21 is irradiated along the z-axis direction to a microstructure gas detector of a preset small area.

[0064] In practice, the proton therapy room has several fixed laser beams, with their intersection approximately centered at the ISO position (since laser beams drift slightly over time, the laser beams are only used for rough positioning). The aforementioned detection requires a lead dot, so three drive motors are used to move the laser beam intersection, placing the lead dot near the ISO position. Two-dimensional radiographs are then captured at different gantry angles, and the motors adjust the lead dot position until it is exactly at the image center (the image center is fixed by default and coincides with the mechanical ISO position). At this point, the lead dot is considered to be exactly at the ISO position, also known as the image center. Finally, the proton beam is emitted, and the beam spot position along the central axis is measured using a small-area gas detector. Analysis of the beam spot center and the lead dot position yields the deviation between the image center and the beam center. This deviation is typically adjusted to within 1 mm. This is a mandatory monthly quality control task for hospital physicists. The lead dot and the microstructured gas detector are positioned vertically, with the lead dot at the top and the microstructured gas detector at the bottom.

[0065] At a preset angle, multiple proton information at different positions in the z-axis direction can be collected, and then the microstructure gas detector continues to rotate with the head. The microstructure gas detector adopts electrical signal or optical signal readout method to detect the proton beam in that direction. At the same time, the MPGD itself has extremely excellent spatial resolution and beam intensity linear performance, so it can realize large-area and low-cost detection functions, and integrates beam spot detection functions with different direction angles of incidence and large-area high position resolution.

[0066] The microstructured gas detector is mounted on the proton therapy machine head via a mounting bracket and rotates 360° with the rotating gantry, greatly facilitating the measurement of these parameters at various gantry angles. This allows for multi-parameter measurement at any angle, ensuring the angular consistency of all parameters of the rotating proton PBS beam and providing comprehensive quality assurance for the accuracy of clinical proton therapy.

[0067] Compared with traditional scintillator or ionization chamber detection solutions, this application adopts the advanced electrical readout MPGD detector technology that is radiation-resistant, has high position resolution, low cost, large area, high uniformity, and high count rate. The detector itself has better performance and is more suitable for beam measurement and detection in today's PBS proton radiotherapy.

[0068] This application addresses the pain points and shortcomings of existing proton radiotherapy quality control equipment. It proposes an innovative design that integrates the MPGD with a proton therapy machine's head mount bracket and drives it via a drive motor (such as a linear motor). This design can be tailored to different users and scenarios, enabling multiple measurement functions and truly achieving flexible configuration and multi-purpose use. This application reduces equipment procurement costs and improves work efficiency for equipment manufacturers and hospitals. More importantly, it facilitates the research and development of proton equipment, ensures the safety and accuracy of proton therapy clinical applications, and drives the high-quality development of the entire proton therapy industry.

[0069] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages:

[0070] (1) This application provides favorable support for proton equipment manufacturers in beam spot debugging in the rotating gantry treatment room; wherein, beam debugging includes: the beam spot size at different levels on the central axis of the beam at different energies and different rotating gantry angles, which can obtain the beam spot divergence angle information; the beam spot position at different levels on the central axis of the beam, which can obtain the beam emission direction. In principle, the beam should be adjusted to be emitted along the z direction of the central axis.

[0071] (2) This application provides a reliable and convenient measurement tool for the beam spot profile data measurement required for beam modeling in proton therapy centers.

[0072] (3) This application becomes a measurement tool for the QAQC of proton equipment in proton therapy centers, including the consistency measurement of beam spot size at different energies and different gantry angles, as well as the measurement of the central axis beam spot position.

[0073] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0074] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above examples is only intended to help understand the method and core concept of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, based on the concept of this application, there may be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting this application.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device, characterized in that: The device is arranged on a proton therapy machine, and comprises: A mounting bracket is provided on the head of the proton therapy machine, and the mounting bracket rotates along with the rotating frame of the proton therapy machine; A microstructure gas detector is arranged on the mounting bracket via a detector and a motion control component, and is used to measure proton information; The detector and motion control component are used to: receive a detection instruction issued by a remote control center; drive the microstructure gas detector and / or lead point to a preset position in the mounting bracket according to the detection instruction; collect proton information corresponding to the preset position and transmit it to the remote control center; wherein the detection instruction is determined according to the detection requirements, and different detection requirements correspond to microstructure gas detectors with different core detection areas; The remote control center is used to perform analysis based on the proton information to obtain a detection result corresponding to the detection requirement.

2. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting bracket is provided with a mechanical guide rail; the detector and motion control component include a first drive motor and a plurality of clamps; The first driving motor is arranged on the mechanical guide rail; the microstructure gas detector is movably arranged on the mechanical guide rail through a plurality of clamps; The first driving motor is used to drive the microstructure gas detector to move on the z-axis through the clamp; wherein the direction of the z-axis is the beam emission direction of the proton therapy machine.

3. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detector and motion control component also includes a second drive motor, a third drive motor and a lead point clamping component; The second drive motor and the third drive motor are both arranged on the mechanical guide rail; the lead point is movably arranged on the mechanical guide rail through the lead point clamping component; The second driving motor and the third driving motor are used to drive the lead point to move on the x-axis and the y-axis through the lead point clamping component; wherein the x-axis and the y-axis are both perpendicular to the z-axis.

4. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microstructure gas detector is one of a microgrid gas detector, a double-layer grid gas detector, a gas electron multiplier tube and a resistive micro-well type detector.

5. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detector, the motion control component and the remote control center use network cables, Bluetooth or wireless networks to transmit signals.

6. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The core detection area of ​​the microstructure gas detector is: 3cm 3cm to 40cm 40cm; The gas components used in the microstructure gas detector during operation include argon, neon, xenon inert gas and polyatomic molecular gas.

7. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mounting bracket is made of one of stainless steel, carbon fiber, titanium alloy, and aluminum alloy. The length of the mounting bracket in the z-axis direction ranges from 0.1 meters to 2 meters.

8. The multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The proton information includes the proton beam spot size, proton beam spot position and proton field two-dimensional dose distribution of the pencil scanning beam; The detection requirements include: the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size of the multi-point scanning beam at different rotation angles of the rotating gantry; the two-dimensional proton irradiation field dose distribution; the single-point proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different upstream and downstream positions of the central axis; and the consistency measurement between the image center and the beam center.

9. A multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection method, applied to the multi-purpose pencil-shaped scanning proton beam detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The method comprises: Turn on the proton therapy machine and make the rotating gantry rotate according to the preset angle; After each rotation of the preset angle is completed, the remote control center determines the detection instruction according to the detection requirements and sends it to the detector and motion control component; By means of the detector and the motion control component, the microstructure gas detector and / or the lead point are driven to move to a preset position in the mounting bracket according to the detection instruction, and proton information corresponding to the preset position is collected and transmitted to the remote control center; The remote control center performs analysis based on the proton information to obtain a detection result corresponding to the detection requirement.

10. The multi-purpose pencil scanning proton beam detection method according to claim 9, characterized in that: When the detection requirement is: proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size of the multi-point scanning beam at different rotation angles of the rotating gantry, the corresponding detection instruction is: using a preset large-area microstructure gas detector, the preset large-area microstructure gas detector is driven by a first drive motor to move on the z-axis, and the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different positions on the z-axis are collected; When the detection requirement is: two-dimensional proton irradiation field dose distribution, the corresponding detection instruction is: using a preset large-area microstructure gas detector, stacking solid water of different thicknesses on the preset large-area microstructure gas detector to measure the two-dimensional dose distribution of the proton irradiation field at different water depths; When the detection requirement is: single-point proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different upstream and downstream positions of the central axis, the corresponding detection instruction is: using a preset small-area microstructure gas detector, the second drive motor and the third drive motor drive the lead point to move on the x-axis and the y-axis to move out of the position of the preset small-area microstructure gas detector, and the first drive motor drives the preset small-area microstructure gas detector to move on the z-axis to collect the proton beam spot position and proton beam spot size at different positions upstream and downstream of the isocenter ISO; When the detection requirement is: consistency measurement between the image center and the beam center, the corresponding detection instruction is: use a preset small-area microstructure gas detector, and move the lead point driven by the first drive motor, the second drive motor and the third drive motor to the image center, and measure the proton beam spot position of the beam emitted along the central axis to check the consistency between the image center and the beam center.

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