Neutron capture therapy system

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of neutron capture therapy system, based on accelerator operation is safer and more reliable, and with more compact structure and reasonable layout, can be applied to hospital and other treatment places.The neutron capture therapy system of the present application, including charged particle beam generation unit, beam transport unit and neutron beam generation unit, charged particle beam generation unit includes ion source and accelerator, the charged particle beam of required energy of charged particle accelerated by accelerator to ion source, neutron beam generation unit includes target material, beam shaping body and collimator, the charged particle beam generated by accelerator is irradiated to target material through beam transport unit and acts with target material to produce neutron, the neutron is formed treatment neutron beam in turn through beam shaping body and collimator, neutron capture therapy system is contained in concrete structure building as a whole and includes irradiation room, accelerator room and beam transport room, neutron beam generation unit is at least partially contained in the partition wall of irradiation room and beam transport room.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a radiation irradiation system, and more particularly to a neutron capture therapy system. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of atomic science, radiation therapy, such as cobalt-60, linear accelerators, and electron beams, has become one of the main methods of cancer treatment. However, traditional photon or electron therapy is limited by the physical conditions of radiation itself. While killing tumor cells, it also damages a large amount of normal tissue along the beam path. In addition, due to the different sensitivities of tumor cells to radiation, traditional radiation therapy is often ineffective for more radiation-resistant malignant tumors (such as glioblastoma multiforme and melanoma).

[0003] To reduce radiation damage to surrounding normal tissues, the concept of targeted therapy in chemotherapy has been applied to radiotherapy. Furthermore, for highly radiation-resistant tumor cells, radiation sources with high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) are being actively developed, such as proton therapy, heavy ion therapy, and neutron capture therapy. Neutron capture therapy combines these two concepts; for example, boron neutron capture therapy utilizes the specific accumulation of boron-containing drugs on tumor cells, combined with precise neutron beam modulation, to provide a better cancer treatment option than traditional radiation.

[0004] Previous neutron capture therapy systems were mostly based on reactors. Nuclear reactors are expensive, have limited use, pose safety risks, and are complex, making them difficult to apply medically. Therefore, it is necessary to propose a new technical solution to address these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system, comprising a charged particle beam generating unit, a beam transmission unit, and a neutron beam generating unit. The charged particle beam generating unit includes an ion source and an accelerator. The ion source generates charged particles, and the accelerator accelerates the charged particles generated by the ion source to obtain a charged particle beam with the required energy. The neutron beam generating unit includes a target material, a beam shaper, and a collimator. The target material is disposed between the beam transmission unit and the beam shaper. The charged particle beam generated by the accelerator irradiates the target material via the beam transmission unit. The neutron capture therapy system generates neutrons by interacting with the target material. These neutrons then pass through the beam shaper and collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam. The entire system is housed within a concrete building and includes an irradiation chamber, an accelerator chamber, and a beam transmission chamber. The irradiated subject, injected with a drug, undergoes treatment with the therapeutic neutron beam in the irradiation chamber. The accelerator chamber at least partially houses the charged particle beam generator, and the beam transmission chamber at least partially houses the beam transmission generator. The neutron beam generator is at least partially housed within the partition wall separating the irradiation chamber and the beam transmission chamber. This neutron capture therapy system, based on accelerator operation, is safer and more reliable, and features a more compact structure and rational layout, making it suitable for use in hospitals and other treatment facilities.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment, the neutron capture therapy system further includes a drug control chamber and a drug injection device for injecting a drug into the irradiated body during irradiation therapy. The drug injection device includes a drug passage component, a drug receiving mechanism, and a drug control mechanism. The drug passage component is disposed between the drug control chamber and the irradiation chamber. The drug receiving mechanism and the drug control mechanism are disposed within the drug control chamber and control the drug injection into the irradiated body within the drug control chamber. This avoids operations within the irradiation chamber, improving safety and reliability, while also preventing neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber from affecting the drug receiving mechanism and the drug control mechanism.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment, the neutron capture therapy system further includes 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 reduce or avoid radiation damage to the treatment table positioning device caused by neutrons and other radiation generated by the neutron capture therapy system, thereby increasing its service life.

[0008] Furthermore, the treatment table positioning device includes a robotic arm for supporting and positioning the treatment table. The robotic arm includes at least one arm portion, and the shielding device includes a robotic arm sheath surrounding the arm portion. The robotic arm sheath is provided with an anti-collision protection mechanism.

[0009] Furthermore, the treatment table positioning device also includes a linear axis, with the robotic arm positioned between the linear axis and the treatment table. The linear axis includes a slide rail fixed to the building and a support connected to the robotic arm. The support drives the treatment table and the robotic arm to slide together along the slide rail. The shielding device includes a slide rail cover. The slide rail cover reduces radiation leakage caused by the support sliding along the slide rail.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, a neutron shielding space is formed within the building, specifically within the beam transmission room or the irradiation room. The concrete is boron-containing barite concrete, or a neutron shielding plate is installed on the concrete surface to form the neutron shielding space. Since a large number of neutrons are generated during neutron capture therapy, especially near the neutron beam generation area, a neutron shielding space is provided to minimize or reduce neutron leakage and radiation damage and contamination to other equipment within the room.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the building is equipped with cables for the operation of the neutron capture therapy system, tubular components for the passage of gas or liquid, rod-shaped components for fixed installation within the building, or support devices for supporting the cables or tubular components. The support devices, tubular components, or rod-shaped components are made of at least 90% (by weight) of the material selected from at least one element chosen from C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, and Ti. Using materials that produce less secondary radiation after neutron irradiation, such as tubular components, fixed rods, and support devices for cables and tubular components, can reduce radiation damage and radiation pollution. Alternatively, an annular shielding device is provided around the outer periphery of the cables, tubular components, or rod-shaped components. This annular shielding device includes an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and shielding material disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve. The annular shielding device can reduce radiation damage and radiation pollution from neutrons generated by the neutron capture therapy system to the cables, tubular components, and fixed rods installed within the building.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the neutron capture therapy system further includes auxiliary equipment, which is at least partially disposed in the accelerator chamber or the beam transmission chamber. The auxiliary equipment includes cooling equipment, insulating gas filling and recovery equipment, air compressor equipment for providing compressed air, or vacuum pump for providing a vacuum environment.

[0013] Furthermore, the cooling medium of the cooling device has a hardness of less than 60 mg / L. Using this cooling device to cool the components of the neutron capture therapy system improves the equipment's service life. The cooling medium in the cooling device is soft water, which prevents scale buildup in the water pipes during the cooling process, thus reducing heat exchange efficiency. Even further, the cooling device is used for cooling the ion source, accelerator, or target material.

[0014] Furthermore, the accelerator includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply that provides acceleration energy. The accelerator high-voltage power supply is equipped with insulating gas to prevent the electronic components inside the accelerator high-voltage power supply from being damaged. The insulating gas filling and recovery device provides the insulating gas to the accelerator high-voltage power supply or recovers the insulating gas from the accelerator high-voltage power supply. The insulating gas can be recovered during the maintenance and repair of related equipment to improve the utilization rate of the insulating gas.

[0015] The neutron capture therapy system of the present invention is based on accelerator operation, which is safer and more reliable, and has a more compact structure and reasonable layout, and can be applied to treatment sites such as hospitals. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling device of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the external circulation device in the middle;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the internal circulation device in the diagram;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the insulating gas filling and recovery device of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the partition wall between the control room and the irradiation room;

[0023] Figures 8(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams of the layout of the neutron shielding plate and support components provided on the side facing the beam transmission chamber of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 8(a) is a schematic diagram of the layout of the neutron shielding plate and 8(b) is a schematic diagram of the layout of the support components.

[0024] Figure 9 The above are schematic diagrams of the fixing methods of the neutron shielding plate and support components in Figures 8(a) and (b);

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary equipment room set up in the beam transmission room of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the treatment table positioning device of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A diagram from another location;

[0028] Figure 13 This is a block diagram of the treatment table positioning device and its control device of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 14 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the slide rail cover of the treatment table positioning device;

[0030] Figure 15 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the slide rail cover of the treatment table positioning device;

[0031] Figure 16 for Figure 11 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the robotic arm sheath of the treatment table positioning device;

[0032] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the conduit and support frame of the neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the annular shielding device of the neutron capture therapy system in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can implement them based on the description.

[0035] like Figure 1 In this embodiment, the neutron capture therapy system is preferably a boron neutron capture therapy system 100, which is a device for cancer treatment using boron neutron capture therapy. Boron neutron capture therapy treats cancer by irradiating a boron-containing (B-10) irradiated body 200 with a neutron beam N. After the irradiated body 200 takes or injects a boron-containing (B-10) drug, the boron-containing drug selectively accumulates in tumor cells M. Then, utilizing the high capture cross-section of the boron-containing (B-10) drug for thermal neutrons, the neutron capture therapy system... 10 B(n,α) 7 Li neutron capture and nuclear fission reaction produce 4 He and 7Li has two heavily charged particles. The average energy of these two charged particles is approximately 2.33 MeV. They exhibit high linear energy transfer (LET) and short range characteristics. The linear energy transfer and range of the alpha short particle are 150 keV / μm and 8 μm, respectively. 7 Li heavy particles have a range of 175 keV / μm and 5 μm. The total range of the two particles is about the size of a cell. Therefore, the radiation damage to organisms can be limited to the cellular level, which can achieve the purpose of killing tumor cells locally without causing too much damage to normal tissues.

[0036] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 includes a beam generating device 10 and a treatment table 20. The beam generating device 10 includes a charged particle beam generating unit 11, a beam transmission 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; the beam transmission unit 12 transmits the charged particle beam P to the neutron beam generating unit 13; the neutron beam generating unit 13 generates a therapeutic neutron beam N and irradiates the irradiated body 200 on the treatment table 20.

[0037] The charged particle beam generation unit 11 includes an ion source 111 and an accelerator 112. The ion source 111 is used to generate charged particles, such as H+. - The accelerator 112 accelerates the charged particles generated by the ion source 111 to obtain a charged particle beam P with the required energy, such as a proton beam.

[0038] The neutron beam generating unit 13 includes a target material T, a beam shaper 131, and a collimator 132. The charged particle beam P generated by the accelerator 112 irradiates the target material T via the beam transmission unit 12 and interacts with the target material T to produce neutrons. The generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaper 131 and collimator 132 to form a therapeutic neutron beam N, which is then directed onto the irradiated body 200 on the treatment table 20. The target material T is preferably a metallic target. A suitable nuclear reaction is selected based on the required neutron yield and energy, the available energy and current of the accelerated charged particles, and the physicochemical properties of the metallic target. Commonly discussed nuclear reactions include... 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be and 9 Be(p,n) 9B. Both reactions are endothermic. The energy thresholds for the two nuclear reactions are 1.881 MeV and 2.055 MeV, respectively. Since the ideal neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy is hyperthermic neutrons at the keV energy level, theoretically, bombarding a lithium metal target with protons whose energy is only slightly above the threshold could produce relatively low-energy neutrons, which could be used clinically without much slowing treatment. However, the interaction cross-section of lithium metal (Li) and beryllium metal (Be) targets with protons at the threshold energy is not high. To produce a sufficiently large neutron flux, higher-energy protons are usually chosen to initiate the nuclear reaction. An ideal target should have high neutron yield, a neutron energy distribution close to the hyperthermic neutron energy region (described in detail below), minimal strong penetration radiation, safety, low cost, ease of operation, and high temperature resistance. However, in reality, it is impossible to find a nuclear reaction that meets all the requirements. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the target T can also be made of metallic materials other than Li and Be, such as Ta or W and their alloys. Accelerator 10 can be a linear accelerator, a cyclotron accelerator, a synchrotron accelerator, or a synchrotron accelerator.

[0039] The beam shaper 131 adjusts the beam quality of the neutron beam N generated by the interaction of the charged particle beam P with the target material T. The collimator 132 focuses the neutron beam N, ensuring high targeting accuracy during treatment. The beam shaper 131 further includes a reflector 1311, a decelerator 1312, a thermal neutron absorber 1313, a radiation shield 1314, and a beam exit 1315. Since the neutrons generated by the interaction of the charged particle beam P with the target material T have a wide energy spectrum, besides hyperthermic neutrons to meet treatment needs, it is necessary to minimize the content of other types of neutrons and photons to avoid harm to operators or the irradiated body. Therefore, the neutrons exiting the target material T need to pass through the decelerator 1312 to reduce the energy of fast neutrons (>40). The energy level is adjusted to the ultrathermal neutron energy range (0.5 eV-40 keV) and thermal neutrons are minimized (<0.5 eV). The retarder 312 is made of a material with a large interaction cross-section with fast neutrons and a small interaction cross-section with ultrathermal neutrons. In this embodiment, the retarder 1312 is made of at least one of D2O, AlF3, Fluental, CaF2, Li2CO3, MgF2, and Al2O3. The reflector 1311 surrounds the retarder 1312 and expands outwards through the retarder 1312. Scattered neutrons are reflected back into the neutron beam N to improve neutron utilization. The reflector is made of a material with strong neutron reflection capabilities; in this embodiment, the reflector 1311 is made of at least one of Pb or Ni. A thermal neutron absorber 1313 is located at the rear of the retarder 1312. This absorber is made of a material with a large cross-section for interaction with thermal neutrons; in this embodiment, the thermal neutron absorber 1313 is made of Li-6. The thermal neutron absorber 1313 absorbs thermal neutrons passing through the retarder 1312 to reduce the thermal neutron content in the neutron beam N. To avoid excessive doses to superficial normal tissues during treatment, it is understood that the thermal neutron absorber can also be integrated with the retarder, the retarder being made of Li-6. The radiation shield 1314 is used to shield neutrons and photons leaking from the portion outside the beam exit 1315. The material of the radiation shield 1314 includes at least one of photon shielding materials and neutron shielding materials. In this embodiment, the material of the radiation shield 1314 includes lead (Pb) for photon shielding and polyethylene (PE) for neutron shielding. It is understood that the beam shaper 131 can also have other structures, as long as it can obtain the hyperthermal neutron beam required for treatment. Collimator 132 is located at the rear of beam exit 1315. The superheated neutron beam from collimator 132 irradiates the irradiated body 200. After passing through the superficial normal tissue, it is slowly converted into thermal neutrons and reaches the tumor cells M. It is understood that collimator 132 can also be eliminated or replaced by other structures, and the neutron beam exits from beam exit 1315 and directly irradiates the irradiated body 200.In this embodiment, a radiation shielding device 30 is also provided between the irradiated body 200 and the beam exit 1315 to shield the radiation from the beam exit 1315 to the normal tissues of the irradiated body. It is understood that the radiation shielding device 30 may not be provided. The target material T is disposed between the beam transmission section 12 and the beam shaper 131. The beam transmission section 12 has a transmission tube C for accelerating or transmitting the charged particle beam P. In this embodiment, the transmission tube C extends into the beam shaper 131 along the direction of the charged particle beam P and passes sequentially through the reflector 1311 and the decelerator 1312. The target material T is disposed within the decelerator 1312 and located at the end of the transmission tube C to obtain better neutron beam quality. It is understood that the target material can have other placement methods and can also be movable relative to the accelerator or beam shaper to facilitate target replacement or to ensure uniform interaction between the charged particle beam and the target material.

[0040] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 also includes auxiliary equipment 14, which may include any auxiliary equipment for providing the prerequisites for the operation of the charged particle beam generation unit 11, the beam transmission unit 12, and the neutron beam generation unit 13. In one embodiment, the auxiliary equipment 14 includes a cooling device 141, an air compressor for providing compressed air, an insulating gas filling and recovery device 142, a vacuum pump 143 for providing a vacuum environment, etc., and the present invention does not specifically limit these.

[0041] Cooling device 141 can be used to cool the charged particle beam generation section 11, the target material T, and other auxiliary equipment 14, thereby improving the service life of the equipment. The cooling medium of cooling device 141 can be soft water, which is less prone to scaling during the cooling process, thus reducing heat exchange efficiency, especially when copper pipes are used in the heat exchange section, for example, with a hardness of less than 60 mg / L. When used for cooling the charged particle beam generation section 11 and the target material T, to meet the requirements of high-voltage operation and prevent leakage current and interference with neutron beam generation under high-voltage conditions, the cooling medium must have extremely low conductivity, such as less than 10 μS / cm. In this embodiment, two sets of cooling devices are provided: one using soft water with a hardness of less than 17 mg / L; and the other using deionized water with a conductivity of 0.5-1.5 μS / cm. It is understood that other types of cooling media can also be used.

[0042] like Figure 2The 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 (such as soft water or deionized water) to the component CP to be cooled to absorb heat, and then delivers the cooled medium, which has been heated by heat absorption, to the heat exchanger 1413 to exchange heat with the chilled water delivered to the heat exchanger 1413 by the external circulation device 1411. The cooled medium is then delivered to the component CP to be cooled to absorb heat again, and so on. The external circulation device 1411 can continuously supply chilled water to the heat exchanger 1413 and recover the chilled water that has been heated by heat absorption. The external circulation device 1411 is located outdoors, outside the building housing the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 (described in detail below), to exhaust heat to the atmosphere. In this embodiment, it is located on the roof of the building. The internal circulation device 1412 and the heat exchanger 1413 are located indoors, inside the building housing the boron neutron capture therapy system 100, to absorb heat from the component CP to be cooled. It is understood that other arrangements are also possible, such as placing the heat exchanger outdoors.

[0043] like Figure 3 The external circulation device 1411 may include a chiller unit 1411a, a first pump 1411b, and a first control device 1411c that controls the chiller unit 1411a and the first pump 1411b. It transports the chilled water, after absorbing heat and increasing its temperature from the heat exchanger 1413, to the chiller unit 1411a for cooling. The cooled chilled water is then pressurized by the first pump 1411b and sent back to the heat exchanger 1413. The first control device 1411c controls the delivery of the chilled water. Figure 4 The internal circulation device 1412 may include a filter 1412a, a second pump 1412b, and a second control device 1412c that controls the filter 1412a and the second pump 1412b. One end of the internal circulation device 1412 is connected to the component CP to be cooled, and the other end is connected to the heat exchanger 1413. After absorbing heat from the component CP at the end, the cooling medium is pressurized by the second pump 1412b and sent to the heat exchanger 1413 to exchange heat with chilled water. After cooling, the cooling medium is filtered by the filter 1412a and then sent into the component CP to exchange heat. The second control device 1412c controls the delivery of the cooling medium. When deionized water is used as the cooling medium, the conductivity of the cooling medium continuously increases due to various factors during circulation. The filter maintains the conductivity of the cooling medium within the required range. A conductivity sensor (not shown) can also be installed to detect the conductivity of the cooling medium at the outlet of the filter 1412a to ensure compliance with the requirements. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger 1413 is also controlled by the first control device 1411c. It can be understood that it may also have a separate control device or be controlled by the second control device 1412c.

[0044] The internal circulation device 1412 may also include a pressure regulating circuit 1412d and be controlled by a second control device 1412c. In one embodiment, the pressure regulating circuit 1412d may include a buffer tank, a nitrogen tank, a pressure sensor, etc. The pressure sensor detects the pressure in the nitrogen tank, and when the pressure is lower than a set value, nitrogen is added to the buffer tank to increase the pressure, ensure positive pressure in the system, and prevent air from entering the system. The external circulation device 1411 and the internal circulation device 1412 may also include a chilled water replenishment circuit 1411d and a cooling medium replenishment circuit 1412e, respectively, and are controlled by the first and second control devices 1411c and 1412c, respectively. When the chilled water / cooling medium is insufficient, an alarm will be issued and replenishment will be carried out through the chilled water replenishment circuit 1411d / cooling medium replenishment circuit 1412e. The external circulation device 1411 and the internal circulation device 1412 may also include temperature sensors, regulating valves, pressure sensors, etc., and are controlled by the first and second control devices 1411c and 1412c. It is understood that the cooling equipment 141 may also have other structures.

[0045] Accelerator 112 includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply (ELV) 1121 that provides acceleration energy. To prevent the electronic components inside the accelerator high-voltage power supply 1121 from breaking down, an insulating gas needs to be supplied to the accelerator high-voltage power supply 1121 (e.g., installed inside the housing of the accelerator high-voltage power supply 1121). The insulating gas can be SF6, or other insulating gases can be used. The insulating gas is supplied to the accelerator high-voltage power supply 1121 or recovered from the accelerator high-voltage power supply 1121 through the insulating gas filling and recovery device 142. The insulating gas can be recovered during the maintenance and repair of related equipment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the insulating gas.

[0046] like Figure 5 The insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 includes a gas source 1421 (such as 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. Initially, the container of gas source 1421 contains insulating gas. Then, the insulating gas is first pumped from the container of gas source 1421 into storage container 1422, and then pumped from storage container 1422 into ELV, at which point ELV can begin normal operation. When ELV needs to be opened for maintenance or repair, the insulating gas is recovered from ELV into storage container 1422. After maintenance or repair, the insulating gas is pumped from storage container 1422 back into ELV. When the storage container 1422, pipelines, components, etc. of insulating gas pumping and recovery equipment 142 need maintenance or malfunction and require repair, the insulating gas can be pumped back from storage container 1422 into the container of gas source 1421 to return to the initial state. After maintenance or repair, the pumping is restarted.

[0047] The insulating gas filling and recovery equipment 142 may further include a filter device 1423 and a drying device 1424 disposed between the storage container 1422 and the ELV. When the insulating gas is recovered from the ELV into the storage container 1422, the filter device 1423 removes oil, large particulate 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 keep the gas in a relatively dry state. The filter device 1423 may be a filter screen, and the drying device 1424 may be electrically heated or dried or filtered by other means. In this embodiment, the insulating gas first passes through the filter device 1423 and then through the drying device 1424. It can be understood that it may also be dried first and then filtered. The drying device 1423 and the filter device 1424 may also be integrated. It may also include a moisture detection element, an oil detection element, or an impurity detection element.

[0048] The insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 may also include a refrigeration device 1425 and a compression device 1426 disposed between the container of the gas source 1421 and the storage container 1422. When the insulating gas is refilled from the storage container 1422 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 gaseous or liquid insulating gas, thereby filling it into the container of the gas source 1421. It can be understood that the order of the refrigeration device 1425 and the compression device 1426 is not limited, and the refrigeration device 1425 and the compression device 1426 may also be integrated.

[0049] The insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 may also include a vacuum pump. Before filling, the vacuum pump is activated to evacuate the storage container 1422, pipes, components, etc., of the insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 to remove air from the device. The accelerator high-voltage power supply 1121 may also be equipped with a vacuum pump 143 to evacuate the ELV to remove air before filling and operating the ELV. The insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 may also include a compressor to provide power for the above-mentioned filling and recovery (refilling) process. The insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 may also include valves, vacuum detection elements, pressure detection elements, etc., to control the above-mentioned filling and recovery (refilling) process. It is understood that the insulating gas filling and recovery device 142 may also have other structures.

[0050] Combination Figure 6As shown, the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 is housed entirely in a concrete building. Specifically, it includes a (first) irradiation chamber 101, an accelerator chamber 102, and a beam transmission chamber 103. The irradiated body 200 on the treatment table 20 undergoes neutron beam N irradiation treatment in the irradiation chamber 101. The accelerator chamber 102 at least partially houses the charged particle beam generating unit 11 (such as an ion source 111 or an accelerator 112). The beam transmission chamber 103 at least partially houses the beam transmission unit 12. The neutron beam generating unit 13 is at least partially housed within the partition wall W1 between the irradiation chamber 101 and the beam transmission chamber 103. The auxiliary equipment 14 is at least partially disposed in the accelerator chamber 102 or the beam transmission chamber 103.

[0051] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may further include a second irradiation chamber 101', and the beam generating device 10 may further include a second neutron beam generating unit 13' corresponding to the second irradiation chamber 101'. The beam transmission unit 12 includes a beam direction switching component 121. Through the beam direction switching component 121, the beam transmission unit 12 can selectively transmit the 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', thereby emitting a beam into 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 the treatment of another irradiated body on the treatment table 20' in the second irradiation chamber 101', or for sample detection, etc., which are not limited by the present invention.

[0052] It should be understood that the beam generating device 10 can also have other configurations. For example, when a third irradiation chamber exists, a third neutron beam generating unit can be added to correspond to the third irradiation chamber, and the number of neutron beam generating units corresponds to the number of irradiation chambers. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit the number of neutron beam generating units. Setting up a charged particle beam generating unit to transmit to each neutron beam generating unit can effectively reduce system costs. It is understood that the beam generating device can also include multiple charged particle beam generating units to transmit to each neutron beam generating unit, so that multiple neutron beams can be generated simultaneously in multiple irradiation chambers for irradiation.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, the beam direction switching component 121 includes a deflecting magnet (not shown) that deflects the direction of the charged particle beam P. When the deflecting magnet corresponding to the first irradiation chamber 101 is connected, the beam is guided into the first irradiation chamber 101. The present invention does not specifically limit this. The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may also include a beam collector 40, which collects the beam when it is not needed or confirms the output of the charged particle beam P before treatment. The beam direction switching component 121 can deflect the charged particle beam P off its normal trajectory and guide it to the beam collector.

[0054] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may also include a preparation room (not shown), a control room 104, and other spaces for auxiliary treatment (not shown). Each irradiation room can be equipped with a preparation room for preparatory work such as fixing the irradiated subject to the treatment table, simulating the irradiated subject's positioning, and simulating the treatment plan before irradiation therapy. The control room 104 is used to control the accelerator, beam transmission unit, treatment table, etc., and to control and manage the entire irradiation process. The administrator can also monitor multiple irradiation rooms simultaneously from the control room. The figure only shows one configuration of the control room; it can be understood that the control room can have other configurations.

[0055] Since continuous drug delivery is required during boron neutron capture therapy, the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 also includes a drug injection device 50 for injecting a boron-containing (B-10) drug into the irradiated body 200 during irradiation therapy. The drug injection device 50 includes a drug passage assembly 51 disposed between a drug control chamber (control chamber 104 in this embodiment) and an irradiation chamber 101. The drug passage assembly 51 includes a drug passage member 511 for injecting the boron-containing (B-10) drug and a receiving member 512 for at least partially accommodating the drug passage member 511. The irradiation chamber 101 has a partition wall W2 separating it from the drug control chamber. The receiving member 512 is disposed within the partition wall W2 and forms a channel for the drug passage member 511 to pass through the partition wall W2. The receiving member 512 can also support the drug passage member 511. In this embodiment, the receiving member 512 is fixedly disposed within the partition wall W2, such as with an interference fit; however, other arrangements are also possible. The receiving part 512 facilitates the passage of the agent through part 511 on the one hand, and separates it from the concrete wall on the other hand to prevent dust and other contaminants from polluting the agent through part 511. The figure only shows the device for injecting boron into the irradiated body 200 in the first irradiation chamber 101. It can be understood that the same agent injection device 50 can also be used for the injection of boron into the irradiated bodies in other irradiation chambers.

[0056] The drug injection device 50 may further include a drug receiving mechanism 52 and a drug control mechanism 53. The drug receiving mechanism 52 and the drug control mechanism 53 can be located in a drug control chamber, where the injection of boron-containing (B-10) drug into the irradiated body 200 is controlled. This prevents neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 from affecting the drug receiving mechanism 52 and the drug control mechanism 53, such as causing the electronic components in the drug control mechanism 53 to malfunction or react with the boron-containing drug contained in the drug receiving mechanism 52. The drug is connected to the drug receiving mechanism 52 via a component 511 and injected into the irradiated body 200 via the drug control mechanism 53. The drug receiving mechanism 52 can be an infusion bag or infusion bottle, etc. The drug control mechanism 53 can be connected to the drug passage 511 and control the flow of boron-containing (B-10) drug within the drug passage 511. For example, a pump can be used to provide the power for the flow of liquid (boron-containing (B-10) drug), and the flow rate can also be controlled. It can also have detection and alarm functions. The drug passage 511 can be a disposable infusion tube, including a needle inserted into the irradiated body, a needle protective sleeve, a tubing, and a connector connected to the drug receiving mechanism 52. The drug passage 511 can also be at least partially made of neutron shielding material, such as the needle and the tubing portion located in the irradiation chamber 101, which can reduce the impact of neutron radiation from the irradiation chamber on the boron-containing drug within the drug passage 511.

[0057] Combination Figure 7 In this embodiment, the receiving member 512 is disposed within the through hole 513 in the thickness direction of the partition wall W2. The central axis X of the through hole 513 intersects the ground and a plane perpendicular to the ground along the thickness direction of the partition wall W2. That is, the through hole 513 passes through the partition wall W2 at an angle in both the horizontal and vertical directions to reduce radiation leakage. The central axis X of the through hole 513 is a straight line. It can be understood that the through hole 513 can also be disposed in other ways, such as the central axis X of the through hole 513 being a broken line or a curve, and the cross-section of the through hole 513 being circular, square, etc. In one embodiment, the distance D1 from the center of the through hole 513 to the ground on the first side wall S1 of the partition wall W2 facing the control room 104 is greater than the distance D2 from the center of the through hole 513 to the ground on the second side wall S2 of the partition wall W2 facing the irradiation room 101; for example, the distance from the center of the through hole 513 to the ground gradually decreases along the partition wall W2 from the control room 104 to the irradiation room 101. In this embodiment, the receiving member 512 is a tubular member disposed in the through hole 513. The outer wall of the tubular member matches the inner wall of the through hole. The shape of the inner wall of the tubular member is not limited. It can be understood that the receiving member 512 can also be a box body with a hole through which the medicine passing member 511 passes, or it can be one or more buckles, etc.

[0058] The container 512 is made of PVC, and the products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive or have extremely low radioactivity, reducing the generation of secondary radiation. This is understandable. Alternatively, other materials can be used, such as those whose products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive, have low radioactivity, or whose radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation have short half-lives. At least two containers 512 and through holes 513 can be provided on each partition wall, as backups should one be blocked or encounter other problems.

[0059] The process of injecting boron-containing (B-10) drugs during irradiation therapy: Before starting irradiation therapy, select a suitable drug passage 511 and connect the drug passage 511 to the drug receiving mechanism 52 and the drug control mechanism 53. Place the drug passage 511 through the receiving mechanism 512 into a suitable position in the irradiation chamber 101. After the irradiated body 200 is positioned in the irradiation chamber 101 and the treatment plan is determined, the operator in the drug control room opens the drug control mechanism 53. The physician in the irradiation chamber 101 removes the needle protective cover and inserts the needle into the irradiated body 200 or inserts the needle into the irradiated body 200 before positioning. After the physician leaves the irradiation chamber 101, the operator in the control room 104 controls the neutron beam to irradiate the irradiated body and controls the injection of boron-containing (B-10) drugs. It is understood that the injection of boron-containing (B-10) drugs before irradiation therapy can also be performed using the same drug injection device 50 (except for the receiving element 512). Before entering the irradiation chamber 101, the drug passage 511 should be disconnected, for example, by removing the needle or using an indwelling needle. After entering the irradiation chamber 101, the drug passage 511 should be reconnected or replaced with a new one. Alternatively, the injection of boron-containing (B-10) drugs before irradiation or the control of boron-containing (B-10) drug injection during irradiation therapy can be performed in the preparation room, in which case the preparation room serves as the drug control room. It is understood that the drug injection device 50 can also be applied to other types of neutron capture therapy systems, and the boron-containing (B-10) drugs can be replaced with other drugs.

[0060] Because a large number of neutrons are generated during neutron capture therapy, especially near the target material T, neutron leakage must be minimized. In one embodiment, the concrete forming at least part of the space (such as beam transmission chamber 103, irradiation chambers 101, 101') is concrete with added neutron shielding material, such as boron-containing barite concrete, to form a neutron-shielded space. In another embodiment, neutron shielding plates 60, such as boron-containing PE plates, are installed on the concrete surface of the interior (such as the ceiling, floor, and walls of beam transmission chamber 103, irradiation chambers 101, 101') to form a neutron-shielded space. It is understood that the neutron shielding plates 60 can be in close contact with the concrete surface or spaced at a predetermined distance; they can be installed on the entire surface of the concrete wall or only in a part of the area, such as installing neutron shielding plates on the floor surface of the central area of ​​the irradiation chamber, while not installing neutron shielding plates on the floor surface of the entrance area of ​​the irradiation chamber, with the two areas connected by a ramp to form a height difference. The neutron shield 60 is mounted on the concrete surface by a support assembly 61. Figures 8(a) and (b) illustrate the layout of the neutron shield 60 and the support assembly 61 mounted on the side of the partition wall W1 between the irradiation chamber 101 and the beam transmission chamber 103 facing the beam transmission chamber 103. Figure 9 The diagram illustrates the fixing method of the neutron shielding plate 60 and the support assembly 61. The neutron shielding plate 60 is formed by assembling multiple pieces. Long strip-shaped support assemblies 61 are installed on the concrete of the partition wall W1 at preset intervals using expansion bolts. Each piece of the neutron shielding plate 60 is sequentially fixed to a corresponding position on the support assembly 61 with screws. That is, one side of the support assembly 61 is connected to the 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 consists of two L-shaped plates connected by bolts. It is understood that the support assembly 61 and the fixing method can also have other configurations. For example, the support assembly 61 could be at least partially constructed of profiles, or the neutron shielding plate 60 could be directly fixed to the concrete surface. The sidewall of the receiving groove on the partition wall W1 used to accommodate the neutron beam generating section 13 can also be provided with a neutron shielding plate 60.

[0061] To reduce radiation damage and pollution to other indoor equipment, such as auxiliary equipment 14, during neutron capture therapy, a neutron shielding plate 60 can be installed around the auxiliary equipment 14 to form a shielded space; such as Figure 10In one embodiment, an auxiliary equipment room 105 is provided inside the beam transmission chamber 103 to accommodate or surround auxiliary equipment 14, etc. The auxiliary equipment room 105 is at least partially constructed by a support assembly 61 and a neutron shield 60 fixed to the support assembly 61 (only a portion of the neutron shield is shown in the figure). In this embodiment, the auxiliary equipment room 105 is located at a corner of the beam transmission chamber 103 and shares part of the walls and floor of the beam transmission chamber 103. The support assembly 61, the neutron shield 60 fixed to the support assembly 61, and part of the walls and floor of the beam transmission chamber 103 together form a space to accommodate and surround the auxiliary equipment 14. That is, the neutron shield 60 fixed to the support assembly 61 forms three sides of the cubic accommodating space, and part of the walls and floor of the beam transmission chamber 103 forms the other three sides of the cubic accommodating space. The auxiliary equipment room 105 may also have a door 1051 and a moving mechanism 1052. The moving mechanism 1052 is used to open the door 1051 to allow operators to enter the auxiliary equipment room 105 during equipment maintenance. The moving mechanism 1052 includes a guide rail 1052a and a slide bar 1052b. The door 1051 can slide horizontally along the guide rail 1052a via the slide bar 1052b. In this embodiment, the door 1051 is constructed from a door support assembly 1051a and a neutron shielding plate 60 fixed on the door support assembly 1051a. The slide bar 1052b is fixedly connected to the door support assembly 1051a, such as being located at the top of the door 1051. The guide rail 1052a is fixedly connected to the support assembly 61 of the auxiliary equipment room 105. It is understood that the moving mechanism 1052 may also have other structures, such as a rotating door. The moving mechanism 1052 may also include a lifting component 1052c and a pulley 1052d. The lifting component 1052c is used to raise the door 1051 vertically so that the pulley 1052d is placed at the bottom of the door 1051, allowing the door 1051 to slide horizontally with the help of the pulley 1052d. In this embodiment, the lifting component 1052c is constructed as a jack 1052e and a connecting plate 1052f fixed on the door support component 1051a. The jack 1052e is applied to the connecting plate 1052f so that the door 1051 slides vertically along the guide rail 1052a via the slide rod 1052b, thereby raising the door 1051 vertically. It can be understood that the lifting component 1052c may also have other structures. The auxiliary equipment room 105 may also include a fixing member 1053 for when the door 1051 is closed, which fixes the door 1051 to the auxiliary equipment room 105 together to strengthen the fixation and prevent tipping. In this embodiment, the fixing member 1053 is constructed as an L-shaped plate, and the two side plates of the L-shaped plate are respectively fixed to the door support assembly 1051a and the support assembly 61 or neutron shielding plate 60 of the auxiliary equipment room 105. The auxiliary equipment room 105 may also have an opening 1054 for pipes, cables, etc. to pass through. In this embodiment, the opening 1054 is located at a corner near the wall and floor.The support components 61 and door support components 1051a of the auxiliary equipment room 105 are constructed of interconnected profiles. It is understood that the auxiliary equipment room 105 may also have other structures, and the auxiliary equipment room may also be set in other spaces.

[0062] The neutron shielding plate 60 is a boron-containing PE plate. The support assembly 61, door support assembly 1051a, guide rail 1052a, slide rod 1052b, and fastener 1053 are made of aluminum alloy. It can be understood that the neutron shielding plate 60 can also be made of other neutron shielding materials. Different thicknesses can be used in different positions as needed. Other decorations or slots can be made on the surface to install other components. The aluminum alloy can be replaced with other materials that have a certain strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are not radioactive or have low radioactivity or short half-life of radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation, such as carbon fiber composite materials or glass fiber composite materials.

[0063] Combination Figures 11-13 The irradiation chambers 101 and 101' may also be equipped with a treatment table positioning device 70A and a shielding device 70B for the treatment table positioning device. The treatment table positioning device 70A includes a linear axis 71a and a robotic arm 72a. The robotic arm 72a is disposed between the linear axis 71a and the treatment table 20 for supporting and positioning the treatment table 20, connecting the treatment table 20 to the linear axis 71a, and enabling the treatment table 20 and the robotic arm 72a to translate together along the linear axis 71a. In this embodiment, the linear axis 71a is installed on the ceiling of the irradiation chamber, and the robotic arm 72a extends generally toward the floor of the irradiation chamber. It can be understood that the linear axis 71a can also be installed on other surfaces, such as walls or floors. The linear axis 71a is constructed as a slide rail 711a fixed to the ceiling and a support 712a connected to the robotic arm 72a. The support 712a slides along the slide rail 711a. It can be understood that other structures are also possible. The linear axis 71a is directly fixed to the ceiling without the need for an additional linear axis fixing mechanism such as a steel gantry frame, reducing the amount of steel used in the irradiation room and lowering the secondary radiation caused by the activation of the fixing mechanism by neutrons. The robotic arm 72a is a multi-axis robotic arm that connects the support 712a and the treatment table 20, and includes multiple arm parts 721a (721a').

[0064] Since the support 712a is connected to the robotic arm 72a and slides along the slide rail 711a, the neutron shielding plate 60 installed on the ceiling or other fixed surface needs to reserve sliding space, which would cause the slide rail to be exposed and radiation to leak. Therefore, the shielding device 70B includes a slide rail cover 71b, which moves together with the support 712a and always covers the exposed part of the slide rail 711a. The shielding device 70B also includes a robotic arm sleeve 72b surrounding at least one arm portion 721a (721a') of the robotic arm 72a. The material of the robotic arm sleeve 72b is at least partially neutron shielding material to prevent the arm portion and the metal parts, electronic devices, etc. installed in the mechanism of the arm portion from being irradiated by neutrons and thus from failure or damage. Such material is boron-containing glass fiber composite material, but other shielding materials may also be used.

[0065] The treatment table positioning device 70A may also include a drive mechanism 73a, and a treatment table control device 70C may be installed in the irradiation chamber 101, 101' or control room 104. The treatment table control device 70C is connected to the drive mechanism 73a and controls the movement of the linear axis 71a and the robotic arm 72a by controlling the drive mechanism 73a. The position information of the linear axis 71a and the robotic arm 72a can also be fed back to the treatment table control device 70C. The drive mechanism 73a may be installed on the linear axis 71a or the robotic arm 72a, such as on a support 712a or at least one arm 721a.

[0066] The treatment table positioning device 70A may also include an anti-collision protection mechanism 74a. The anti-collision protection mechanism 74a includes a sensor 741a, a sensor control component 742a, and a human-machine interface 743a. The sensor 741a is mounted on the robotic arm sleeve 72b, or it can be positioned between the robotic arm sleeve 72b and the robotic arm 72a. When the edge of the robotic arm 72a or the robotic arm sleeve 72b comes into contact with another object, or when another object enters the set range of the sensor 741a, the sensor 741a is triggered to emit a signal. The signal emitted by the sensor 741a is transmitted to the sensor control component 742a and displayed on the human-machine interface 743a. The sensor control component 742a transmits the received signal to the treatment table control device 70C for corresponding control, such as controlling the drive mechanism 73a to stop the movement of the linear axis 71a and the robotic arm 72a, that is, controlling the treatment table 20 to stop moving. It is understandable that the sensor control component can perform corresponding control based on the received signals; the operator can also manually control the drive mechanism to stop driving based on the display on the human-machine interface; or it can not control the treatment table to stop moving, but perform other safety operations, such as performing reverse movement before a collision. The sensor 741a can be a mechanical sensor, photoelectric sensor, radar sensor, ultrasonic sensor, laser rangefinder, etc., and can also be set in other locations.

[0067] The linear shaft 71a and its drive mechanism 73a can be mounted to the fixed surfaces of the irradiation chambers 101 and 101' via fasteners or supports (not shown). The fasteners and supports can be constructed of aluminum profiles. For example, the slide rail 711a is fixed to the ceiling via fasteners, and the support 712a and the drive mechanism 73a of the linear shaft 71a are fixed or supported to the ceiling via supports. The slide rail cover 71b is disposed between the neutron shielding plate 60 on the fixed surfaces of the support 712a and the linear shaft 71a. Figure 14 , Figure 15 In one embodiment, the slide rail cover 71b includes a first part 711b and a second part 712b. Both the first part 711b and the second part 712b include sequentially connected flat plates supported by a support member 713b of the slide rail cover. The first part 711b and the second part 712b are fixedly connected to the support 712a at one end near the support 712a along the sliding direction A of the support 712a via connecting plates 7111b and 7121b, and fixedly connected to the support member 713b at the other end. It can be understood that the fixed connection can be achieved by screws, adhesive, etc. The flat plates of the first part 711b and the second part 712b are sequentially slidably connected (e.g., ...). Figure 14 The first part 711b shown on the left side of the middle section) or pivot connection (such as...) Figure 14 As shown in the second part 712b on the right, it can be understood that other connection methods can also be used between the plates. The figure is only for illustrative purposes, and the first and second parts 711b and 712b can be selected with the same or different connection methods as needed. The support member 713b can be connected to the fixing member or support member of the linear shaft 71a and its drive mechanism 73a for fixation, or it can be directly fixed to the fixed surface. The support member 713b is made of aluminum alloy. The material of the slide rail cover 71b includes boron-containing PE or other neutron shielding materials. The neutron shielding plate 60 covers the support member 713b and together with the slide rail cover 71b, shields the linear shaft 71a, the drive mechanism 73a of the linear shaft 71a and its mounting parts (except for the part of the support 712a that passes through the neutron shielding plate 60). It can be understood that the aluminum alloy can be replaced with other materials. The material possesses a certain strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive, have low radioactivity, or produce radioactive isotopes with short half-lives after neutron irradiation. The support member 713b can also be made of neutron-shielding material. In this case, the neutron shielding plate 60 may not cover the support member 713b, but rather match it. The neutron shielding plate 60, support member 713b, and slide rail cover 71b together shield the linear shaft 71a, its drive mechanism 73a, and their mounting parts (except for the portion of the support 712a that passes through the neutron shielding plate 60). During the movement of the support 712a along the slide rail 711a, the first and second parts 711b and 712b of the slide rail cover 71b extend and retract, thereby reducing neutron leakage during the entire movement process.

[0068] Combination Figure 16 In this embodiment, the robotic arm sheath 72b surrounding the arm 721a includes first and second housings 721b and 722b. The first and second housings 721b and 722b are fixedly connected together and surround the arm 721a and the drive mechanism 73a (such as a motor, circuit board, etc.) or control mechanism (such as a sensor control assembly 742a or a component of the treatment table control device 70C) disposed on the arm 721a. The first and second housings 721b and 722b are made of boron-containing glass fiber composite material. Glass fiber composite material has a certain strength, and its products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive or have extremely low radioactivity, preventing secondary radiation. Boron can absorb neutrons, preventing the arm and the metal parts and electronic devices disposed within the drive mechanism or control mechanism of the arm from failing or being damaged after neutron irradiation. It is understood that the materials of the first and second housings can also be other neutron shielding materials with a certain strength.

[0069] In this embodiment, the robotic arm sheath 72b' surrounding the arm portion 721a' includes, in addition to the first and second housings 721b and 722b, a third and fourth housing 723b and 724b. The third and fourth housings 723b and 724b are fixedly connected together and surround the first and second housings 721b and 722b. Sensors 741a are disposed between the first and third housings 721b and 723b and between the second and fourth housings 722b and 724b. There can be multiple sensors 741a, distributed around the arm portion 721a. The first and second housings 721b and 722b are provided with a receiving cavity 725b to accommodate the sensor 741a. The sensor 741a is disposed within the receiving cavity 725b and is interference-fitted between the first and third housings 721b and 723b and between the second and fourth housings 722b and 724b. Specifically, a gap 726b is provided between the first and third housings 721b and 723b and between the second and fourth housings 722b and 724b for mounting the sensor 741a. The power supply, communication cable, etc., of the sensor 741a can pass through the gap 726b and connect to the sensor control assembly 742a. ​​Alternatively, through holes 727b (not shown) can be provided on the third and fourth housings 723b and 724b at positions corresponding to the sensor 741a for the power supply, communication cable, etc., of the sensor 741a to pass through. It is understood that the sensor 741a can also be mounted in other ways. In this embodiment, sensor 741a is a pressure sensor. Sensor 741a converts the pressure on the third and fourth housings 723b and 724b into a pressure signal and transmits it to sensor control component 742a, and displays the value on human-machine interface 743a. When the pressure signal received by sensor 741a exceeds a preset value, the pressure signal exceeding the preset value is preferentially transmitted to sensor control component 742a and displayed as an alarm on human-machine interface 743a, such as by light or sound alarm. Sensor control component 742a transmits the signal to treatment table control device 70C to control linear axis 71a and robotic arm 72a to stop moving. Alternatively, the operator can manually stop the movement of linear axis 71a and robotic arm 72a.

[0070] The third and fourth shells, 723b and 724b, are made of glass fiber resin composite material, possessing sufficient strength and producing non-radioactive or extremely low-radioactive products after neutron irradiation, thus preventing secondary radiation. It is understandable that other materials with sufficient strength and non-radioactive or low-radioactive products after neutron irradiation, or short half-lives of radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation, could also be used. It is also understandable that the material of the third and fourth shells could be replaced with boron-containing glass fiber composite material, meaning the outermost shell of the robotic arm sheath 72b could be made of a material capable of absorbing neutrons, preventing metal components and electronic devices within the drive or control mechanisms of the arm from malfunctioning or being damaged by neutron irradiation. The materials of the first and second shells are not limited. The housing of sensor 741a is made of aluminum alloy to avoid the use of traditional steel, which produces radioactive isotopes with long half-lives, such as cobalt-60, after neutron irradiation, thus preventing secondary radiation. It is understood that aluminum alloy can be replaced with other materials that have sufficient strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive, have low radioactivity, or whose radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation have short half-lives. It is also understood that sensor 741a can be disposed only between the first and third housings 721b and 723b, or between the second and fourth housings 722b and 724b.

[0071] The fixed connection between the first and second shells 721b and 722b and between the third and fourth shells 723b and 724b can be by screw connection, welding, etc. The connecting parts are made of aluminum alloy, which has a certain strength and the radioactive isotopes produced by aluminum activation by neutrons have a short half-life. The aluminum alloy can be replaced with other materials that have a certain strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are not radioactive or have low radioactivity or short half-life of radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation.

[0072] In this embodiment, the third and fourth housings 723b and 724b, and the sensor 741a are disposed on the arm 721a' with a larger range of motion, while the arm 721a with a smaller range of motion is only disposed on the first and second housings 721b and 722b. It is understood that the third and fourth housings 723b and 724b, and the sensor 741a can also be disposed on all arms of the robotic arm 72a; the arm without the drive mechanism 73a may also be without the robotic arm sheath 72b. In this case, the arm is made of a material with a certain strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive or have low radioactivity after neutron irradiation or short half-life of the radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation, such as aluminum alloy, or it can be made of neutron shielding material.

[0073] It is understood that the treatment table positioning device 70A may not include a linear axis. In this case, the shielding device 70B also does not include the slide rail cover 71b. The preparation room may also be equipped with the same treatment table 20, treatment table positioning device 70A and shielding device 70B as those in the irradiation rooms 101 and 101'.

[0074] It is understandable that radiation shielding devices can also be installed on other alarm, monitoring, and surveillance equipment.

[0075] To enable the operation of various devices in the system and control during the treatment process, power, communication, and control cables need to be installed and arranged appropriately. For example... Figure 17 A conduit 80A is installed in the irradiation chamber 101, control chamber 104, and accelerator chamber 102. The conduit 80A is used for cable passage and support. The conduit 80A extends along the cable extension direction and is at least partially closed circumferentially around the cable extension direction. The cross-sectional shape of the conduit 80A perpendicular to the cable extension direction can be circular, polygonal, V-shaped, <-shaped, U-shaped, C-shaped, etc. The conduit 80A is fixed to the wall, floor, or ceiling by connectors (such as bolts). In this embodiment, the conduit 80A is arranged along the corner of the ceiling and wall in the irradiation chamber 101, control chamber 104, and accelerator chamber 102. It can be understood that 80A can also be set in other locations or other spaces. The size of the conduit 80A can be designed according to the number of cables it can accommodate. Support frames 80B are installed in accelerator chamber 102 and beam transmission chamber 103. Since the accelerator 112, beam transmission section 12, auxiliary equipment 14, etc., have numerous power, communication, and control cables, as well as liquid (such as cooling media) or gas (such as insulating gas) pipes, support frames 80B are installed to support and guide them. Support frames 80B have a bearing surface S for supporting cables or pipes. Support frames 80B are fixed to the ground, ceiling, or other objects with the bearing surface S parallel to the ground, or fixed to a wall with the bearing surface 81b perpendicular to the ground. Support frames 80B can also be installed in other spaces as needed. The figure only shows the support frame 80B installed along the beam transmission section 12 inside beam transmission chamber 103. The support frame 80B is fixed to the ground with the bearing surface S parallel to the ground. The support frame 80B is constructed from side plates 81b and multiple horizontal plates 82b connected at predetermined intervals between the side plates 81b. The horizontal plates 82b form the bearing surface S. The conduit 80A and support frame 80B are made of aluminum alloy. It can be understood that aluminum alloy can be replaced with other materials that have a certain strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are not radioactive or have low radioactivity after neutron irradiation or whose radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation have short half-lives, such as materials that are composed of at least one element selected from C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, and Ti, with more than 90% (by weight) of the material.

[0076] To ensure the normal operation and safety of the system, the room is also equipped with tubular components 90A (such as ventilation pipes, fire-fighting pipes, etc., for the passage of gases and liquids) and rod-shaped components 90B (support rods, screws, and other fixing rods required for the fixed installation of various equipment). These are generally made of steel, and when irradiated with neutrons, they produce radioactive isotopes with long half-lives, such as cobalt-60, thus generating secondary radiation. To reduce radiation damage and radiation pollution to the pipes and fixing rods, tubular components 90A (including the cooling medium and insulating gas pipes mentioned above) are also used. The tubular component 90A or rod 90B may be made of a material whose products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive, have low radioactivity, or whose radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation have short half-lives (e.g., composed of at least one element selected from C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, Ti, including aluminum alloys, plastics, or rubber, etc.), or an annular shielding device 91 may be provided around the tubular component 90A or rod 90B. Figure 18 In one embodiment, the annular shielding device 91 includes an inner sleeve 911, an outer sleeve 912, and a shielding material 913 disposed between the inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912. The inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912 are PVC tubular components, and the cross-sectional shape of the inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912 can be set according to specific needs. It is understood that the inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912 can also be made of other materials whose products after neutron irradiation are not radioactive, or whose products after neutron irradiation have low radioactivity, or whose radioactive isotopes produced after neutron irradiation have short half-lives. For example, more than 90% (by weight) of the material of the inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912 is composed of at least one element selected from C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, and Ti. The outer sleeve 912 can also serve as a neutron retarder, so that the retarded neutrons can be better absorbed by the shielding material 913. The shielding material 913 is made of neutron shielding material, such as boron-containing resin. In one embodiment, liquid boron-containing resin is filled between the inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912 of a PVC casing. After the boron-containing resin solidifies, it forms a ring-shaped shielding device 91. Then, the ring-shaped shielding device 91 is cut into two parts along the plane containing its central axis, wrapping around the cable, tubular member 90A, or rod-shaped member 90B from both sides. The two parts are then fixedly connected by adhesive, binding, or other methods. It is understood that the shielding material 913 can also be other neutron shielding materials or be set between the inner sleeve 911 and the outer sleeve 912 in other forms. The ring-shaped shielding device 91 can also be set around the outer periphery of the tubular member 90A or rod-shaped member 90B in other ways, such as inserting the tubular member 90A or rod-shaped member 90B into the inner sleeve 911 of the ring-shaped shielding device 91 before installation. It is understood that a ring-shaped shielding device 91 can also be set around the outer periphery of the cable to further reduce the secondary radiation generated after the cable is irradiated by neutrons.

[0077] Although the illustrative specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the scope of the specific embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes are obvious as long as they are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined and determined by the appended claims, and are all within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A neutron capture therapy system, characterized in that, The system includes a charged particle beam generation unit, a beam transmission unit, and a neutron beam generation unit. The charged particle beam generation unit includes an ion source and an accelerator. The ion source generates charged particles, and the accelerator accelerates these particles to obtain a charged particle beam with the required energy. The neutron beam generation unit includes a target, a beam shaper, and a collimator. The target is positioned between the beam transmission unit and the beam shaper. The charged particle beam generated by the accelerator irradiates the target via the beam transmission unit and interacts with the target to produce neutrons. The generated neutrons sequentially pass through the beam shaper and collimator to form a therapeutic neutron beam. The entire neutron capture and treatment system is housed in a concrete building and includes an irradiation chamber, an accelerator chamber, and a beam transmission chamber. A subject injected with a drug undergoes irradiation with the therapeutic neutron beam in the irradiation chamber. The accelerator chamber at least partially houses the charged particle beam generation unit, the beam transmission chamber at least partially houses the beam generation unit, and the neutron beam generation unit at least partially houses the neutron beam generation unit. The neutron capture therapy system, housed within the partition wall between the irradiation chamber and the beam transmission chamber, further includes a treatment table, a treatment table positioning device, and a shielding device for the treatment table positioning device. The treatment table positioning device includes a linear axis and a robotic arm. The robotic arm is positioned between the linear axis and the treatment table to support and position the treatment table. The linear axis includes a slide rail fixed to a fixed surface of the building and a support connected to the robotic arm. The support drives the treatment table and the robotic arm to slide together along the slide rail. The shielding device includes a slide rail cover. A neutron shielding plate is disposed on the fixed surface. The slide rail cover is positioned between the support and the neutron shielding plate on the fixed surface of the linear axis. The slide rail cover is supported by a support member. One end of the slide rail cover near the support is fixedly connected to the support, and the other end is fixedly connected to the support member. The neutron shielding plate covers the support member and, together with the slide rail cover, shields the linear axis, its drive mechanism, and its mounting portion.

2. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The neutron capture therapy system further includes a drug control chamber and a drug injection device for injecting a drug into the irradiated body during irradiation therapy. The drug injection device includes a drug passage component, a drug receiving mechanism, and a drug control mechanism. The drug passage component is disposed between the drug control chamber and the irradiation chamber. The drug receiving mechanism and the drug control mechanism are disposed in the drug control chamber and control the drug injection into the irradiated body within the drug control chamber.

3. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm includes at least one arm portion, and the shielding device further includes a robotic arm sheath surrounding the arm portion, the robotic arm sheath being provided with an anti-collision protection mechanism.

4. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A neutron shielding space is formed in the building, and the neutron shielding space is formed in the beam transmission room or the irradiation room. The concrete is boron-containing barite concrete or the neutron shielding plate is set on the concrete surface to form the neutron shielding space.

5. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The building is equipped with cables for the operation of the neutron capture therapy system, tubular components for the passage of gas or liquid, rod-shaped components for fixed installation within the building, or support devices for supporting the cables or tubular components; the material of the support device, tubular component, or rod-shaped component is composed of at least 90% (by weight) of at least one element selected from C, H, O, N, Si, Al, Mg, Li, B, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, Ca, and Ti; or, an annular shielding device is provided around the cable, tubular component, or rod-shaped component, the annular shielding device comprising an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and a shielding material disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

6. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The neutron capture therapy system also includes auxiliary equipment, which is at least partially located in the accelerator chamber or the beam transmission chamber. The auxiliary equipment includes cooling equipment, insulating gas filling and recovery equipment, air compressor equipment that provides compressed air, or vacuum pump that provides a vacuum environment.

7. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The cooling medium of the cooling device has a hardness of less than 60 mg / L, and the cooling device is used for cooling the ion source, accelerator, or target.

8. The neutron capture therapy system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The accelerator includes an accelerator high-voltage power supply that provides acceleration energy. An insulating gas is disposed inside the accelerator high-voltage power supply. An insulating gas filling and recovery device provides the insulating gas to the accelerator high-voltage power supply or recovers the insulating gas from the accelerator high-voltage power supply.

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