Neutron capture therapy system

Abstract

A neutron capture therapy system (100) that operates based on an accelerator and is safer and more reliable can be applied to a treatment location such as a hospital, having a more compact structure and a rational layout. The neutron capture therapy system (100) includes a charged particle beam generation unit (11), a beam delivery unit (12), and a neutron beam generation unit (13); the charged particle beam generation unit (11) includes an ion source (111) and an accelerator (112), and the accelerator (112) accelerates charged particles generated by the ion source (111) to obtain a charged particle beam of the required energy; A neutron beam generating unit (13) comprises a target material, a beam forming body (131), and a collimator (132), and a charged particle beam generated by an accelerator (112) is irradiated onto the target material through a beam delivery unit (12) and interacts with the target material to generate neutrons, and the generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam forming body (131) and the collimator (132) to form a therapeutic neutron beam; a neutron capture therapy system (100) is integrally housed in a building made of concrete and comprises an irradiation chamber (101), an accelerator chamber (102), and a beam delivery chamber (103), and the neutron beam generating unit (13) is at least partially housed in the partition between the irradiation chamber (101) and the beam delivery chamber (103).

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a radiation irradiation system, and in particular to a neutron capture therapy system. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of atomic science, radiation therapies such as cobalt sixty, linear accelerators, and electron beams have become one of the primary means of treating cancer. However, traditional photon or electron therapy is limited by the physical conditions of the radiation itself; consequently, while killing tumor cells, it also damages many normal tissues in the beam path. Furthermore, because the sensitivity levels of tumor cells to radiation vary, traditional radiation therapy is generally ineffective against radiation-resistant malignancies (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme and melanoma).

[0003] To reduce radiation damage to normal tissues surrounding the tumor, the concept of targeted therapy in chemotherapy is applied to radiation therapy. In relation to tumor cells with high radiation resistance, irradiation sources with high relative biological effectiveness (RBE), such as proton therapy, heavy ion therapy, and neutron capture therapy, are also currently being actively developed. Here, neutron capture therapy combines the two aforementioned concepts, for example, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), and provides a better cancer treatment option than traditional radiation by combining precise neutron beam modulation and control with the specific aggregation of boron-containing drugs into tumor cells.

[0004] Previous neutron capture therapy systems were mostly based on reactors; however, nuclear reactors themselves are not only expensive and have limited applications, but also involve unsafe factors and complex facilities, making them difficult to use in medical settings. Therefore, there is a need to propose a new technical solution to address these issues. Prior art literature

[65535] (Patent Document 001) EP 3136400 A1 means of solving the problem

[0005] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator includes an ion source and an accelerator; the ion source is configured to generate charged particles, and the accelerator is configured to accelerate the charged particles generated by the ion source to obtain a charged particle beam having the required energy. The neutron beam generator includes a target, a beam shaper, and a collimator; the target is arranged between the beam delivery unit and the beam shaper; the charged particle beam generated by the accelerator is irradiated onto the target through the beam delivery unit and interacts with the target to generate neutrons; the generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaper and the collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system is entirely housed in a concrete building and includes an irradiation chamber, an accelerator chamber, and a beam delivery chamber. An irradiated body injected with a drug is irradiated by the therapeutic neutron beam in the irradiation chamber. The accelerator chamber at least partially houses the charged particle beam generator. The beam delivery chamber accommodates the beam delivery unit at least partially, and the neutron beam generation unit is accommodated at least partially in the partition between the irradiation chamber and the beam delivery chamber. The neutron capture therapy system operates based on an accelerator, and thus is safer and more reliable, has a more compact structure and rational layout, and can be applied to treatment sites such as hospitals.

[0006] Preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may further include a drug control chamber and a drug delivery device. The drug delivery device is configured to inject a drug into a subject during irradiation therapy and includes a drug passage assembly, a drug receiving mechanism, and a drug control mechanism. The drug passage assembly is arranged between the drug control chamber and the irradiation chamber, and the drug receiving mechanism and the drug control mechanism are arranged in the drug control chamber to control the drug delivery to the subject in the drug control chamber. To improve safety and reliability, operation in the irradiation chamber may be avoided, while neutron radiation from the irradiation chamber is prevented from affecting the drug receiving mechanism and the drug control mechanism.

[0007] Additionally, the drug passage assembly may include a drug passage member and a receiving member. The drug passage member is configured to inject a drug. The receiving member is configured to receive the drug passage member at least partially, is arranged in a partition wall, and forms a passage for the drug passage member to pass through the partition wall.

[0008] Preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may further include a treatment table, a treatment table positioning device, and a shielding device for the treatment table positioning device. The shielding device for the treatment table positioning device can extend its service life by reducing or avoiding radiation damage to the treatment table positioning device caused by neutrons and other radiation generated by the neutron capture therapy system.

[0009] Additionally, the treatment table positioning device may include a robot arm configured to support and position the treatment table and including at least one arm portion, and the shielding device includes a robot arm outer shell surrounding the arm portion.

[0010] Furthermore, a collision prevention protection mechanism may be provided on the robot arm exterior. Alternatively, the treatment table positioning device may further include a linear shaft, and the robot arm is arranged between the linear shaft and the treatment table, the linear shaft includes a support sheet connected to a sliding rail fixed to a building and the robot arm, the support sheet drives the treatment table and the robot arm to slide together along the sliding rail, and the shielding device includes a sliding rail covering member. The sliding rail covering member can reduce radiation leakage caused when the support sheet slides along the sliding rail.

[0011] Preferably, the neutron shielding space is formed within a building and may be formed within a beam delivery chamber or an irradiation chamber, and the concrete is boron-containing barite concrete or neutron shielding plates are arranged on the concrete surface to form the neutron shielding space. Since a large number of neutrons are generated in the neutron capture therapy process, particularly near the neutron beam generator, a neutron shielding space is provided to avoid or reduce neutron leakage or radiation damage and radiation contamination of other indoor devices as much as possible.

[0012] Preferably, within the building, a cable for operating a neutron capture therapy system, a tubular member through which gas and liquid pass, a rod-shaped member fixedly mounted to the building, or a support device for supporting the cable or tubular member may be provided. The material of the support device, tubular member, or rod-shaped member is composed of at least 90% (percentage in terms of weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, or Ti. A tubular member, a fixed rod, a cable, and a support device for the tubular member are provided, and a material with low secondary radiation generated after neutron irradiation may be selected to reduce radiation damage and radiation contamination. Alternatively, an annular shielding device is provided, comprising an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and a shielding material arranged between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve, on the periphery of the cable, the tubular member, or the rod-shaped member. An annular shielding device is provided that can reduce radiation damage and radiation contamination of cables, tubular members, and fixed rods arranged within a building by neutrons generated by a neutron capture therapy system.

[0013] Preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may further include an auxiliary device arranged at least partially in the accelerator chamber or beam delivery chamber, and the auxiliary device includes a cooling device, or an insulating gas expansion and recovery device, or an air compression device that provides compressed air, or a vacuum pump that provides a vacuum environment.

[0014] In addition, the cooling medium of the cooling device may have a hardness of less than 60 mg / L. The cooling device extends the service life of the device by being used to cool the components to be cooled in the neutron capture therapy system. The cooling medium of the cooling device is soft water, and consequently, scale does not easily form in the water pipes during cooling, thereby affecting the heat exchange efficiency.

[0015] Additionally, the cooling device may be configured to cool an ion source, accelerator, or target, or the cooling medium of the cooling device may have a hardness of less than 17 mg / L, or the cooling medium of the cooling device may be deionized water having a conductivity of 0.5-1.5 μS / cm. Alternatively, the cooling device may include an external circulation device, an internal circulation device, and a heat exchanger. The internal circulation device delivers the cooling medium to the component to be cooled in the neutron capture therapy system to absorb heat, and then, after heat absorption and temperature rise, delivers the cooling medium to the heat exchanger to perform heat exchange with the cooling water delivered to the heat exchanger by the external circulation device, and then, after temperature drop, delivers the cooling medium back to the component to be cooled to absorb heat. The external circulation device continuously supplies cooling water to the heat exchanger and may recover the cooling water after heat absorption and temperature rise.

[0016] In addition, the accelerator provides acceleration energy and includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply supplied with insulating gas, thereby avoiding failure of electronic components within the accelerator high-voltage power supply. An insulating gas expansion and recovery device supplies insulating gas to the accelerator high-voltage power supply or recovers insulating gas from the accelerator high-voltage power supply. The insulating gas can be recovered when the relevant device is maintained, inspected, and repaired to improve the utilization rate of the insulating gas.

[0017] Additionally, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may include a gas source and a storage container. The gas source includes a container for receiving insulating gas, and the storage container is connected to the gas source and the accelerator high-voltage power supply, respectively.

[0018] A second aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system is entirely housed in a concrete building. Inside the building, cables for operating the neutron capture therapy system, tubular members through which gases and liquids pass, or rod-shaped members fixed to the building are provided. An annular shielding device is provided at the periphery of the cables, tubular members, or rod-shaped members. An annular shielding device is provided capable of reducing radiation damage and radiation contamination of the cables, tubular members, and fixed rods arranged within the building by neutrons generated by the neutron capture therapy system.

[0019] Preferably, the annular shielding device may include an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and a shielding material arranged between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

[0020] In addition, the material of the inner sleeve or outer sleeve may be composed of at least 90% (percentage in terms of weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, or Ti.

[0021] In addition, the material of the inner sleeve or outer sleeve may be PVC.

[0022] In addition, the outer sleeve can be used as a neutron delayer, and the delayed neutrons can be better absorbed by the shielding material.

[0023] In addition, the shielding material can be composed of a neutron shielding material.

[0024] In addition, the shielding material may be a boron-containing resin.

[0025] Furthermore, preferably, the tubular member may be a ventilation pipe or a fire pipe, and the rod-shaped member may be a support rod or a screw rod.

[0026] Furthermore, preferably, the charged particle beam generator may include an accelerator, and the neutron beam generator may include a target, a beam shaping body, and a collimator, wherein the target is arranged between the beam delivery unit and the beam shaping body, and the charged particle beam generated by the accelerator is irradiated onto the target through the beam delivery unit and interacts with the target to generate neutrons, and the generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaping body and the collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam.

[0027] Additionally, the beam forming body may include a reflector, a delayer, a thermal neutron absorber, a radiation shield, and a beam exit. The delayer slows neutrons generated from the target to the extra-thermal neutron energy region. The reflector surrounds the delayer and guides deflected neutrons back to the delayer to improve the intensity of the extra-thermal neutron beam. The thermal neutron absorber is configured to absorb thermal neutrons to avoid excessive doses acting on normal tissues in the epidermal layer during treatment. The radiation shield surrounds the beam exit and is arranged behind the reflector to shield leaked neutrons and photons, thereby reducing the dose acting on normal tissues in the non-irradiated area. A collimator is arranged behind the beam exit to converge the neutron beam.

[0028] A third aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system is entirely housed in a concrete building and includes an irradiation chamber and a drug control chamber. A subject injected with a drug receives irradiation therapy by a neutron beam in the irradiation chamber. The irradiation chamber has a partition separating it from the drug control chamber. The neutron capture therapy system further includes a drug injection device, and the drug injection device includes a drug passage assembly arranged between the drug control chamber and the irradiation chamber. The drug passage assembly includes a drug passage member and a receiving member. The drug passage member is configured to inject a drug. The receiving member is configured to at least partially receive the drug passage member, is arranged in the partition, and forms a passage for the drug passage member to pass through the partition. The drug injection device improves safety and reliability by avoiding operation within the irradiation chamber through a drug passage member passing through a partition wall to inject the drug into a subject within the irradiation chamber. On the one hand, providing a receiving member facilitates the passage of the drug passage member, while on the other hand, providing a receiving member separates the concrete wall, preventing dust and other contaminants from contaminating the drug passage member.

[0029] Preferably, the drug injection device may be configured to inject a drug into the subject during irradiation treatment.

[0030] Preferably, the drug delivery device may further include a drug acceptance mechanism and a drug control mechanism. The drug acceptance mechanism and the drug control mechanism are arranged in a drug control chamber to control the drug delivery to the subject within the drug control chamber. Neutron radiation from the irradiation chamber is prevented from affecting the drug acceptance mechanism and the drug control mechanism. Additionally, a drug passage member is connected to the drug acceptance mechanism, and the drug is delivered to the subject by the drug control mechanism.

[0031] Preferably, the receiving member can be arranged in the through hole of the bulkhead in the thickness direction.

[0032] In addition, the central axis of the penetration hole can intersect both the ground and a plane perpendicular to the ground along the thickness direction of the bulkhead, and accordingly, radiation leakage can be reduced.

[0033] In addition, the distance from the center of the through hole located in the first side wall of the bulkhead facing the drug control chamber to the ground is greater than the distance from the center of the through hole located in the second side wall of the bulkhead facing the irradiation chamber to the ground.

[0034] In addition, there are two or more through holes, and if one of the through holes is blocked or another problem occurs, the remaining through hole is used.

[0035] Preferably, the material of the receiving member may be PVC, and after neutron irradiation, the product may have no radioactivity or very low radioactivity, thereby reducing the generated secondary radiation.

[0036] Preferably, the drug passage member is made of at least partially neutron shielding material, and the effect of neutron radiation from the irradiation chamber on the boron-containing drug within the drug passage member can be reduced.

[0037] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system is housed entirely in a concrete building, and a neutron shielding space is formed within the concrete building. Since a large number of neutrons are generated during the neutron capture therapy process, particularly near the neutron beam generator, a neutron shielding space is provided to avoid or reduce neutron leakage, radiation damage, and radiation contamination of other indoor devices as much as possible.

[0038] Preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may include an irradiation chamber and a beam delivery chamber, the beam delivery chamber at least partially accommodates a beam delivery unit, the neutron beam generator is at least partially accommodated in a partition between the irradiation chamber and the beam delivery chamber, and a neutron shielding space is formed in the beam delivery chamber or the irradiation chamber.

[0039] Furthermore, preferably, neutron shielding plates can be arranged on the concrete surface to form a neutron shielding space.

[0040] In addition, the neutron shielding plate is arranged on the concrete surface through a support assembly, one side of the support assembly is connected to the concrete, and the other side of the support assembly is connected to the neutron shielding plate.

[0041] In addition, the neutron shielding plate may be a boron-containing PE plate, the material of the support assembly is an aluminum alloy, and the support assembly includes two L-shaped plates connected to each other.

[0042] Furthermore, preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may further include an auxiliary device, and by arranging neutron shielding plates around the auxiliary device to form a neutron shielding space, radiation damage and radiation contamination by neutrons to the auxiliary device during the neutron capture therapy process can be reduced.

[0043] Additionally, the charged particle beam generator may include an ion source and an accelerator, the ion source is configured to generate charged particles, and the accelerator is configured to accelerate the charged particles generated by the ion source to obtain a charged particle beam having the required energy. The neutron capture therapy system further includes an accelerator chamber and a beam delivery chamber. The accelerator chamber at least partially accommodates the charged particle beam generator. The beam delivery chamber at least partially accommodates the beam delivery unit, and an auxiliary device is arranged at least partially in the accelerator chamber or the beam delivery chamber.

[0044] Additionally, an auxiliary device compartment may be provided to accommodate or surround an auxiliary device, and the auxiliary device compartment comprises at least partially a support assembly and a neutron shielding plate fixed on the support assembly.

[0045] In addition, the auxiliary device compartment may include a door and its operating mechanism, and the operating mechanism can open the door to allow an operator to enter the auxiliary device compartment, thereby facilitating inspection, repair, etc. of the device.

[0046] In addition, the operating mechanism may include a guide rail and a sliding bar, and the door may slide horizontally along the guide rail through the sliding bar.

[0047] Additionally, the operating mechanism may further include a lifting assembly and a pulley, and the lifting assembly can lift the door vertically to position the pulley at the bottom of the door, and the door can slide horizontally by the pulley, which is more labor-saving.

[0048] A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, a neutron beam generator, a treatment table, and a treatment table positioning device. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The treatment table positioning device is configured to support and position the treatment table and includes a robotic arm comprising at least one arm portion. The neutron capture therapy system further comprises a shielding device for the treatment table positioning device, and the shielding device includes a robotic arm sheath surrounding the arm portion. The shielding device for the treatment table positioning device can extend the service life of the treatment table positioning device by reducing radiation damage to the device caused by neutrons and other radiation generated by the neutron capture therapy system.

[0049] Preferably, the material of the robot arm sheath may be at least partially a neutron shielding material, so as to prevent metal components, electronic components, etc. arranged in the arm part and the mechanism of the arm part from being activated by neutrons and failing or being damaged. Additionally, the material of the robot arm sheath may be at least partially a boron-containing glass fiber resin composite material, the glass fiber composite material has a specific strength and is not easily activated by neutrons, and boron can absorb neutrons.

[0050] Furthermore, preferably, the treatment table positioning device may further include a linear shaft, and a robot arm is arranged between the linear shaft and the treatment table, connecting the treatment table to the linear shaft and enabling the treatment table and the robot arm to slide together along the linear shaft. Additionally, the neutron capture therapy system may include an irradiation chamber and a preparation chamber, and the linear shaft is configured to be fixed to a support sheet that slides along the sliding rail connected to a sliding rail and a robot arm within the irradiation chamber or preparation chamber, and the shielding device includes a sliding rail covering curtain that moves together with the support sheet and always covers the exposed portion of the sliding rail.

[0051] Furthermore, preferably, the robot arm casing may include a first housing and a second housing that are fixedly connected together and surround the arm portion. Additionally, the material of each of the first housing and the second housing may be a boron-containing glass fiber resin composite material, and the glass fiber composite material has a specific strength and is not easily activated by neutrons, and boron absorbs neutrons, thereby preventing metal components, electronic components, etc. arranged in the arm portion and the mechanism of the arm portion from being activated by neutrons and failing or being damaged.

[0052] Furthermore, preferably, the robot arm casing may include a first housing and a second housing that are fixedly connected together and surround the arm portion, and a third housing and a fourth housing that are fixedly connected together and surround the first housing and the second housing. The treatment table positioning device further includes a collision avoidance protection mechanism, and the collision avoidance protection mechanism includes a sensor arranged between the first housing and the third housing and / or between the second housing and the fourth housing.

[0053] Additionally, the materials of the first housing and the second housing may each be boron-containing glass fiber resin composite materials, and the materials of the third housing and the fourth housing may each be glass fiber resin composite materials, and the housing of the sensor may be made of aluminum alloy; or, the materials of the third housing and the fourth housing may each be boron-containing glass fiber resin composite materials. The glass fiber composite material has a specific strength and is not easily activated by neutrons, and boron absorbs neutrons, thereby preventing metal components, electronic components, etc. arranged in the arm portion and the mechanism of the arm portion from being activated by neutrons and failing or being damaged.

[0054] Additionally, a through hole may be provided in the third or fourth housing at a position corresponding to the sensor, and the through hole is used for the sensor's power and communication cables to pass through.

[0055] Additionally, the first housing and the second housing may be provided with a receiving cavity for accommodating a sensor, and the sensor is arranged in the receiving cavity and mounted in an interference manner between the first housing and the third housing and / or between the second housing and the fourth housing.

[0056] Additionally, a gap is provided between the first housing and the third housing and / or between the second housing and the fourth housing, configured to mount a sensor or used to pass the power and communication cables of the sensor.

[0057] Additionally, the collision avoidance protection mechanism may further include a sensor control assembly and a human-machine interface (HMI), and the sensor is a pressure sensor that converts the pressure acting on the third housing or the fourth housing into a pressure signal, transmits the pressure signal to the sensor control assembly, and displays the numerical value on the HMI. If the pressure signal received by the sensor exceeds a preset value, the pressure signal exceeding the preset value is transmitted preferentially to the sensor control assembly and displayed on the HMI in an alarm manner.

[0058] Furthermore, preferably, the treatment table positioning device may further include a collision avoidance protection mechanism, and the collision avoidance protection mechanism includes a sensor arranged on the robot arm outer shell or between the robot arm outer shell and the arm portion.

[0059] Additionally, the collision avoidance protection mechanism may further include a sensor control assembly and an HMI, and a signal transmitted by the sensor is transmitted to the sensor control assembly and displayed on the HMI, and the sensor control assembly performs corresponding control according to the received signal.

[0060] Additionally, the treatment table positioning device may further include a driving mechanism, and the neutron capture therapy system may further include a treatment table control device connected to the driving mechanism and controlling the movement of the robot arm by controlling the driving mechanism, and the sensor control assembly transmits the received signal to the treatment table control device to perform corresponding control.

[0061] A sixth aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, a neutron beam generator, a treatment table, and a treatment table positioning device. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a neutron beam for treatment. The neutron capture therapy system is housed entirely in a concrete building. The treatment table positioning device comprises a linear shaft and a robotic arm arranged between the linear shaft and the treatment table to support and position the treatment table, wherein the linear shaft comprises a support sheet connected to a sliding rail fixed to the building and the robotic arm, and the support sheet drives the treatment table and the robotic arm to slide together along the sliding rail. The neutron capture therapy system further comprises a shielding device of the treatment table positioning device, and the shielding device comprises a sliding rail covering member. The shielding device of the treatment table positioning device can extend its service life by reducing or avoiding radiation damage to the treatment table positioning device caused by neutrons and other radiation generated by the neutron capture therapy system, and the sliding rail covering member can reduce radiation leakage caused when the support sheet slides along the sliding rail.

[0062] Preferably, the material of the sliding rail covering member may include a neutron shielding material.

[0063] Furthermore, preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may include an irradiation chamber, the subject receives irradiation therapy with a neutron beam in the irradiation chamber, and a sliding rail is fixed on a fixed surface of the irradiation chamber.

[0064] In addition, the sliding rail covering member moves together with the support sheet so that it can always cover the exposed portion of the sliding rail.

[0065] Preferably, a neutron shielding plate may be provided on the fixed surface, and a sliding rail covering member is arranged between the support sheet and the neutron shielding plate.

[0066] Furthermore, preferably, the sliding rail covering member may include a first part and a second part, and each of the first part and the second part includes a plate connected sequentially.

[0067] In addition, the flat plates can be connected sequentially in a sliding or pivotal manner.

[0068] Additionally, the sliding rail covering member may be supported by a support member of the sliding rail covering member, and one end of each of the first part and the second part, which are close to the support sheet along the sliding direction of the support sheet, is fixedly connected to the support sheet, and the other end of each of the first part and the second part is fixedly connected to the support member.

[0069] Additionally, the material of the support member may be a material in which the product has no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or in which the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life, and the neutron shielding plate covers the support member. Alternatively, the material of the support member may include a neutron shielding material that is compatible with the support member.

[0070] A seventh aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system is entirely housed in a concrete building. Inside the building, cables for operating the neutron capture therapy system, tubular members through which gas and liquid pass, rod-shaped members fixedly mounted to the building, or support devices for supporting the cables or tubular members may be provided. The material of the support device, tubular members, or rod-shaped members is composed of at least 90% (percentage in terms of weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, or Ti. Tubular members, fixed rods, cables, and support devices for tubular members are provided, and materials with low secondary radiation generated after neutron irradiation are selected to reduce radiation damage and radiation contamination.

[0071] Preferably, the material of the support device, tubular member, or rod-shaped member may be aluminum alloy, plastic, or rubber.

[0072] Furthermore, preferably, the support device may include a screw pipe through which the cable passes and which supports the cable, the screw pipe extending along the extension direction of the cable and being at least partially closed circumferentially around the extension direction of the cable.

[0073] In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the screw pipe in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the cable may be circular, polygonal, V-shaped, <-shaped, ┗┘-shaped, or [-shaped.

[0074] In addition, the screw pipe can be fixed to the wall, floor, or ceiling of a building by means of a connecting member.

[0075] Additionally, the neutron capture therapy system may include an irradiation chamber, an accelerator chamber, and a control chamber, wherein the subject receives irradiation therapy with a neutron beam in the irradiation chamber, the accelerator chamber at least partially accommodates a charged particle beam generator, the control chamber is configured to control the irradiation therapy with the neutron beam, and screw pipes are arranged in the irradiation chamber, the accelerator chamber, or the control chamber.

[0076] Furthermore, preferably, the support device may include a support frame configured to support a tubular member or cable and to guide the tubular member or cable.

[0077] Additionally, the support frame may have a supporting surface that supports a tubular member or a cable, and the support frame is fixed in such a way that the supporting surface is parallel to the ground or perpendicular to the ground. Additionally, the support frame may include side plates and transverse plates connected at a predetermined interval between the side plates, and the transverse plates form the supporting surface.

[0078] Additionally, the neutron capture therapy system may include an accelerator chamber and a beam delivery chamber, wherein the accelerator chamber at least partially accommodates a charged particle beam generator, the beam delivery chamber at least partially accommodates a beam delivery unit, and a support frame is arranged in the accelerator chamber or the beam delivery chamber.

[0079] Furthermore, preferably, the charged particle beam generator may include an accelerator, and the neutron beam generator may include a target, a beam shaping body, and a collimator, wherein the target is arranged between the beam delivery unit and the beam shaping body, and the charged particle beam generated by the accelerator is irradiated onto the target through the beam delivery unit and interacts with the target to generate neutrons, and the generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaping body and the collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam.

[0080] Additionally, the beam forming body may include a reflector, a delayer, a thermal neutron absorber, a radiation shield, and a beam exit. The delayer slows neutrons generated from the target to the extra-thermal neutron energy region. The reflector surrounds the delayer and guides deflected neutrons back to the delayer to improve the intensity of the extra-thermal neutron beam. The thermal neutron absorber is configured to absorb thermal neutrons to avoid excessive doses acting on normal tissues in the epidermal layer during treatment. The radiation shield surrounds the beam exit and is arranged behind the reflector to shield leaked neutrons and photons, thereby reducing the dose acting on normal tissues in the non-irradiated area. A collimator is arranged behind the beam exit to converge the neutron beam.

[0081] The eighth aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system further comprises a cooling device, and the cooling medium of the cooling device has a hardness of less than 60 mg / L. The cooling device is used to cool the components to be cooled in the neutron capture therapy system, thereby extending the service life of the device. The cooling medium of the cooling device is soft water, and accordingly, scale does not easily form in the water pipes during cooling, thereby affecting the heat exchange efficiency.

[0082] Preferably, the charged particle beam generation unit may include an ion source and an accelerator, the ion source is configured to generate charged particles, the accelerator is configured to accelerate the charged particles generated by the ion source to obtain a charged particle beam having the required energy, and a cooling device is configured to cool the ion source or the accelerator.

[0083] Furthermore, preferably, the neutron beam generator may include a target, the charged particle beam interacts with the target to generate a neutron beam, and the cooling device is configured to extend the service life of the target by cooling the target.

[0084] In addition, the cooling medium of the cooling device may have a hardness of less than 17 mg / L, and accordingly, scale is not easily formed in the water pipe during cooling, which affects the heat exchange efficiency, especially when the heat exchanger uses copper pipes; or, the cooling medium of the cooling device may have a conductivity of less than 10 μS / cm, which can meet the usage requirements under high voltage conditions and prevent interference with the generation of leakage current and neutron beam generation in a high voltage environment.

[0085] In addition, the cooling medium of the cooling device may be deionized water with a conductivity of 0.5-1.5 μS / cm.

[0086] Preferably, the cooling device may include an external circulation device, an internal circulation device, and a heat exchanger. The internal circulation device delivers a cooling medium to a component to be cooled in the neutron capture therapy system to absorb heat, and then, after heat absorption and temperature rise, delivers the cooling medium to a heat exchanger to perform heat exchange with the cooling water delivered to the heat exchanger by the external circulation device, and then, after temperature drop, delivers the cooling medium back to the component to be cooled to absorb heat. The external circulation device continuously supplies cooling water to the heat exchanger and can recover the cooling water after heat absorption and temperature rise.

[0087] Additionally, the external circulation device may include a low-temperature source unit, a first pump, and a first control device that controls the low-temperature source unit and the first pump. The external circulation device transfers cooling water exiting from the heat exchanger after heat absorption and temperature rise to the low-temperature source unit for cooling, the cooled cooling water is pressurized by the first pump and transferred to the heat exchanger, and the first control device controls the transfer of the cooling water.

[0088] Additionally, the internal circulation device may include a filter, a second pump, and a second control device that controls the filter and the second pump. One end of the internal circulation device is connected to a component to be cooled, and the other end of the internal circulation device is connected to a heat exchanger. The cooling medium absorbs heat from the component to be cooled, is pressurized by the second pump, and is transferred to the heat exchanger to perform heat exchange with the cooling water. After cooling and temperature reduction, the cooling medium is filtered by the filter and then transferred to the component to be cooled for heat exchange, and the second control device controls the transfer of the cooling medium.

[0089] Additionally, the internal circulation device may include a pressure stabilization loop or a cooling medium replenishment loop, and the pressure stabilization loop and the cooling medium replenishment loop are controlled by a second control device, and the external circulation device includes a cooling water replenishment loop controlled by a first control device.

[0090] A ninth aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator generates a charged particle beam. The beam delivery unit delivers the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generator, and the neutron beam generator generates a therapeutic neutron beam. The charged particle beam generator includes an ion source and an accelerator. The ion source is configured to generate charged particles, and the accelerator is configured to accelerate the charged particles generated by the ion source to obtain a charged particle beam having the required energy. The accelerator includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply that provides acceleration energy and is provided with an insulating gas inside. The accelerator high-voltage power supply is provided with an insulating gas inside, thereby avoiding failure of electronic components within the accelerator high-voltage power supply.

[0091] Preferably, the neutron capture therapy system may further include an auxiliary device comprising an insulating gas expansion and recovery device. The insulating gas expansion and recovery device supplies insulating gas to the accelerator high-voltage power supply or recovers insulating gas from the accelerator high-voltage power supply. Insulating gas may be recovered when the relevant device is maintained, inspected, and repaired to improve the utilization rate of insulating gas.

[0092] Preferably, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may include a gas source and a storage container connected to the gas source and the accelerator high-voltage power supply, respectively. The gas source includes a container for receiving insulating gas.

[0093] Additionally, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may further include a vacuum pump, which starts before expansion to vacuum the storage container, pipes, components of the insulating gas expansion and recovery device, etc., thereby expelling air from within the device.

[0094] In addition, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may further include a compressor that provides power for the expansion and recovery (reverse expansion) process.

[0095] Additionally, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may further include a drying device arranged between the storage container and the accelerator high-voltage power supply to remove most of the water molecules within the recovered insulating gas and maintain the gas in a relatively dry state.

[0096] In addition, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may further include a filtration device arranged between the storage container and the accelerator high-voltage power supply to maintain the purity of the insulating gas by removing oil, large particle impurities, etc., from the recovered insulating gas.

[0097] Additionally, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device may further include a refrigeration device and a compression device arranged between the gas source vessel and the accelerator high-voltage power supply. When the insulating gas is expanded from the accelerator high-voltage power supply back into the gas source vessel, the refrigeration device converts the insulating gas into a liquid state, and the compression device compresses the insulating gas into a gaseous or liquid state and fills the gas source vessel.

[0098] Preferably, the neutron beam generation unit may include a target, a beam shaping body, and a collimator, wherein the target is arranged between the beam delivery unit and the beam shaping body, and a charged particle beam generated by the accelerator is irradiated onto the target through the beam delivery unit and interacts with the target to generate neutrons, and the generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaping body and the collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam.

[0099] Additionally, the beam forming body may include a reflector, a delayer, a thermal neutron absorber, a radiation shield, and a beam exit. The delayer slows neutrons generated from the target to the extra-thermal neutron energy region. The reflector surrounds the delayer and guides deflected neutrons back to the delayer to improve the intensity of the extra-thermal neutron beam. The thermal neutron absorber is configured to absorb thermal neutrons to avoid excessive doses acting on normal tissues in the epidermal layer during treatment. The radiation shield surrounds the beam exit and is arranged behind the reflector to shield leaked neutrons and photons, thereby reducing the dose acting on normal tissues in the non-irradiated area. A collimator is arranged behind the beam exit to converge the neutron beam.

[0100] The neutron capture therapy system according to the present invention operates based on an accelerator, and thus is safer and more reliable, has a more compact structure and rational layout, and can be applied to treatment locations such as hospitals. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0101] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic module diagram of a cooling device of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic module diagram of the external circulation device of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a schematic module diagram of the internal circulation device of Figure 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic module diagram of an insulating gas expansion and recovery device of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a planar layout of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the partition between the control chamber and the lighting chamber of Figure 6. FIGS. 8A and 8B are schematic layout diagrams of a neutron shielding plate and a support assembly arranged on the side facing the beam transfer chamber of a partition between an irradiation chamber and a beam transfer chamber of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 8A is a schematic layout diagram of the neutron shielding plate and FIG. 8B is a schematic layout diagram of the support assembly. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the fixing method of the neutron shielding plate and support assembly of Figures 8a and 8b. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an auxiliary device compartment arranged in a beam delivery chamber of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a treatment table position setting device of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of Figure 11 in a different orientation. FIG. 13 is a module diagram of a treatment table position setting device and a control device thereof of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a sliding rail covering member of the treatment table position setting device of FIG. 11. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the sliding rail covering member of the treatment table position setting device of FIG. 11. FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the robot arm outer shell of the treatment table positioning device of FIG. 11. FIG. 17 is a schematic layout diagram of a screw pipe and a support frame of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of an annular shielding device of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0102] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are further described in detail with reference to the drawings, enabling those skilled in the art to implement the embodiments by referring to the text of the description.

[0103] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the neutron capture therapy system of the present embodiment is preferably a boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) system (100), which is a device for performing cancer treatment using boron neutron capture therapy. The boron neutron capture therapy system performs cancer treatment by irradiating a neutron beam (N) onto a subject (200) injected with boron (B-10). After the subject (200) ingests a boron (B-10)-containing drug or is injected with the drug, the boron-containing drug selectively aggregates in tumor cells (M), and then two strongly charged particles ( 4 He and 7 Li) uses the properties of a high boron (B-10) containing drug with a thermal neutron capture section, and 10 B(n, α) 7 It is generated through Li neutron capture and nuclear fission reactions. The two charged particles have an average energy of approximately 2.33 MeV and exhibit high linear energy transfer (LET) and short range characteristics. The LET and range of the α particle are 150 keV / μm and 8 μm, respectively, and the strongly charged particles ( 7 The LET and range of Li) are 175 keV / μm and 5 μm, respectively, and the total range of the two particles is approximately equal to the cell size, and accordingly, the radiation damage to the organism can be limited to the cellular level and the objective of locally killing tumor cells can be achieved under the premise that it does not induce too much damage to normal tissues.

[0104] A BNCT system (100) includes a beam generating device (10) and a treatment table (20), and the beam generating device (10) includes a charged particle beam generating unit (11), a beam delivery unit (12), and a (first) neutron beam generating unit (13). The charged particle beam generating unit (11) generates a charged particle beam (P), such as a proton beam, and the beam delivery unit (12) delivers the charged particle beam (P) to the neutron beam generating unit (13), and the neutron beam generating unit (13) generates a therapeutic neutron beam (N) and irradiates the neutron beam (N) onto a subject (200) on the treatment table (20).

[0105] The charged particle beam generating unit (11) includes an ion source (111) and an accelerator (112), and the ion source is H - It is configured to generate charged particles such as protons, deuterium cores, etc., and the accelerator (112) is configured to accelerate the charged particles generated by the ion source (111) to obtain a charged particle beam (P) having the necessary energy, such as a proton beam.

[0106] The neutron beam generation unit (13) includes a target (T), a beam forming body (131), and a collimator (132). A charged particle beam (P) generated by the accelerator (112) is irradiated onto the target (T) through the beam delivery unit (12) and interacts with the target (T) to generate neutrons. The generated neutrons pass sequentially through the beam forming body (131) and the collimator (132) to form a therapeutic neutron beam (N) and irradiate the neutron beam (N) onto a subject (200) on a treatment table (20). Preferably, the target (T) is a metal target. An appropriate nuclear reaction is selected based on characteristics such as the desired neutron yield and energy, the available energy of the accelerated charged particles, the current, and the physical and chemical properties of the metal target. The generally described nuclear reaction 7 Li(p, n) 7 Be and 9 Be(p, n) 9It contains B, and both are endothermic reactions with energy thresholds of 1.881 MeV and 2.055 MeV, respectively. An ideal neutron source for BNCT is an extrathermal neutron at the keV energy level; theoretically, when a proton with energy only slightly higher than the threshold is used to strike a metallic lithium target, relatively low-energy neutrons can be generated for clinical use without excessive delay treatment. However, since the working section of lithium (Li) and beryllium (Be) metal targets with protons at the threshold energy is not high, higher-energy protons are generally selected to initiate the nuclear reaction, generating a sufficiently large neutron flux. An ideal target should have a high neutron yield, generate neutron energy with a distribution close to the extrathermal neutron energy region (described in detail below), not produce excessively strong penetrating radiation, be safe, inexpensive, easy to operate, high-temperature resistant, or possess other characteristics. However, a nuclear reaction that meets all requirements cannot actually be found. As is widely known to those skilled in the art, the target (T) may also be made of a metal material other than Li or Be, and may be formed, for example, Ta or W, or an alloy thereof. The accelerator (10) may be a linear accelerator, a cyclotron, a synchrotron, or a synchrocyclotron.

[0107] The beam forming body (131) can control the beam quality of the neutron beam (N) generated by the charged particle beam (P) interacting with the target (T), and the collimator (132) is configured to converge the neutron beam (N) so that the neutron beam (N) has high targeting during treatment. The beam forming body (131) further includes a reflector (1311), a delayer (1312), a thermal neutron absorber (1313), a radiation shield (1314), and a beam exit (1315). Since the neutrons generated by the charged particle beam (P) interacting with the target (T) have a broad energy spectrum, the content of other types of neutrons and photons must be reduced as much as possible to avoid injury to the operator or the subject, except for thermal neutrons that meet the treatment requirements. Accordingly, neutrons emitted from the target (T) must pass through the delayer (1312) to regulate the energy of the internal fast neutrons (> 40 keV) to the thermal neutron energy range (0.5 eV to 40 keV) and reduce the thermal neutrons (< 0.5 eV) as much as possible. The delayer (312) is made of a material having a large action section where fast neutrons act and a small action section where thermal neutrons act. In this embodiment, the delayer (312) is made of at least one of D2O, AlF3, Fluental, CaF2, Li2CO3, MgF2, or Al2O3. The reflector (1311) surrounds the delayer (1312) and reflects neutrons diffusing in all directions through the delayer (1312) back into the neutron beam (N), thereby improving the neutron utilization rate. The reflector (1311) is made of a material with strong neutron reflection ability. In this embodiment, the reflector (1311) is made of at least one of Pb or Ni. The thermal neutron absorber (1313) is arranged behind the delayer (1312) and is made of a material having a large action section that interacts with thermal neutrons.In this embodiment, the thermal neutron absorber (1313) is made of Li-6 and is configured to absorb thermal neutrons passing through the delayer (1312) to reduce the thermal neutron content of the neutron beam (N), thereby avoiding an excessive dose to normal tissue in the epidermal layer during treatment. It can be understood that the thermal neutron absorber may also be integrated with the delayer, and that the material of the delayer includes Li-6. The radiation shield (1314) is configured to shield neutrons and photons leaking from a portion other than the beam exit (1315), and the material of the radiation shield (1314) includes at least one of a photon shielding material or a neutron shielding material. In this embodiment, the material of the radiation shield (1314) includes lead (PB) used as a photon shielding material and polyethylene (PE) used as a neutron shielding material. It may be understood that the beam forming body (131) may have different configurations as long as the desired thermal neutron beam for treatment can be obtained. A collimator (132) is arranged behind the beam outlet (1315), and the thermal neutron beam coming from the collimator (132) is irradiated onto the irradiated body (200), passes through normal tissue in the epidermal layer, and is delayed as a thermal neutron to reach the tumor cells (M). It may also be understood that the collimator (132) may be omitted or replaced with a different structure, and the neutron beam coming from the beam outlet (1315) is irradiated directly onto the irradiated body (200). In this embodiment, a radiation shielding device (30) is additionally arranged between the irradiated body (200) and the beam outlet (1315) to shield the beam coming from the beam outlet (1315) from being irradiated onto the normal tissue of the irradiated body. It may also be understood that the radiation shielding device (30) may not be provided. The target (T) is arranged between the beam delivery unit (12) and the beam forming body (131), and the beam delivery unit (12) has a delivery pipe (C) configured to accelerate or deliver a charged particle beam (P).In this embodiment, the delivery pipe (C) extends into the beam forming body (131) along the direction of the charged particle beam (P) and passes sequentially through the reflector (1311) and the delayer (1312), and the target (T) is arranged in the delayer (1312) and positioned at the end of the delivery pipe (C) to obtain better neutron beam quality. It may be understood that the target may be arranged in a different way and may also be movable relative to the accelerator or beam forming body to facilitate target replacement or to allow the charged particle beam to act uniformly with the target.

[0108] The BNCT system (100) further includes an auxiliary device (14), and the auxiliary device (14) may include any auxiliary device that provides preconditions for the operation of the charged particle beam generator (11), the beam delivery unit (12), and the neutron beam generator (13). In an embodiment, the auxiliary device (14) includes a cooling device (141), an air compressor that provides compressed air, an insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142), a vacuum pump (143) that provides a vacuum environment, etc., and these are not particularly limited in the present invention.

[0109] The cooling device (141) may be configured to extend the service life of the device by cooling components (CP), such as the charged particle beam generator (11), the target (T), and other auxiliary devices (14). The cooling medium of the cooling device (141) may be soft water, and thus scale does not easily form in the water pipes during cooling, which affects the heat exchange efficiency, especially when the heat exchanger uses copper pipes, for example, when the cooling medium has a hardness of less than 60 mg / L. When the cooling device (141) is configured to cool the charged particle beam generator (11) and the target (T), the cooling medium must have very low conductivity to meet usage requirements under high voltage conditions and to prevent the generation of leakage current and interference with the generation of the neutron beam in a high voltage environment, for example, the conductivity of the cooling medium is less than 10 μS / cm. In the examples, two sets of cooling devices are provided, one set of cooling devices uses soft water with a hardness of less than 17 mg / L, and the other set of cooling devices uses deionized water with a conductivity of 0.5-1.5 μS / cm. It can be understood that other types of cooling media may also be used.

[0110] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the cooling device (141) includes an external circulation device (1411), an internal circulation device (1412), and a heat exchanger (1413). The internal circulation device (1412) delivers a cooling medium (e.g., soft water or deionized water) to a component to be cooled (CP) to absorb heat, and then, after heat absorption and temperature rise, delivers the cooling medium to the heat exchanger (1413) to perform heat exchange with the cooling water delivered to the heat exchanger (1413) by the external circulation device (1411), and then, after temperature drop, delivers the cooling medium back to the component to be cooled (CP) to absorb heat, and the process is repeated as described above. The external circulation device (1411) continuously supplies cooling water to the heat exchanger (1413) and can recover the cooling water after heat absorption and temperature rise. The external circulation device (1411) is arranged outdoors, that is, outside the building housing the BNCT system (100) (described in detail below), to discharge heat into the atmosphere. In this embodiment, the external circulation device (1411) is arranged on the roof of the building. The internal circulation device (1412) and the heat exchanger (1413) are arranged indoors, that is, inside the building housing the BNCT system (100), to absorb heat from the component to be cooled (CP). Other arrangements may also be provided, and it may be understood, for example, that the heat exchanger is arranged outdoors.

[0111] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the external circulation device (1411) may include a low-temperature source unit (1411a), a first pump (1411b), a first control device (1411c) that controls the low-temperature source unit (1411a) and the first pump (1411b), etc. Cooling water coming out of the heat exchanger (1413) after heat absorption and temperature rise is transferred to the low-temperature source unit (1411a) to be cooled, the cooled cooling water is pressurized by the first pump (1411b) and transferred to the heat exchanger (1413), and the first control device (1411c) controls the transfer of cooling water. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the internal circulation device (1412) may include a filter (1412a), a second pump (1412b), a second control device (1412c) that controls the filter (1412a) and the second pump (1412b), etc. One end of the internal circulation device (1412) is connected to the component to be cooled (CP), and the other end of the internal circulation device (1412) is connected to the heat exchanger (1413). The cooling medium absorbs heat from the component to be cooled (CP) at one end, is pressurized by the second pump (1412b), and is transferred to the heat exchanger (1413) to perform heat exchange with the cooling water. After cooling and temperature drop, the cooling medium is filtered by the filter (1412a) and then transferred to the component to be cooled (CP) for heat exchange, and the second control device (1412c) controls the transfer of the cooling medium. If the cooling medium uses deionized water, the cooling medium is affected by various factors during circulation, and accordingly, its conductivity continuously increases, and the conductivity of the cooling medium is maintained through the filter to meet the requirements. A conductivity sensor (not shown in the drawing) is also provided to detect the conductivity of the cooling medium at the outlet of the filter (1412a) to ensure that the requirements are met.In this embodiment, the heat exchanger (1413) is also controlled by the first control device (1411c), and it can be understood that the heat exchanger (1413) may also have a separate control device or be controlled by the second control device (1412c).

[0112] The internal circulation device (1412) may further include a pressure stabilization loop (1412d) controlled by a second control device (1412c). In an embodiment, the pressure stabilization loop (1412d) may include a buffer tank, a nitrogen tank, a pressure sensor, etc. The pressure of the nitrogen tank is detected by the pressure sensor, and when the pressure is below a set value, nitrogen is replenished in the buffer tank, thereby increasing the pressure, ensuring positive pressure within the system, and preventing air from entering the system. The external circulation device (1411) and the internal circulation device (1412) may each further include a coolant replenishment loop (1411d) and a cooling medium replenishment loop (1412e), which are respectively controlled by the first control device (1411c) and the second control device (1412c), and an alarm prompt may be generated when the coolant / cooling medium is insufficient, and the coolant / cooling medium is replenished through the coolant replenishment loop (1411d) and the cooling medium replenishment loop (1412e). Each of the external circulation device (1411) and the internal circulation device (1412) may further include a temperature sensor, a control valve, a pressure sensor, etc., which are controlled by the first control device (1411c) and the second control device (1412c). It may be understood that the cooling device (141) may have other configurations.

[0113] The accelerator (112) includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply (ELV) (1121) that provides acceleration energy, and an insulating gas is supplied to the accelerator high-voltage power supply (1211) (e.g., the insulating gas is arranged in the housing of the accelerator high-voltage power supply (1121)) to prevent failure of electronic components inside the accelerator high-voltage power supply (1211). It can be understood that the insulating gas may be SF6, and other insulating gases may also be used. An insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) supplies insulating gas to the accelerator high-voltage power supply (1121) or recovers insulating gas from the accelerator high-voltage power supply (1121). The insulating gas may be recovered when the relevant device is maintained, inspected, and repaired to improve the utilization rate of the insulating gas.

[0114] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) includes a gas source (1421) (e.g., a steel cylinder containing SF6) and a storage container (1422) connected to the gas source (1421) and the accelerator high-voltage power supply (1121), respectively. In an initial state, insulating gas is contained within the container of the gas source (1421), then the insulating gas is expanded from the container of the gas source (1421) into the storage container (1422), and then expanded from the storage container (1422) into the ELV so that the ELV can start operating normally. When the ELV needs to be opened for maintenance, inspection, repair, etc., the insulating gas is recovered from the ELV into the storage container (1422), and after the maintenance, inspection, and repair are completed, the insulating gas is expanded from the storage container (1422) into the ELV. If the storage container (1422), pipes, components, etc. of the insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) require maintenance or if a malfunction occurs and inspection and repair are required, the insulating gas can be expanded from the storage container (1422) back into the container of the gas source (1421) to return to the initial state, and after the maintenance, inspection and repair are completed, the insulating gas is expanded again.

[0115] The insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) may further include a filtration device (1423) and a drying device (1424) arranged between the storage container (1422) and the ELV. When insulating gas is recovered from the ELV to the storage container (1422), the filtration device (1423) removes oil, large particle impurities, etc., from the recovered insulating gas to maintain the purity of the insulating gas, and the drying device (1424) removes most of the water molecules from the recovered insulating gas to maintain the gas in a relatively dry state. The filtration device (1423) may be a filtration screen, and the drying device (1424) may perform drying by electric heating, or drying or filtration may be performed in other ways. In an embodiment, the insulating gas passes through a filtration device (1423) and then through a drying device (1424), and it may be understood that the insulating gas may also be dried and then filtered, and the filtration device (1423) may also be integrated with the drying device (1424) and may also include a moisture detection component, or an oil detection component, or an impurity detection component.

[0116] The insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) may further include a refrigeration device (1425) and a compression device (1426) arranged between the container of the gas source (1421) and the storage container (1422). When insulating gas is expanded from the storage container (1422) back into the container of the gas source (1421), the refrigeration device (1425) converts the insulating gas into a liquid state, and the compression device (1426) compresses the insulating gas into a gaseous or liquid state and fills the container of the gas source (1421). It may be understood that the order of the refrigeration device (1425) and the compression device (1426) is not limited, and that the refrigeration device (1425) may also be integrated with the compression device (1426).

[0117] The insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) may further include a vacuum pump, which is started before expansion to vacuum the storage container (1422), pipes, components of the insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142), etc., thereby exhausting air from within the device. The accelerator high-voltage power supply (1121) may also be provided with a vacuum pump (143) that vacuums the ELV to exhaust air before the expansion of the ELV and the operation of the ELV. The insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) may also include a compressor that provides power for the expansion and recovery (reverse expansion) process. The insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) may further include valves, vacuum detection components, pressure detection components, etc., to control the expansion and recovery (reverse expansion) process. It may also be understood that the insulating gas expansion and recovery device (142) may have other configurations.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 6, the BNCT system (100) is housed in a building made entirely of concrete. Specifically, the BNCT system (100) includes a (first) irradiation chamber (101), an accelerator chamber (102), and a beam delivery chamber (103). A subject (200) on a treatment table (20) receives irradiation treatment by a neutron beam (N) in the irradiation chamber (101). The accelerator chamber (102) at least partially houses a charged particle beam generator (11) (an ion source (111), an accelerator (112), etc.). The beam delivery chamber (103) at least partially houses a beam delivery unit (12), and a neutron beam generator (13) is at least partially housed in a partition (W1) between the irradiation chamber (101) and the beam delivery chamber (103). An auxiliary device (14) is at least partially arranged in the accelerator chamber (102) or the beam delivery chamber (103).

[0119] The BNCT system (100) may further include a second irradiation chamber (101'), the beam generating device (10) may further include a second neutron beam generating unit (13') corresponding to the second irradiation chamber (101'), and the beam delivery unit (12) may include a beam direction switching assembly (121). By using the beam direction switching assembly (121), the beam delivery unit (12) may selectively deliver a charged particle beam (P) generated by the charged particle beam generating unit (11) to the first neutron beam generating unit (13) or the second neutron beam generating unit (13') to emit the beam to the first irradiation chamber (101) or the second irradiation chamber (101'). It should be understood that the neutron beam (N) irradiated into the second irradiation chamber (101') can be used for irradiation treatment of other subjects on the treatment table (20') in the second irradiation chamber (101') by the neutron beam (N), and can also be used for sample detection, etc., and this is not limited in the present invention.

[0120] It should be understood that the beam generating device (10) may also have other configurations. For example, if there is a third irradiation chamber, a third neutron beam generating unit may be added to correspond to the third irradiation chamber, and the number of neutron beam generating units corresponds to the number of irradiation chambers, which is not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present invention. A charged particle beam generating unit that delivers a charged particle beam to each neutron beam generating unit may be provided, so that system costs can be effectively reduced. It may also be understood that the beam generating device may include a plurality of charged particle beam generating units to deliver a charged particle beam to each neutron beam generating unit, and that a plurality of neutron beams may be generated simultaneously in a plurality of irradiation chambers to perform irradiation.

[0121] In an embodiment of the present invention, the beam direction switching assembly (121) includes a deflection magnet (not shown in the drawing) that deflects the direction of the charged particle beam (P). For example, when the deflection magnet corresponding to the first irradiation chamber (101) is turned on, the beam is introduced into the first irradiation chamber (101), which is not particularly limited in the present invention. The BNCT system (100) may also include a beam collector (40) that collects the beam when the beam is not needed or performs checks on the output of the charged particle beam (P) before treatment, and the beam direction switching assembly (121) may cause the charged particle beam (P) to be separated from its normal track and guide the charged particle beam (P) to the beam collector.

[0122] The BNCT system (100) may also include a preparation chamber (not shown in the drawing), a control chamber (104), and other spaces for auxiliary treatment (not shown in the drawing). Each irradiation chamber is provided with a preparation chamber to perform tasks such as fixing the subject to irradiation to a treatment table, simulating the positioning of the subject to irradiation, and simulating a treatment plan before irradiation treatment. The control chamber (104) is configured to control and manage the entire irradiation process by controlling the accelerator, beam delivery unit, treatment table, etc., and the manager may also monitor multiple irradiation chambers simultaneously from the control chamber. Only one configuration of the control chamber is shown in the drawing. It may be understood that the control chamber may also have other configurations.

[0123] Since continuous administration is required during BNCT, the BNCT system (100) also includes a drug infusion device (50) configured to inject a boron-containing (B-10) drug into a subject (200) during irradiation treatment. The drug infusion device (50) includes a drug passage assembly (51) arranged between a drug control chamber (in this embodiment, a control chamber (104)) and an irradiation chamber (101). The drug passage assembly (51) includes a drug passage member (511) configured to inject a boron-containing (B-10) drug and a receiving member (512) configured to at least partially receive the drug passage member (511). The irradiation chamber (101) has a partition (W2) spaced apart from the drug control chamber, and a receiving member (512) is arranged in the partition (W2) to form a passage through which a drug passage member (511) passes through the partition (W2), and the receiving member (512) can further support the drug passage member (511). In this embodiment, the receiving member (512) is fixedly arranged in the partition (W2) and is mounted, for example, in an interference manner. It may also be understood that the receiving member (512) can be arranged in other ways. On the one hand, the receiving member (512) facilitates the passage of the drug passage member (511), and on the other hand, the receiving member (512) separates the concrete wall to prevent dust, etc. from contaminating the drug passage member (511). Only the device for injecting the boron drug into the subject (200) in the first irradiation chamber (101) is shown in the drawing. It can be understood that the same drug injection device (50) can also be used to inject a boron drug into a subject in each different irradiation chamber.

[0124] The drug infusion device (50) may further include a drug acceptance mechanism (52) and a drug control mechanism (53), wherein the drug acceptance mechanism (52) and the drug control mechanism (53) are arranged in a drug control chamber to control the injection of a boron-containing (B-10) drug into a subject (200) in the drug control chamber, thereby preventing neutron radiation within the irradiation chamber (101) from affecting the drug acceptance mechanism (52) and the drug control mechanism (53), for example, so that the electronic components of the drug control mechanism (53) cannot operate normally or react with the boron-containing drug accepted in the drug acceptance mechanism (52). A drug passage member (511) is connected to the drug acceptance mechanism (52) to inject the boron-containing (B-10) drug into the subject (200) through the drug control mechanism (53). The drug acceptance mechanism (52) may be an injection bag or an injection bottle, etc. The drug control mechanism (53) is connected to the drug passage member (511) and can control the flow of the boron-containing (B-10) drug in the drug passage member (511). For example, the drug control mechanism (53) can use a pump to provide power for the flow of the liquid (boron-containing (B-10) drug) and also control the flow rate, and can also have functions such as detection and alarm. The drug passage member (511) may be, for example, a disposable injection pipe including a needle inserted into the subject, a needle protection sleeve, a hose, and a joint connected to the drug receiving mechanism (52). The drug passage member (511) may also be made of at least partially neutron shielding material, for example, a part of the needle and hose arranged in the irradiation chamber (101) may be made of neutron shielding material, thereby reducing the effect of neutron radiation from the irradiation chamber on the boron-containing drug in the drug passage member (511).

[0125] Referring to FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the receiving member (512) is arranged in the thickness direction of the through hole (513) of the bulkhead (W2). The central axis (X) of the through hole (513) intersects both the ground and a plane orthogonal to the ground along the thickness direction of the bulkhead (W2), that is, the through hole (513) passes obliquely through the bulkhead (W2) in the horizontal and vertical directions to reduce radiation leakage, and the central axis (X) of the through hole (513) is a straight line. It can be understood that the through hole (513) may also be arranged in other ways, for example, the central axis (X) of the through hole (513) may be a dotted line or a curve, and the cross-section of the through hole (513) may be circular, square, etc. In the embodiment, the distance (D1) from the center of the through hole (513) located in the first side wall (S1) of the partition (W2) facing the control chamber (104) to the ground is greater than the distance (D2) from the center of the through hole (513) located in the second side wall (S2) of the partition (W2) facing the irradiation chamber (101), and, for example, the distance from the center of the through hole (513) to the ground is gradually reduced in the direction from the control chamber (104) along the partition (W2) to the irradiation chamber (101). In the present embodiment, the receiving member (512) is a tubular member arranged in the through hole (513), the outer wall of the tubular member cooperates with the inner wall of the through hole, and the shape of the inner wall of the tubular member is not limited. It may also be understood that the receiving member (512) may be a box body provided with a hole through which the drug passage member (511) passes, or one or more buckles, etc.

[0126] The receiving member (512) is made of PVC, and after neutron irradiation, the product has no radioactivity or has very low radioactivity, thereby reducing the generated secondary radiation. It may also be understood that the receiving member (512) may be made of other materials such that after neutron irradiation, the product has no radioactivity or has low radioactivity, or that the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life. At least two receiving members (512) and at least two through holes (513) may be arranged in each barrier, and accordingly, if one of the receiving members or one of the through holes becomes blocked or other problems occur, the remaining receiving member or the remaining through hole is used.

[0127] Process of injecting a boron-containing (B-10) drug during irradiation therapy: Before starting irradiation therapy, a suitable drug passage member (511) is selected and connected to a drug receiving mechanism (52) and a drug control mechanism (53), and the drug passage member (511) is placed in a suitable position within the irradiation chamber (101) by passing through a receiving member (512); after the positioning of the subject (200) in the irradiation chamber (101) is completed and the treatment plan is determined, the operator of the drug control chamber opens the drug control mechanism (53), and the doctor in the irradiation chamber (101) removes the needle protection sleeve and inserts the needle into the subject (200) or inserts the needle into the subject (200) before positioning the subject (200), and after the doctor leaves the irradiation chamber (101), the operator controls the neutron beam to irradiate the subject and controls the injection of the boron-containing (B-10) drug in the control chamber (104). It may be understood that the same drug injection device (50) (excluding the receiving member (512)) may also be used to inject a boron-containing (B-10) drug before irradiation therapy, and that the drug passage member (511) is disconnected before entering the irradiation chamber (101), for example, the needle is pulled out or an internal needle is used, and after entering the irradiation chamber (101), the drug passage member (511) is reconnected or replaced with a new drug passage member (511), or control regarding the injection of the boron-containing (B-10) drug before irradiation therapy or the injection of the boron-containing (B-10) drug during irradiation therapy may also be performed in a preparation chamber, where the preparation chamber is used as a drug control chamber. It may also be understood that the drug injection device (50) may be applied to other types of neutron capture therapy systems, and that the boron-containing (B-10) drug may also be replaced with other drugs.

[0128] In the neutron capture therapy process, since a large number of neutrons are generated, particularly near the target (T) where neutrons are generated, neutron leakage must be avoided as much as possible. In an embodiment, the concrete forming at least part of the space (e.g., beam delivery chamber (103), irradiation chamber (101, 101')) is concrete to which a neutron shielding material, such as boron-containing barite concrete, has been added to form a neutron shielding space. In another embodiment, a neutron shielding plate (60), such as a boron-containing PE plate, is arranged on the surface of the indoor concrete (e.g., the wall or floor or ceiling of the beam delivery chamber (103) and irradiation chamber (101, 101')) to form a neutron shielding space. It may be understood that the neutron shielding plate (60) can be firmly attached to the concrete surface or spaced apart from the concrete surface by a predetermined distance. The neutron shielding plate may be arranged over the entire surface of the concrete wall or only over a partial area of ​​the concrete wall, for example, the neutron shielding plate may be arranged over the bottom surface of the central area of ​​the irradiation chamber and not over the bottom surface of the entrance area of ​​the irradiation chamber, and the two areas are connected by an inclined section to form a height difference. The neutron shielding plate (60) is arranged over the concrete surface via a support assembly (61), as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b, which illustrate the layout of the neutron shielding plate (60) and the support assembly (61) arranged on the side of the bulkhead (W1) between the irradiation chamber (101) and the beam transfer chamber (103) facing the beam transfer chamber (103). FIG. 9 illustrates the method of fixing the neutron shielding plate (60) and the support assembly (61). The neutron shielding plate (60) is formed by a combination of several pieces. The strip-shaped support assembly (61) is arranged at preset intervals on the concrete of the bulkhead (W1) by means of expansion bolts.Each piece of the neutron shielding plate (60) is sequentially fixed to a corresponding position on the support assembly (61) by screws, that is, one side of the support assembly (61) is connected to concrete, and the other side of the support assembly (61) is connected to the neutron shielding plate (60). In this embodiment, the support assembly (61) comprises two L-shaped plates connected by bolts. It may also be understood that the support assembly (61) may be arranged and fixed in other ways, for example, the support assembly (61) may be at least partially made of a profile, or the neutron shielding plate (60) may be fixed directly onto the concrete surface; and the neutron shielding plate (60) may also be arranged on the side wall of the receiving groove of the bulkhead (W1) that accommodates the neutron beam generator (13).

[0129] In order to reduce radiation damage and radiation contamination of other indoor devices, such as the auxiliary device (14), from neutrons during the neutron capture therapy process, a neutron shielding plate (60) may be arranged around the auxiliary device (14) to form a shielding space. As illustrated in FIG. 10, in an embodiment, an auxiliary device compartment (105) is provided in the beam delivery chamber (103) to accommodate or surround the auxiliary device (14), etc. The auxiliary device compartment (105) is at least partially composed of a support assembly (61) and a neutron shielding plate (60) fixed on the support assembly (61) (only a portion of the neutron shielding plate is shown in the drawing). In this embodiment, the auxiliary device compartment (105) is arranged at a corner of the beam delivery chamber (103) and shares a portion of the wall and floor of the beam delivery chamber (103). The support assembly (61), the neutron shielding plate (60) fixed on the support assembly (61), and parts of the walls and floor of the beam transfer chamber (103) together form a space that accommodates and surrounds the auxiliary device (14). That is, the neutron shielding plate (60) fixed on the support assembly (61) forms three surfaces of the cubic accommodation space, and parts of the walls and floor of the beam transfer chamber (103) form another three surfaces of the cubic accommodation space. The auxiliary device compartment (105) may further have a door (1051) and an operating mechanism (1052), the operating mechanism (1052) is configured to open the door (1051) so that an operator can enter the interior of the auxiliary device compartment (105) when the device is being inspected and repaired, the operating mechanism (1052) includes a guide rail (1052a) and a sliding bar (1052b), and the door (1051) can slide along the guide rail (1052a) in a horizontal direction through the sliding bar (1052b).In this embodiment, the door (1051) is composed of a door support assembly (1051a) and a neutron shielding plate (60) fixed on the door support assembly (1051a), a sliding bar (1052b) is fixedly connected to the door support assembly (1051a) arranged, for example, at the upper end of the door (1051), and a guide rail (1052a) is fixedly connected to the support assembly (61) of the auxiliary device compartment (105). The operating mechanism (1052) may also have other configurations, and it may be understood that, for example, the door is rotatable. The operating mechanism (1052) may further include a lifting assembly (1052c) and a pulley (1052d), and the lifting assembly (1052c) is configured to lift the door (1051) in a vertical direction to position the pulley (1052d) at the bottom of the door (1051), so that the door (1051) can slide horizontally by the pulley (1052d). In this embodiment, the lifting assembly (1052c) is composed of a jack (1052e) and a connecting plate (1052f) fixed on the door support assembly (1051a), the jack (1052e) acts on the connecting plate (1052f), and accordingly the door (1051) slides vertically along the guide rail (1052a) via the sliding rod (1052b), thereby lifting the door (1051) vertically. It may be understood that the lifting assembly (1052c) may also have other configurations. The auxiliary device compartment (105) may further include a fixing member (1053) that is effective when the door (1051) is closed, thereby fixing the door (1051) and the auxiliary device compartment (105) together to reinforce the fixation and prevent overturning. In this embodiment, the fixing member (1053) is composed of an L-shaped plate in which two side plates are fixed to the door support assembly (1051a) and the support assembly (61) or neutron shielding plate (60) of the auxiliary device compartment (105), respectively. The auxiliary device compartment (105) may also have an opening (1054) through which pipes, cables, etc. pass.In this embodiment, the opening (1054) is arranged near the corner of the wall and floor. The support assembly (61) and the door support assembly (1051a) of the auxiliary device compartment (105) are made of interconnected profiles. It may also be understood that the auxiliary device compartment (105) may have other configurations and that the auxiliary device compartment may also be provided in other spaces.

[0130] The neutron shielding plate (60) is a boron-containing PE plate, and the material of each of the support assembly (61), door support assembly (1051a), guide rail (1052a), sliding rod (1052b) and fixing member (1053) is an aluminum alloy. It may also be understood that the material of the neutron shielding plate (60) may be other neutron shielding materials, that different thicknesses may be achieved at different locations depending on the requirements, and that the surface may have different decorations or grooves for mounting other elements; the aluminum alloy may be replaced with other materials, such as carbon fiber composite materials or glass fiber composite materials, which have a specific strength and, after neutron irradiation, have no radioactivity or low radioactivity, or that the radioactive isotopes generated after neutron irradiation have a short half-life.

[0131] Referring to FIGS. 11 through 13, the irradiation chamber (101, 101') may also be provided with a treatment table positioning device (70A) and a shielding device (70B) for the treatment table positioning device. The treatment table positioning device (70A) comprises a linear shaft (71a) and a robotic arm (72a), wherein the robotic arm (72a) is arranged between the linear shaft (71a) and the treatment table (20) to support and position the treatment table (20), connect the treatment table (20) to the linear shaft (71a), and enable the treatment table (20) and the robotic arm (72a) to translate together along the linear shaft (71a). In this embodiment, the linear shaft (71a) is mounted on the ceiling of the irradiation chamber, and the robotic arm (72a) extends entirely toward the floor of the irradiation chamber. It may be understood that the linear shaft (71a) may also be mounted on other surfaces, such as a wall or a floor. The linear shaft (71a) is configured to be connected to the ceiling's sliding rail (711a) and the robot arm (72a) and secured to the support sheet (712a) that slides along the sliding rail (711a). It may be understood that other configurations may also exist. The linear shaft (71a) is secured directly to the ceiling, and no additional linear shaft securing mechanism, such as a steel structure gantry, is provided, thereby reducing the amount of steel in the irradiation chamber and reducing secondary radiation caused by a securing mechanism activated by neutrons. The robot arm (72a) is a multi-axis robot arm that connects the support sheet (712a) to the treatment table (20) and includes a number of arm sections (721a (721a')).

[0132] Since the support sheet (712a) connected to the robot arm (72a) slides along the sliding rail (711a), the neutron shielding plate (60) arranged on the ceiling or other fixed surface must secure a sliding space, which leads to exposure of the sliding rail and radiation leakage. Accordingly, the shielding device (70B) includes a sliding rail covering member (71b), and the sliding rail covering member (71b) moves together with the support sheet (712a) and always covers the exposed portion of the sliding rail (711a). The shielding device (70B) further comprises a robot arm sheath (72b) surrounding at least one arm portion (721a (721a')) of the robot arm (72a), and the material of the robot arm sheath (72b) is at least partially a neutron shielding material, so as to prevent metal components, electronic components, etc. arranged in the arm portion and the mechanism of the arm portion from being irradiated by neutrons and failing or being damaged, such as a boron-containing glass fiber composite material. It may be understood that other shielding materials may also be used.

[0133] The treatment table position setting device (70A) may further include a driving mechanism (73a), and a treatment table control device (70C) may be provided that controls the movement of the linear shaft (71a) and the robot arm (72a) by controlling the driving mechanism (73a) connected to the irradiation chamber (101, 101') or the control chamber (104). Position information of the linear shaft (71a) and the robot arm (72a) may also be fed back to the treatment table control device (70C), and the driving mechanism (73a) may be arranged on the linear shaft (71a) or the robot arm (72a), such as a support seat (712a) or at least one arm part (721a).

[0134] The treatment table position setting device (70A) may further include a collision prevention protection mechanism (74a), and the collision prevention protection mechanism (74a) includes a sensor (741a), a sensor control assembly (742a), and an HMI (743a) arranged on the robot arm outer shell (72b). It may also be understood that the sensor (741a) may be arranged between the robot arm outer shell (72b) and the robot arm (72a). When the edge of the robot arm (72a) or the robot arm outer shell (72b) comes into contact with another object, or when the other object reaches a range set by the sensor (741a), the sensor (741a) is triggered to transmit a signal, and the signal transmitted by the sensor (741a) is transmitted to the sensor control assembly (742a) and displayed on the HMI (743a). The sensor control assembly (742a) transmits the received signal to the treatment table control device (70C) to perform corresponding control, for example, the treatment table control device (70C) controls the drive mechanism (73a) to stop the drive movement of the linear shaft (71a) and the robot arm (72a), that is, controls the treatment table (20) to stop the movement. It may also be understood that the sensor control assembly may perform corresponding control according to the received signal; or the operator may also manually control the drive mechanism to stop the drive according to the display of the HMI; or the treatment table may not be controlled to stop the movement, and instead other safe operations such as reverse movement before collision are performed. The sensor (741a) may be a mechanical sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a laser rangefinder, etc., and may be arranged in different locations.

[0135] The linear shaft (71a) and its driving mechanism (73a) may be mounted on a fixed surface of the irradiation chamber (101, 101') by a fixed member or a supporting member (not shown in the drawing), and each of the fixed member and the supporting member may be made of an aluminum profile, for example, the sliding rail (711a) is fixed to the ceiling by the fixed member, the driving mechanism (73a) and the supporting sheet (712a) of the linear shaft (71a) are fixed or supported to the ceiling by the supporting member, and the sliding rail covering member (71b) is arranged between the neutron shielding plate (60) and the supporting sheet (712a) on the fixed surface of the linear shaft (71a). As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, in an embodiment, the sliding rail covering member (71b) comprises a first part (711b) and a second part (712b), each of which comprises a sequentially connected flat plate and is supported by a support member (713b) of the sliding rail covering member. Along the sliding direction (A) of the support sheet (712a), one end of each of the first part (711b) and the second part (712b), which is close to the support sheet (712a), is fixedly connected to the support sheet (712a) through a connecting plate (7111b, 7121b), and the other end of each of the first part (711b) and the second part (712b) is fixedly connected to the support member (713b). It can be understood that the fixed connection may be a screw connection, a joint, etc.; The plates of the first part (711b) and the second part (712b) are connected sequentially in a sliding manner (e.g., the first part (711b) shown on the left side of FIG. 14) or sequentially pivotally connected (e.g., the second part (712b) shown on the right side of FIG. 14). The plates may also be connected in other ways, and different connection methods are illustrated only in the drawings, and it may be understood that the same or different connection methods may be selected for the first part (711b) and the second part (712b) depending on the requirements.The support member (713b) may be fixed by being connected to the support member of the fixed member or linear shaft (71a) and its driving mechanism (73a), or it may be fixed directly to the fixed surface. The support member (713b) is made of aluminum alloy, and the material of the sliding rail covering member (71b) includes boron-containing PE or other neutron shielding material, and the neutron shielding plate (60) covers the support member (713b) and, together with the sliding rail covering member (71b), shields the linear shaft (71a), the driving mechanism (73a) of the linear shaft (71a), and its mounting portion (excluding the portion where the support sheet (712a) passes through the neutron shielding plate (60). It may be understood that the aluminum alloy has a specific strength and can be replaced with other materials such that the product has no radioactivity or has low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or that the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life; The support member (713b) may also be made of a neutron shielding material, wherein the neutron shielding plate (60) may not cover the support member (713b) but instead is aligned with the support member (713b), and the neutron shielding plate (60), support member (713b), and sliding rail covering member (71b) together shield the linear shaft (71a), the driving mechanism (73a) of the linear shaft (71a), and the mounting portion thereof (excluding the portion where the support sheet (712a) passes through the neutron shielding plate (60). While the support sheet (712a) moves along the sliding rail (711a), the first portion (711b) and the second portion (712b) of the sliding rail covering member (71b) are extended and contracted, thereby reducing neutron leakage over the movement process.

[0136] Referring to FIG. 16, in an embodiment, the robot arm casing (72b) surrounding the arm portion (721a) comprises a first housing (721b) and a second housing (722b), and the first housing (721b) and the second housing (722b) are fixedly connected together to surround the arm portion (721a) and the driving mechanism (73a) (e.g., motor, circuit board, etc.) or control mechanism (e.g., sensor control assembly (742a) or components of a treatment table control device (70C)) arranged on the arm portion (721a). The material of each of the first housing (721b) and the second housing (722b) is a boron-containing glass fiber composite material, and the glass fiber composite material has a specific strength, and after neutron irradiation, the product has no radioactivity or low radioactivity, thereby preventing the generation of secondary radiation, and boron absorbs neutrons, so that metal components, electronic components, etc. arranged in the arm part and the driving mechanism or control mechanism of the arm part can be prevented from failing or being damaged by neutron irradiation. It may also be understood that the material of each of the first housing and the second housing may also be another neutron shielding material having a specific strength.

[0137] In this embodiment, the robot arm outer casing (72b') surrounding the arm portion (721a') further includes a third housing (723b) and a fourth housing (724b) in addition to the first housing (721b) and the second housing (722b). The third housing (723b) and the fourth housing (724b) are fixedly connected together to surround the first housing (721b) and the second housing (722b), and the sensors (741a) are arranged between the first housing (721b) and the third housing (723b) and between the second housing (722b) and the fourth housing (724b). A plurality of sensors (741a) may be distributed around the arm portion (721a). The first housing (721b) and the second housing (722b) are provided with a receiving cavity (725b) for accommodating a sensor (741a), and the sensor (741a) is arranged in the receiving cavity (725b) and mounted in an interference manner between the first housing (721b) and the third housing (723b) and between the second housing (722b) and the fourth housing (724b). Specifically, a gap (726b) is provided between the first housing (721b) and the third housing (723b) and between the second housing (722b) and the fourth housing (724b) to allow the sensor (741a) to be mounted inside. The power cable, communication cable, etc. of the sensor (741a) can pass through the gap (726b) and be connected to the sensor control assembly (742a). Alternatively, a through hole (727b) (not shown in the drawing) may be provided in the third housing (723b) and the fourth housing (724b) at a position corresponding to the sensor (741a), and the through hole (727b) is used to pass through the power cable, communication cable, etc. of the sensor (741a). It may be understood that the sensor (741a) may be mounted in other ways. In this embodiment, the sensor (741a) is a pressure sensor that converts the pressure acting on the third housing (723b) and the fourth housing (724b) into a pressure signal, transmits the pressure signal to the sensor control assembly (742a), and displays the numerical value on the HMI (743a).If the pressure signal received by the sensor (741a) exceeds a preset value, the pressure signal exceeding the preset value is preferentially transmitted to the sensor control assembly (742a) and displayed on the HMI (743a) in an alarm manner, for example, by a light or sound alarm; the sensor control assembly (742a) transmits the signal to the treatment table control device (70C) to control the linear shaft (71a) and the robot arm (72a) to stop movement, or the operator can manually operate the linear shaft (71a) and the robot arm (72a) to stop movement.

[0138] The material of each of the third housing (723b) and the fourth housing (724b) is a glass fiber resin composite material having a specific strength, and after neutron irradiation, the product has no radioactivity or low radioactivity, preventing the generation of secondary radiation. It may be understood that other materials having a specific strength, having no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or having radioactive isotopes with a short half-life generated after neutron irradiation may also be used. It may also be understood that the material of each of the third housing and the fourth housing may be replaced with a boron-containing glass fiber composite material, that is, the housing in the outermost layer of the robot arm sheath (72b) is made of a material capable of absorbing neutrons, so as to prevent metal components, electronic components, etc. arranged in the driving mechanism or control mechanism of the arm part from being irradiated by neutrons and failing or being damaged, and the material of the first housing and the second housing is not limited. The housing of the sensor (741a) is made of aluminum alloy, thereby avoiding the use of traditional steel materials that generate secondary radiation by producing radioactive isotopes with long half-lives, such as cobalt sixty, after neutron irradiation. It may be understood that the aluminum alloy has a specific strength and can be replaced with other materials that have no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or that the radioactive isotopes generated after neutron irradiation have short half-lives. It may also be understood that the sensor (741a) can be arranged only between the first housing (721b) and the third housing (723b) or between the second housing (722b) and the fourth housing (724b).

[0139] The method of fixing the first housing (721b) to the second housing (722b) and fixing the third housing (723b) to the fourth housing (724b) may be a screw connection, welding, etc. The connecting member is made of an aluminum alloy having a specific strength, and the radioactive isotope generated after the aluminum is subjected to neutron activation has a short half-life. The aluminum alloy may be replaced with another material having a specific strength, such that the product has no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or that the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life.

[0140] In an embodiment, the third housing (723b), the fourth housing (724b), and the sensor (741a) are arranged in the arm portion (721a') with a larger range of motion, and only the first housing (721b) and the second housing (722b) are arranged in the arm portion (721a) with a smaller range of motion. It may also be understood that the third housing (723b), the fourth housing (724b), and the sensor (741a) may be arranged in all arm portions of the robot arm (72a); and the arm portion without the driving mechanism (73a) may not be provided with the robot arm sheath (72b), and the arm portion may be made of a material having a specific strength and having no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, such as an aluminum alloy, or a neutron shielding material, such that the product has no radioactivity or has low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life.

[0141] It can be understood that the treatment table positioning device (70A) may not include a linear shaft, and the shielding device (70B) may not include a sliding rail covering member (71b), and the preparation chamber may also be provided with the same treatment table (20), treatment table positioning device (70A), and shielding device (70B) of the treatment table positioning device as in the irradiation chamber (101, 101').

[0142] It can be understood that radiation shielding devices may also be provided for other alarm, supervision, monitoring devices, etc.

[0143] To achieve operation of each device of the system, power cables, communication cables, and control cables must be provided in a reasonable arrangement for control during treatment. As shown in FIG. 17, screw pipes (80A) are arranged in the irradiation chamber (101), control chamber (104), and accelerator chamber (102), and screw pipes (80A) are used to pass through and support cables, and screw pipes (80A) extend along the extension direction of the cable and are at least partially closed circumferentially around the extension direction of the cable, and the cross-sectional shape of screw pipes (80A) in a direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the cable may be circular, polygonal, V-shaped, <-shaped, ┗┘-shaped, [-shaped, etc.), and screw pipes (80A) are fixed to a wall, floor, or ceiling by a connector (bolt, etc.). In this embodiment, screw pipes (80A) are arranged along the corners of the ceiling and walls in the irradiation chamber (101), control chamber (104), and accelerator chamber (102). It can be understood that screw pipes (80A) may also be arranged in other locations or other spaces, and that the size of the screw pipes (80A) may be designed according to the number of cables accommodated. Support frames (80B) are arranged in the accelerator chamber (102) and beam delivery chamber (103). Since the accelerator (112), beam delivery unit (12), auxiliary device (14), etc. have many power, communication, and control cables and liquid (cooling medium, etc.) or gas (insulating gas, etc.) pipes, support frames (80B) are provided to support and guide them. The support frame (80B) has a supporting surface (S) that supports a cable or pipe, and the support frame (80B) is fixed to the ground or ceiling or other object in such a way that the supporting surface (S) is parallel to the ground, or is fixed to a wall in such a way that the supporting surface (S) is perpendicular to the ground, and the support frame (80B) can also be arranged in other spaces depending on the requirements.In the drawing, only a support frame (80B) arranged along the beam transmission section (12) in the beam transmission chamber (103) is shown, and the support frame (80B) is fixed to the ground in such a way that the supporting surface (S) is parallel to the ground, and the support frame (80B) is composed of a side plate (81b) and a transverse plate (82b) connected at a predetermined interval between the side plates (81b), and the transverse plate (82b) forms the supporting surface (S). It can be understood that the material of each of the screw pipe (80A) and support frame (80B) is an aluminum alloy, and that the aluminum alloy has a specific strength and can be replaced with other materials that have no radioactivity or have low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or that the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life, for example, the material is composed of at least 90% (percentage in terms of weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca or Ti.

[0144] In relation to the normal operation and safety requirements of the system, tubular members (90A) (e.g., ventilation pipes, fire pipes, etc. through which gas and liquid pass) and rod-shaped members (90B) (support rods, screw rods, and other fixing rods required to fix various devices) are also provided indoors and are made of steel materials that can generate secondary radiation by producing radioactive isotopes with long half-lives after neutron irradiation, such as cobalt sixty. To reduce radiation damage and radiation contamination to the pipe and fixed rod, the tubular member (90A) (including the cooling medium and insulating gas pipe) or the rod-shaped member (90B) may be made of a material in which the product has no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life (e.g., the material is composed of at least 90% (percentage in weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, or Ti, including aluminum alloy, plastic, or rubber, etc.), or an annular shielding device (91) is arranged on the periphery of the tubular member (90A) or the rod-shaped member (90B). As illustrated in FIG. 18, in an embodiment, the annular shielding device (91) comprises an inner sleeve (911), an outer sleeve (912), and a shielding material (913) arranged between the inner sleeve (911) and the outer sleeve (912). Each of the inner sleeve (911) and the outer sleeve (912) is a tubular component made of PVC, and the cross-sectional shape of each of the inner sleeve (911) and the outer sleeve (912) can be set according to specific requirements.It may also be understood that the inner sleeve (911) and the outer sleeve (912) each may be made of other materials such that the product has no radioactivity or low radioactivity after neutron irradiation, or that the radioactive isotope generated after neutron irradiation has a short half-life, for example, the material of the inner sleeve (911) and the outer sleeve (912) each consists of at least 90% (percentage in terms of weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, or Ti. The outer sleeve (912) may also be used as a neutron delayer, and the delayed neutrons may be better absorbed by the shielding material (913). The shielding material (913) is composed of a neutron shielding material such as a boron-containing resin. In an embodiment, a liquid boron-containing resin is filled between an inner sleeve (911) and an outer sleeve (912) made of PVC, and the boron-containing resin is solidified to form an entire annular shielding device (91). Then, the annular shielding device (91) is cut into two parts along a plane in which its central axis is located, wrapping a cable, tubular member (90A), or rod-shaped member (90B) from two sides, and then the two parts are fixedly connected by adhesive, bundling, or other means. It may also be understood that the shielding material (913) may include other neutron shielding materials or may be arranged between the inner sleeve (911) and the outer sleeve (912) in other ways. The annular shielding device (91) may also be arranged in another way on the periphery of the tubular member (90A) or the rod-shaped member (90B), for example, the tubular member (90A) or the rod-shaped member (90B) is inserted into the inner sleeve (911) of the annular shielding device (91) before the tubular member (90A) or the rod-shaped member (90B) is mounted.It can also be understood that an annular shielding device (91) can be arranged along the periphery of the cable to further reduce secondary radiation generated after the cable is irradiated with neutrons.

[0145] Although exemplary specific embodiments of the present invention have been described as above, in order to enable those skilled in the art to understand the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the scope of specific embodiments, and various modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art, and it should be obvious that such modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined and determined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claim 1 In a neutron capture therapy system, the neutron capture therapy system comprises a charged particle beam generator, a beam delivery unit, and a neutron beam generator. The charged particle beam generator comprises an ion source configured to generate charged particles and an accelerator configured to accelerate the charged particles generated by the ion source to obtain a charged particle beam having the required energy. The neutron beam generator comprises a target, a beam shaper, and a collimator. The target is arranged between the beam delivery unit and the beam shaper. The charged particle beam generated by the accelerator is irradiated onto the target through the beam delivery unit and interacts with the target to generate neutrons. The generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaper and the collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam. The neutron capture therapy system is entirely housed in a concrete building and comprises an irradiation chamber, an accelerator chamber, and a beam delivery chamber. A subject injected with a drug is irradiated with a therapeutic neutron beam in the irradiation chamber. The accelerator chamber at least partially houses the charged particle beam generator, and the beam delivery chamber at least partially houses the beam delivery unit. The neutron beam generator is connected to the irradiation chamber and the beam The neutron capture therapy system is at least partially accommodated in a bulkhead between delivery chambers and further comprises a treatment table, a treatment table positioning device, and a shielding device for the treatment table positioning device; the treatment table positioning device comprises a robot arm configured to support and position the treatment table and comprising at least one arm portion; the shielding device comprises a robot arm sheath surrounding the arm portion; the treatment table positioning device further comprises a linear shaft, and the robot arm is arranged between the linear shaft and the treatment table, the linear shaft comprises a support sheet connected to a sliding rail fixed to a building and a robot arm, the support sheet drives the treatment table and the robot arm to slide together along the sliding rail, and the shielding device comprises a sliding rail covering member.A neutron capture therapy system characterized in that a sliding rail covering member comprises a first part and a second part, and the plates of the first part and the second part are connected sequentially in a sliding manner or sequentially in a pivotal manner. Claim 2 The neutron capture therapy system according to claim 1, wherein the neutron capture therapy system comprises: a drug control chamber; and a drug injection device configured to inject a drug into a subject to irradiation during irradiation therapy and comprising a drug passage assembly, a drug receiving mechanism, and a drug control mechanism, wherein the drug passage assembly is arranged between the drug control chamber and the irradiation chamber, and the drug receiving mechanism and the drug control mechanism are arranged in the drug control chamber to control the injection of the drug into the subject to irradiation in the drug control chamber. Claim 3 A neutron capture therapy system according to paragraph 2, wherein the drug passage assembly comprises: a drug passage member configured to inject a drug; and a receiving member configured to at least partially receive the drug passage member, arranged in a partition wall, and forming a passage for the drug passage member to pass through the partition wall. Claim 4 A neutron capture therapy system in which, in paragraph 3, a collision avoidance protection mechanism is provided on the robot arm exterior. Claim 5 A neutron capture therapy system according to claim 1, wherein a neutron shielding space is formed within a building and formed within a beam delivery chamber or an irradiation chamber, and the concrete is boron-containing barite concrete or neutron shielding plates are arranged on the surface of the concrete to form a neutron shielding space. Claim 6 A neutron capture therapy system according to claim 1, wherein a cable for operating the neutron capture therapy system, or a tubular member through which gas and liquid pass, or a rod-shaped member fixedly mounted to the building, or a support device for supporting the cable or tubular member is provided inside the building, and the material of the support device, tubular member, or rod-shaped member is composed of at least 90% (percentage in terms of weight) of at least one of the elements C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, or Ti, or an annular shielding device comprising an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and a shielding material arranged between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve is provided at the periphery of the cable, tubular member, or rod-shaped member. Claim 7 A neutron capture therapy system according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary device that is at least partially arranged in an accelerator chamber or a beam delivery chamber and includes a cooling device, or an insulating gas expansion and recovery device, or an air compression device that provides compressed air, or a vacuum pump that provides a vacuum environment. Claim 8 In claim 7, the cooling medium of the cooling device has a hardness of less than 60 mg / L, in a neutron capture therapy system. Claim 9 A neutron capture therapy system according to claim 7, wherein the cooling device is configured to cool an ion source, an accelerator, or a target, or the cooling medium of the cooling device has a hardness of less than 17 mg / L, or the cooling medium of the cooling device is deionized water having a conductivity of 0.5-1.5 μS / cm. Claim 10 A neutron capture therapy system according to claim 7, wherein the cooling device comprises an external circulation device, an internal circulation device, and a heat exchanger, and the internal circulation device delivers a cooling medium to a component to be cooled in the neutron capture therapy system to absorb heat, and then, after heat absorption and temperature rise, delivers the cooling medium to a heat exchanger to perform heat exchange with the cooling water delivered to the heat exchanger by the external circulation device, and then, after temperature drop, delivers the cooling medium back to the component to be cooled to absorb heat, and the external circulation device continuously supplies cooling water to the heat exchanger and recovers the cooling water after heat absorption and temperature rise. Claim 11 A neutron capture therapy system according to claim 7, wherein the accelerator includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply that provides acceleration energy and is supplied with insulating gas inside, and the insulating gas expansion and recovery device provides insulating gas to the accelerator high-voltage power supply or recovers insulating gas from the accelerator high-voltage power supply. Claim 12 In paragraph 11, the insulating gas expansion and recovery device comprises a gas source including a container for containing insulating gas, and a storage container connected to the gas source and the accelerator high-voltage power supply, respectively, in a neutron capture therapy system. Claim 13 delete Claim 14 delete Claim 15 delete

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