Systems and methods for electron beam control in radiotherapy

Abstract

According to one aspect of this application, a beam control device (112) for radiotherapy is provided. The beam control device (112) may include an electron beam generator (410) configured to emit an electron beam for radiotherapy toward a subject (440) in a first direction. The beam control device (112) may also include a first deflection device configured to defocus the electron beam in a second direction, different from the first direction, to generate a defocused electron beam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to systems and methods for radiotherapy (RT), and more specifically, to systems and methods for electron beam control in radiotherapy. Background Technology

[0002] Radiation therapy is a widely used tool for treating cancer, in which a beam of radiation is directed at a target area (e.g., a tumor) of a subject (e.g., a patient). The goal of radiation therapy is to deliver a maximum radiation dose to the target area while exerting permissible effects on non-target areas (e.g., healthy organs or tissues surrounding the target area). Radiation beams used in radiation therapy can include various types, including, for example, X-ray beams, electron beams, hadron beams, and any combination thereof. X-ray beams can have strong penetrating power and are commonly used to treat tumors within a subject. However, X-ray beams deposit energy along their propagation path and cause damage to non-target areas. Hadron beams can include protons and / or ions, which can deposit most of the energy at a single point, known as the Bragg peak. The Bragg peak characteristic of hadron beams can be utilized to achieve the desired depth dose distribution. However, hadron radiotherapy devices suffer from problems such as complex structure, high cost, and slow energy switching speeds.

[0003] With the development of electron accelerator technology, electron beams with different energy levels have been used in radiotherapy. For example, electron beams with low energy levels (e.g., below 50 megavolts (MeV)) have relatively insufficient penetration and can be used to treat tumors near the body surface. Electron beams with high energy levels (e.g., above 50 MeV) have stronger penetration and higher dose rates than X-ray beams. It is desirable to develop systems and methods for controlling electron beams, thereby providing improved electron beam radiotherapy techniques. For example, improved electron beam radiotherapy techniques can achieve higher dose rates and better depth dose distribution than X-ray radiotherapy techniques, and / or simpler system structures and lower costs than hadron radiotherapy techniques. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, a beam control device for radiotherapy is provided. The beam control device may include an electron beam generator configured to emit an electron beam for radiotherapy toward a subject in a first direction. The beam control device may further include a first deflection device configured to defocus the electron beam in a second direction, different from the first direction, to generate a defocused electron beam.

[0005] In some embodiments, the energy of the electron beam can be in the range of 50 megaelectron volts (MeV) to 300 megaelectron volts.

[0006] In some embodiments, the electron beam generator may be mounted on a rack, and the second direction may be parallel to the rotation axis of the rack.

[0007] In some embodiments, the beam control device may further include a second deflection device configured to focus the defocused electron beam to generate a focused electron beam.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first deflection device may include a first microwave cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the second deflection device may include a second microwave cavity.

[0010] In some embodiments, the beam control device may further include a defocusing component configured to generate a second defocused electron beam by defocusing the focused electron beam in a third direction, the third direction being different from both the first and second directions. The beam control device may also include a focusing component configured to generate a second focused electron beam by focusing the second defocused electron beam in the third direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the electron beam generator may be mounted on the rack, and the third direction may be a horizontal direction perpendicular to the rack's rotation axis.

[0012] In some embodiments, at least one of the defocusing or focusing components may include at least one of a microwave cavity, a magnet, and a magnetic lens.

[0013] In some embodiments, the beam control device may further include a control device configured to control the first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity to focus the focused electron beam onto the target region of the object in the second direction.

[0014] In some embodiments, for controlling the first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity, the control device may be configured to determine one or more parameters of the first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity based on at least one of the planned dose distribution, the position of the electron beam generator relative to the target region, the position of the first microwave cavity relative to the target region, and the position of the second microwave cavity relative to the target region.

[0015] In some embodiments, the beam control device may further include a scanning electrode configured to scan the defocused electron beam in a fourth direction, which is different from both the first and second directions.

[0016] In some embodiments, the beam control device may further include a beam distribution modulator. The beam distribution modulator may be positioned between the electron beam generator and the first microwave cavity and is configured to shape the electron beam generated by the electron beam generator. The first microwave cavity is configured to defocus the shaped electron beam.

[0017] In some embodiments, the beam distribution modulator may include at least one of a multi-leaf collimator or a blocker.

[0018] In some embodiments, the beam control device may further include a second beam distribution modulator configured to shape the defocused electron beam, wherein the first microwave cavity is located between the electron beam generator and the second beam distribution modulator.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second beam distribution modulator may include at least one of a multi-leaf collimator and a blocker.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first microwave cavity is configured to defocus the electron beam in a second direction by applying a microwave field to the electron beam, the microwave field of the electron beam varying over time.

[0021] In some embodiments, the electron beam comprises a plurality of microbeams generated sequentially by the electron beam generator, wherein each pair of adjacent microbeams has a time interval, the microwave field is periodically changing, and the period of change of the microwave field is greater than the time interval.

[0022] According to another aspect of this application, the radiation delivery device may include at least two treatment heads, each of the at least two treatment heads including a beam control device.

[0023] In some embodiments, the second direction may be perpendicular to the plane in which the at least two treatment heads are located.

[0024] Some of the additional features of this application can be described in the following description. Some of the additional features of this application will be apparent to those skilled in the art through study of the following description and the corresponding drawings, or through understanding of the production or operation of the embodiments. The features and implementations of this application can be realized and implemented by practicing or using various aspects of the methods, tools, and combinations set forth in the detailed examples discussed below. Attached Figure Description

[0025] This application will be further described through exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not drawn to scale. These embodiments are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, in which the same numbers in the figures denote similar structures, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 These are schematic diagrams of exemplary RT systems according to some embodiments of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of exemplary hardware and / or software components of a computing device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 3 These are schematic diagrams of exemplary hardware and / or software components of a mobile device according to some embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 These are schematic diagrams of exemplary beam control devices according to some embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 5 These are schematic diagrams of exemplary beam control devices according to some embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 6A These are schematic diagrams of exemplary beam control devices according to some embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 6B These are schematic diagrams of exemplary beam control devices according to some embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 7 These are exemplary waveforms of microwave fields shown in some embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 8 These are exemplary waveforms of microwave fields shown according to some embodiments of this application; and

[0035] Figure 9 These are exemplary waveforms of microwave fields shown in some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application can be implemented without these details. In other instances, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring various aspects of this application, well-known methods, processes, systems, components, and / or circuits have been described at a higher level. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes can be made to the disclosed embodiments, and the general principles defined in this application can be applied to other embodiments and application scenarios without departing from the principles and scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the embodiments shown, but conforms to the broadest scope consistent with the scope of the claims.

[0037] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not restrictive. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” used in this application may also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” as used in this specification indicate only the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, components, and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts, and / or combinations thereof.

[0038] It should be understood that the terms “system,” “engine,” “unit,” “module,” and / or “block” used herein are a way of distinguishing different components, elements, parts, sections, or accessories at different levels in ascending order. However, these terms may be replaced with other expressions if the same purpose can be achieved.

[0039] Generally, the terms "module," "unit," or "block" as used herein refer to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or a collection of software instructions. The modules, units, or blocks described herein can be implemented as software and / or hardware and can be stored on any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other storage device. In some embodiments, software modules / units / blocks can be compiled and linked into an executable program. It should be understood that software modules can be invoked from other modules / units / blocks or from themselves, and / or can be invoked in response to detected events or interrupts. Configured for use on computing devices (e.g., such as...) Figure 3 The software modules / units / blocks executing on the processor 310 shown may be provided on computer-readable media (e.g., optical discs, digital video discs, flash drives, magnetic disks, or any other tangible media) or downloaded digitally (which may initially be stored in a compressed or installable format and require installation, decompression, or decryption before execution). The software code herein may be stored, in part or in whole, in the storage device of the computing device performing the operation and applied in the operation of the computing device. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as EPROM. It should also be understood that hardware modules / units / blocks may be included in connected logical components, such as gates and flip-flops, and / or may include programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules / units / blocks or computing device functions described herein may be implemented as software modules / units / blocks, but may be represented in hardware or firmware. Generally, the modules / units / blocks described herein refer to logical modules / units / blocks that may be combined with other modules / units / blocks or divided into submodules / subunits / subblocks, although they are physical organization or storage devices. This description may apply to a system, an engine, or a part thereof.

[0040] It is understood that, unless the context explicitly states otherwise, when a unit, engine, module, or block is referred to as being "on," "connected," or "coupled to" another unit, engine, module, or block, it may be directly on, connected to, coupled to, or communicate with that other unit, engine, module, or block, or there may be intermediate units, engines, modules, or blocks. In this application, the term "and / or" may include any one or more of the relevant listed items or a combination thereof.

[0041] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, the various elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of exemplary embodiments of this application, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element.

[0042] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between layers) can be described using various terms, including “connection,” “participation,” “interface,” and “coupling.” When describing a relationship between first and second elements in this disclosure, unless explicitly described as “direct,” the relationship includes a direct relationship where no other intermediate element exists between the first and second elements, and an indirect relationship where one or more intermediate elements (spatially or functionally) exist between the first and second elements. Conversely, when an element is described as “directly connected,” participating, interacting, or coupled to another element, no intermediate element is present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should also be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

[0043] These and other features, characteristics, functions and operating methods of related structural elements, as well as component assembly and manufacturing economics, will become more apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, which form part of this application specification. However, it should be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0044] This document provides systems and components for non-invasive imaging and / or treatment, such as for disease diagnosis, treatment, or research purposes. In some embodiments, the system may include an RT system, a computed tomography (CT) system, an emission computed tomography (ECT) system, an X-ray imaging system, a positron emission tomography (PET) system, or any combination thereof. For descriptive purposes, this application describes systems and methods for radiotherapy.

[0045] One aspect of this application relates to a system and method for controlling an electron beam in radiotherapy. The system may include an electron beam generator and a first microwave cavity. The electron beam generator may be configured to emit an electron beam for radiotherapy along a first direction. The first microwave cavity may be configured to generate a defocused electron beam by defocusing the electron beam in a second direction. The second direction may be different from the first direction. Optionally, the system may also include a second microwave cavity configured to generate a focused electron beam by focusing the defocused electron beam.

[0046] According to some embodiments of this application, before reaching the target, the electron beam can be defocused and focused in a certain direction (e.g., a second direction). The focused electron beam can be focused onto the target region of the target, thereby depositing a larger radiation dose on the target region and forming a "Bragg peak" like a hadron beam. Before reaching the target region, the focused electron beam can have a larger radiation area in the target, whereas the original electron beam, if undefocused and unfocused, might have a relatively small radiation area. In other words, the radiation dose of the defocused electron beam can be scattered more widely across non-target regions (e.g., the body surface of the target and healthy organs between the body surface and the target region) than the original electron beam, avoiding or reducing dose deposition in non-target regions. In this way, the desired depth dose distribution can be achieved, thereby improving the accuracy of treatment delivery and / or reducing or avoiding damage to the target caused by unintended radiation.

[0047] Furthermore, electron beam deflection can be achieved using a microwave cavity. Compared to deflection devices that provide a constant deflection force (e.g., magnets or magnetic lenses), microwave cavities can provide dynamic microwave fields. Moreover, the microwave field of a microwave cavity can provide a higher field gradient than the magnetic field of a magnet. When both microwave and magnetic fields exert the same force on the electrons, the microwave field has a better defocusing and / or focusing effect on the electrons than the magnetic field. Additionally, microwave cavities are smaller than deflection devices that include magnets or magnetic lenses, which can reduce device size and increase device flexibility.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary RT system 100 according to some embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the RT system 100 may include a radiation delivery device 110, a network 120, one or more terminals 130, a processing device 140, and a storage device 150. In some embodiments, two or more components of the RT system 100 may be connected to and / or communicate with each other via a wireless connection (e.g., network 120), a wired connection, or a combination thereof. The connections between the components of the RT system 100 may be variable. By way of example only, the radiation delivery device 110 may be connected to the processing device 140 via the network 120 or directly. As another example, the storage device 150 may be connected to the processing device 140 via the network 120 or directly.

[0049] Radiation delivery device 110 can be configured to perform radiation therapy for cancer and other diseases. For example, radiation delivery device 110 can deliver one or more radiation beams to a target area of ​​a subject to alleviate the subject's symptoms. The subject to be treated may include biological subjects (e.g., humans, animals, plants, or parts thereof) and / or non-biological subjects (e.g., models). A target area refers to an anatomical structure that needs to be tracked or monitored during radiation therapy. For example, a target area may be a tumor requiring radiation therapy, an organ with a tumor, tissue with a tumor, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, radiation delivery device 110 may be a conformal radiation therapy device, such as an image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) device, an intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) device, an intensity-modulated arc therapy (IMAT) device, an emission-guided radiotherapy (EGRT) device, etc.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the radiation delivery device 110 may include a frame 111, a single treatment head 113, a beam control device 112, a worktable 114, and a control device. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). The frame 111 may be used to support one or more components of the radiation delivery device 110, such as the treatment head 113 and / or the beam control device 112. The stage 114 may be configured to support the object during radiation therapy. The treatment head 113 may include, for example, a radiation beam generator, configured to generate and emit a radiation beam (e.g., an X-ray beam) toward the object. For example, the radiation beam may include electrons, photons, hadrons (e.g., protons, ions), or other types of radiation particles. A description of radiation beams including electrons is provided below. It should be understood that this is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0051] In some embodiments, the radiation beam generator may include a linear accelerator (also referred to as “LINAC”) configured to accelerate electrons to form an electron beam with a specific energy level. For example, electrons may be accelerated to form an electron beam with a high energy level. As used herein, an electron beam with a high energy level refers to an electron beam with an energy greater than a threshold energy. The threshold energy may be, for example, 30 MeV, 40 MeV, 50 MeV, 100 MeV, 200 MeV, etc. An electron beam with an energy lower than the threshold energy may be referred to as a low-energy-level electron beam.

[0052] The beam control device 112 can be configured to control the radiation beam generated by the radiation beam generator. For example, the radiation beam generated by the radiation beam generator can be defocused, focused, and / or shaped by the beam control device 112 and directed into the object. In some embodiments, the beam control device 112 can adjust the radiation beam to achieve a desired depth dose distribution in the object. As used herein, depth refers to the distance relative to the body surface of the object in a direction parallel to the direction of the radiation beam entering the object (e.g., the central axis of the radiation beam). Depth dose distribution refers to the distribution of radiation dose at different depths. A desired depth dose distribution can be achieved if the total radiation dose deposited in the target area is greater than the total radiation dose deposited in the non-target area.

[0053] In some embodiments, the beam control device 112 may be mounted on or integrated into the treatment head 113. The gantry 111 may be rotatable, and the treatment head 113 and the beam control device 112 may rotate together with the gantry 111. For example, the gantry 111 may be positioned as follows: Figure 1 The diagram shows rotation about the Y-axis in the XZ plane defined by coordinate system 160. In some embodiments, the radiation delivery device 110 may include a plurality of treatment heads, each of which may be equipped with a beam control device 112. The beam control device 112 may be mounted on or integrated into a respective treatment head. In some embodiments, the radiation beam generator and the beam control device 112 may be an integral component.

[0054] In some embodiments, the beam control device 112 may include a deflection device and / or a beam distribution modulator. The deflection device may be configured to deflect the radiation beam. As merely an example, the radiation beam generator may emit an electron beam in one direction (e.g., toward an object), and the electron beam may pass through the deflection device before reaching the object. When passing through the deflection device, the deflection device may alter the trajectory (e.g., direction of movement) of the electron beam. An exemplary deflection device may include a microwave cavity (e.g., such as...). Figure 4 The first microwave cavity 420, the second microwave cavity 430 shown, magnets, magnetic lenses, etc., or any combination thereof. Further descriptions of the deflection devices can be found elsewhere in this application, see, for example... Figure 4 And related descriptions. A beam distribution modulator can be configured to shape the radiation beam. By way of example only, a beam distribution modulator may include one or more beam limiting devices, such as multi-leaf collimators or blockers, which can block specific portions of the radiation beam. Further descriptions of beam distribution modulators can be found elsewhere in this application. See, for example, [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6A and 6B And its related descriptions.

[0055] The control device may be configured to control one or more components of the radiation delivery device 110, such as the rack 111, the radiation beam generator, and / or the beam control device 112. For example, the control device may be configured to determine one or more parameters of the beam control device 112 to optimize the depth dose distribution of the radiation beam in the target. In some embodiments, the control device may be part of the radiation delivery device 110. In some alternative embodiments, the control device may be a separate device of the RT system 100 or part of another component (e.g., terminal 130 or processing device 140).

[0056] Network 120 may include any suitable network that facilitates the exchange of information and / or data with RT system 100. In some embodiments, one or more components of RT system 100 (e.g., radiation delivery device 110, terminal 130, processing device 140, storage device 150, etc.) communicate information and / or data with one or more other components of RT system 100 via network 120. For example, processing device 140 may send one or more parameters related to beam control device 112 to radiation delivery device 110 via network 120. As another example, processing device 140 may receive user instructions from terminal 130 via network 120. Network 120 may be or include public networks (e.g., the Internet), private networks (e.g., local area networks (LANs)), wired networks, wireless networks (e.g., 802.11 networks, Wi-Fi networks), Frame Relay networks, virtual private networks (VPNs), satellite networks, telephone networks, routers, hubs, switches, server computers, and / or any combination thereof. For example, network 120 may include a cable network, wired network, fiber optic network, telecommunications network, intranet, wireless local area network (WLAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), public switched telephone network (PSTN), Bluetooth network, cellular network, near field communication (NFC), and any combination thereof. In some embodiments, network 120 may include one or more network access points. For example, network 120 may include wired and / or wireless network access points such as base stations and / or internet switching points, and one or more components of RT system 100 may connect to network 120 to exchange data and / or information.

[0057] Terminal 130 enables interaction between a user and RT system 100. In some embodiments, terminal 130 may include mobile device 131, tablet computer 132, laptop computer 133, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, mobile device 131 may include smart home device, wearable device, mobile device, virtual reality device, augmented reality device, etc., or any combination thereof. By way of example only, terminal 130 may include, for example... Figure 3 The mobile device shown.

[0058] In some embodiments, smart home devices may include smart lighting devices, smart appliance control devices, smart monitoring devices, smart TVs, smart cameras, walkie-talkies, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, wearable devices may include bracelets, shoes, glasses, helmets, watches, clothing, backpacks, smart accessories, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, mobile devices may include mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), gaming devices, navigation devices, point-of-sale (POS) devices, laptops, tablets, desktops or desktop backgrounds, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, virtual reality (VR) and / or augmented reality (AR) devices may include VR headsets, VR glasses, VR goggles, AR headsets, AR glasses, AR goggles, etc., or any combination thereof. For example, VR and / or AR devices may include Google Glass. TM Virtual reality glasses TM Holographic lens TM Virtual reality headset TM In some embodiments, terminal 130 may be part of processing device 140.

[0059] Processing device 140 can process information obtained from radiation delivery device 110, terminal 130, and / or storage device 150. For example, processing device 140 can determine one or more parameters of beam control device 112. In some embodiments, a control device for the aforementioned radiation delivery device 110 can be implemented on processing device 140. In some embodiments, processing device 140 can be a computer, user console, single server, server group, etc. Server group can be centralized or distributed. In some embodiments, processing device 140 can be local or remote. For example, processing device 140 can access information stored in radiation delivery device 110, terminal 130, and / or storage device 150 via network 120. As another example, processing device 140 can be directly connected to radiation delivery device 110, terminal 130, and / or storage device 150 to access stored information. In some embodiments, processing device 140 can be implemented on a cloud platform. By way of example only, the cloud platform can include private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, community cloud, distributed cloud, internal cloud, multi-layer cloud, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the processing device 140 may be implemented by a computing device 200 having one or more components, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0060] Storage device 150 can store data, instructions, and / or any other information. In some embodiments, storage device 150 can store data obtained from terminal 130 and / or processing device 140. In some embodiments, storage device 150 can store data and / or instructions, and control devices of radiation delivery device 110 and / or processing device 140 can execute or use these data and / or instructions to perform the exemplary methods described in this application. In some embodiments, storage device 150 may include mass storage devices, removable storage devices, volatile read-write memory, read-only memory (ROM), etc., or any combination thereof. Exemplary volumetric storage devices may include disks, optical disks, solid-state drives, etc. Exemplary removable storage devices may include flash drives, floppy disks, optical disks, memory cards, zipper disks, magnetic tapes, etc. Exemplary volatile read-write memory may include random access memory (RAM). Exemplary RAM may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDRSDRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), thyristor random access memory (T-RAM), and zero-capacitance random access memory (Z-RAM), etc. Exemplary ROMs may include mask ROMs (MROMs), programmable ROMs (PROMs), erasable programmable ROMs (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable ROMs (EEPROMs), optical disc ROMs (CD-ROMs), and digital multifunction disk ROMs, etc. In some embodiments, the storage device 150 can be implemented on a cloud platform. As an example only, the cloud platform may include private clouds, public clouds, hybrid clouds, community clouds, distributed clouds, internal clouds, multi-layered clouds, etc., or any combination thereof.

[0061] In some embodiments, storage device 150 may be connected to network 120 to communicate with one or more other components of RT system 100 (e.g., radiation delivery device 110, processing device 140, terminal 130). One or more components of RT system 100 may access data and / or instructions stored in storage device 150 via network 120. In some embodiments, storage device 150 may be directly connected to one or more other components of RT system 100 (e.g., processing device 140, terminal 130). In some embodiments, storage device 150 may be part of processing device 140. In some embodiments, storage device 150 may be connected to radiation delivery device 110 via network 120 or communicate with the backend of processing device 140 or radiation delivery device 110.

[0062] For illustrative purposes, Figure 1 The system provides a coordinate system of 160. For example... Figure 1As shown, coordinate system 160 can be an orthogonal coordinate system including an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis. The Y-axis can be parallel to the rotation axis of the frame 111. The X-axis and Z-axis can form a plane perpendicular to the Y-axis, wherein the X-axis can be horizontal and the Z-axis can be vertical. In some embodiments, the radiation delivery device 110 can include a plurality of treatment heads 113. The XZ plane can be parallel to the plane in which the plurality of treatment heads 113 are located, and the Y-axis can be perpendicular to the plane.

[0063] It should be noted that the above description of the RT system 100 is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the description herein. However, these changes and modifications do not depart from the scope of this application. In some embodiments, the RT system 100 may include one or more additional components and / or one or more components of the RT system 100 described above may be omitted. Additionally or alternatively, two or more components of the RT system 100 may be integrated into a single component. Components of the RT system 100 may be implemented on two or more sub-components.

[0064] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of exemplary hardware and / or software components of a computing device 200 according to some embodiments of this application. The computing device 200 can be used to implement any component of the RT system 100 as described herein. For example, control devices for the radiation delivery device 110, processing device 140, and / or terminal 130 can be implemented on the computing device 200, respectively, through their hardware, software programs, firmware, or combinations thereof. Although only such a computing device is shown, for convenience, the computer functions related to the RT system 100 as described herein can be implemented in a distributed manner on multiple similar platforms to distribute the processing load. Figure 2 As shown, the computing device 200 may include a processor 210, a memory 220, an input / output (I / O) 230, and a communication port 240.

[0065] Processor 210 can execute computer instructions (e.g., program code) and perform the functions of processing device 140 in accordance with the techniques described herein. Computer instructions may include, for example, routines, programs, topics, components, data structures, procedures, modules, and functions that perform the specific functions described herein. For example, processor 210 can process data obtained from radiation delivery device 110, terminal 130, storage device 150, and / or any other component of RT system 100. In some embodiments, processor 210 may include one or more hardware processors, such as microcontrollers, microprocessors, reduced instruction set computers (RISC), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific instruction set processors (ASIPs), central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), physical processing units (PPUs), microcontroller units, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), advanced RISC machines (ARMs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), any circuit or processor capable of performing one or more functions, or any combination thereof.

[0066] For illustrative purposes only, only one processor is described in computing device 200. However, it should be noted that computing device 200 in this application may also include multiple processors, and therefore, the operations and / or methods performed by one processor in this application may also be performed jointly or individually by multiple processors. For example, if in this application, the processors of computing device 200 simultaneously execute operation A and operation B, it should be understood that operation A and operation B may also be performed jointly or individually by two or more different processors in computing device 200 (e.g., the first processor executes operation A, the second processor executes operation B, or the first and second processors jointly execute operation A and B).

[0067] Memory 220 may store data acquired from one or more components of RT system 100. In some embodiments, memory 220 may include a mass storage device, a removable storage device, a volatile read-write memory, a read-only memory (ROM), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, memory 220 may store one or more programs and / or instructions to perform the exemplary methods described herein. For example, memory 220 may store a program for processing device 140 to execute in order to check for errors in replanning.

[0068] I / O 230 can input and / or output signals, data, information, etc. In some embodiments, I / O 230 allows a user to interact with computing device 200. In some embodiments, I / O 230 may include input devices and output devices. Input devices may include input via a keyboard, a touchscreen (e.g., with haptic or haptic feedback), voice input, eye-tracking input, brain monitoring system, or any other similar input mechanism. Input information received through the input device may be transmitted via, for example, a bus to another component (e.g., processing device 140) for further processing. Other types of input devices may include cursor control devices, such as a mouse, trackball, or cursor arrow keys. Output devices may include a display (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) based display, a flat panel display, a curved screen, a television device, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a touchscreen), a speaker, a printer, etc., or combinations thereof.

[0069] Communication port 240 can be connected to a network (e.g., network 120) to facilitate data communication. Communication port 240 can establish a connection between a computing device and one or more other components. The connection can be a wired connection, a wireless connection, any other communication connection capable of enabling data transmission and / or reception, and / or any combination of these connections. Wired connections can include, for example, cables, fiber optic cables, telephone lines, etc., or any combination thereof. Wireless connections can include, for example, Bluetooth. TM Connectivity, Wi-Fi TM Connectivity, WiMAX TM Connectivity, WLAN connectivity, Purple Bee network TM The communication port 240 may be a connection, a mobile network connection (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the communication port 240 may be and / or include a standardized communication port, such as RS232, RS485, etc. In some embodiments, the communication port 240 may be a specially designed communication port. For example, the communication port 240 may be designed according to the Medical Communication (DICOM) protocol.

[0070] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of exemplary hardware and / or software components of a mobile device 300 according to some embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, terminal 130 and / or processing device 140 may be implemented on mobile device 300, respectively. Figure 3As shown, the mobile device 300 may include a communication platform 310, a display 320, a graphics processing unit (GPU) 330, a central processing unit (CPU) 340, I / O 350, memory 360, and storage 390. In some embodiments, any other suitable components, including but not limited to a system bus or controller (not shown), may also be included within the mobile device 300. In some embodiments, a mobile operating system 370 (e.g., iOS) TM Android TM Windows Phone TM One or more applications 380 can be loaded from memory 390 into memory 360 for execution by CPU 340. Applications 380 may include a browser or any other suitable mobile application for receiving and presenting information relating to RT system 100. User interaction with the information stream can be achieved via I / O 350 and provided via network 120 to processing device 140 and / or other components of RT system 100.

[0071] To implement the various modules, units, and functions described in this application, a computer hardware platform may be used as the hardware platform for one or more of the components described herein. A computer with user interface elements may be used to implement a personal computer (PC) or any other type of workstation or terminal device. If the computer is properly programmed, it may also be used as a server.

[0072] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary beam control device 400 according to some embodiments of this application. The beam control device 400 can be configured to deliver an electron beam to an object 440 (e.g., a patient or a portion) and control the depth dose distribution of the electron beam within the object 440. In some embodiments, the beam control device 400 may be… Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of the beam control device 112. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the beam control device 400 may include an electron beam generator 410, a first microwave cavity 420, and a second microwave cavity 430.

[0073] Electron beam generator 410 can be configured to emit an electron beam for radiotherapy toward object 440 along a first direction. The first direction refers to the initial direction of movement of the electron beam when it is generated. For example, beam control device 400 can be mounted on a rack on a grid, which is formed by... Figure 4 The coordinate system 160 shown defines rotation about the Y-axis in the XZ plane. The beam control device 400 can rotate with the rack. The first direction can be associated with the rack angle. As an example only, the electron beam generator 410 can be moved from the rack to... Figure 4The position above the object 440 is shown. The first direction can be parallel to the Z-axis. As another example, the beam control device 400 can be part of a specific treatment head of a radiation delivery device with multiple treatment heads. Each treatment head can be located in a specific position and treat the object 440 from a specific angle. The first direction can be associated with the position and / or angle of the specific treatment head on which the beam control device 400 is mounted.

[0074] In some embodiments, the electron beam may comprise a plurality of microbeams emitted sequentially by the electron beam generator 410. The time interval between each pair of consecutive microbeams may be a fixed duration or a variable duration. For example, the time interval between each pair of consecutive microbeams may be a fixed duration. The fixed duration may be associated with the frequency of the electron beam generator 410. For example, if the frequency of the electron beam generator 410 is 2 GHz, then the time interval between each pair of adjacent microbeams may be 500 microseconds (ps). As another example, if the frequency of the electron beam generator 410 is 3 GHz, then the time interval between each pair of adjacent microbeams may be 333 ps.

[0075] The electron beam can have a certain energy level. For example, the electron beam can have a high energy level, such as an energy greater than a threshold energy, for example, the threshold energy could be 30 MeV, 40 MeV, 50 MeV, 100 MeV, 200 MeV, etc. By way of example only, the electron beam can have a high energy level in the range of 50 MeV to 300 MeV or 100 MeV to 300 MeV. As another example, the electron beam can have a low energy level, such as an energy below the threshold energy. In some embodiments, an electron beam with a high energy level can be referred to as a high-energy electron beam, and an electron beam with a low energy level can be referred to as a low-energy electron beam. High-energy electron beams can have better penetration than low-energy electron beams. Low-energy electron beams are more suitable for target areas on or near the body surface of the treatment subject, while high-energy electron beams are more suitable for target areas inside the treatment subject 440.

[0076] like Figure 4 As shown, the electron beam generated by the electron beam generator 410 can pass through the cavity (or channel) of the first microwave cavity 420. The first microwave cavity 420 can be configured to defocus the electron beam in a second direction to produce a defocused electron beam. As used herein, the second direction can be any direction different from the first direction. "Defocusing the beam in one direction" means extending the range of the beam in that direction. For example, as... Figure 4As shown, the first direction can be parallel to the Z-axis, and the second direction can be parallel to the Y-axis (e.g., the rotation axis of the rack on which the beam control device 400 is mounted). After the electron beam passes through the first microwave cavity 420, the size of the electron beam in the Y-axis direction can be increased, i.e., the range of the electron beam in the Y-axis direction can be extended. If the electron beam generated by the electron beam generator 410 is considered as a line along the Z-axis, the cross-section of the defocused electron beam parallel to the XY plane can be approximated as a line extending along the Y-axis. It should be noted that the first microwave cavity 420 is only an example of a first deflection device for generating a defocused electron beam. The first microwave cavity 420 can be replaced by one or more other deflection devices or used in combination with other deflection devices to achieve defocusing of the electron beam, other deflection devices including defocusing magnets (e.g., defocusing quadrupole magnets) and / or defocusing lenses.

[0077] In some embodiments, the first microwave cavity 420 can be configured to defocus the electron beam by applying a microwave field to it. For example, microwaves can enter the first microwave cavity 420, forming a microwave field within the first microwave cavity 420. As the electron beam passes through the first microwave cavity 420, it may be deflected by a force in a second direction caused by the microwave field. In some embodiments, the microwave field in the first microwave cavity 420 may vary over time (e.g., within a specific period), which may cause the force applied to the electron beam to change. For example, the direction and / or amplitude of the microwave field may change, and the direction and / or amplitude of the force applied to the electron beam may change with the variation of the microwave field. Different microbeams of the electron beam passing through the first microwave cavity 420 at different times may be deflected by different forces in the second direction and have different trajectories after passing through the first microwave cavity 420. As merely an example, a force in the positive Y-axis direction can deflect the first microbeam in the positive Y-axis direction, and a force in the negative Y-axis direction can deflect the second microbeam in the negative Y-axis direction.

[0078] In some embodiments, it may be necessary to adjust one or more parameters of the first microwave cavity 420 such that the microwave field can defocus the electron beam in a second direction. Exemplary parameters of the microwave cavity may include the wavelength, frequency, phase, direction, amplitude, periodicity, etc., of the microwave field, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the microwave field may vary periodically. The period of the microwave field may be greater than the time interval between each pair of adjacent microbeams of the electron beam. The frequency of the microwave field can be determined based on various factors, such as the frequency of the electron beam generator, the size of the first microwave cavity 420, etc. For example, if the frequency of the microwave field is low (e.g., below a threshold frequency), the wavelength of the microwave field may be long, and a larger first microwave cavity 420 may be required. The first microwave cavity 420 may be able to generate a high-frequency (e.g., above a threshold frequency) microwave field in order to reduce device size. Further description of the microwave field of the microwave cavity can be found elsewhere in this application, for example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 7 to 9 And its related descriptions.

[0079] like Figure 4 As shown, a second microwave cavity 430 may be located between the first microwave cavity 420 and the object 440. The second microwave cavity 430 may include a cavity (or channel) through which a defocused electron beam can pass after exiting the first microwave cavity 420. The second microwave cavity 430 may be configured to focus the defocused electron beam in a second direction to produce a focused electron beam. As used herein, "focusing a beam in one direction" means narrowing the beam's range in that direction. For example, as... Figure 4 As shown, the first and second directions can be parallel to the Z-axis and Y-axis, respectively. When the defocused electron beam passes through the second microwave cavity 430, the size of the defocused electron beam in the Y-axis direction can be reduced, i.e., the range of the defocused electron beam in the Y-axis direction can be narrowed. It should be noted that the second microwave cavity 430 is provided as an example of a second deflection device configured to generate a focused electron beam. The second microwave cavity 430 can be replaced by one or more other deflection devices or used in combination with other deflection devices to achieve focusing of the defocused electron beam, including focusing magnets (e.g., focusing quadrupole magnets) and / or focusing lenses.

[0080] In some embodiments, the second microwave cavity 430 can be configured to focus the defocused electron beam by applying a second microwave field to it. For example, microwaves can be injected into the second microwave cavity 430 to form a second microwave field within the second microwave cavity 430. When the defocused electron beam passes through the second microwave cavity 430, the electron beam may be deflected in a second direction under the influence of the second microwave field. In some embodiments, the intensity of the second microwave field in the second microwave cavity 430 may vary with time (e.g., within a specific period), which may cause variations in the force applied to the defocused electron beam. When the defocused electron beam passes through the second microwave cavity 430 at different times, its microbeams are deflected in the second direction by different forces, resulting in different motions.

[0081] In some embodiments, the microbeams of the electron beam can be deflected by a force F1 in the first microwave cavity 420 and a force F2 in the second microwave cavity 430, wherein forces F1 and F2 can be in opposite directions. As an example only, as described above, in the first microwave cavity 420, the first and second microbeams can be deflected by forces in the positive and negative Y-axis directions, respectively. In the second microwave cavity 430, the first microbeam can be deflected in the negative Y-axis direction by a force in the negative Y-axis direction, and the second microbeam can be deflected in the positive Y-axis direction by a force in the positive Y-axis direction. In some embodiments, it may be necessary to adjust one or more parameters of the second microwave cavity 430 so that the second microwave field can focus the defocused electron beam in the second direction. The parameter adjustment of the second microwave cavity 430 can be performed in a similar manner to that of the first microwave cavity 420, and its description will not be repeated here.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first microwave cavity 420 and / or the second microwave cavity 430 may be controlled by a control device of the beam control device 400. The control device may be part of the radiation delivery equipment in which the beam control device 400 is located. Alternatively, the control device may be a device independent of the radiation delivery equipment, for example, it may be located in... Figure 1 It is implemented on the processing device 140 or terminal 130.

[0083] For example, the control device can determine one or more parameters of the first microwave cavity 420 and the second microwave cavity 430 such that the focused electron beam is focused onto the target region (e.g., tumor) of the object 440 along a second direction. As an example only, assume the second direction is the Y-axis direction. If the target region of the object 440 corresponds to a specific coordinate range in the Y-axis, the Y-coordinate of the focus of the focused electron beam can be adjusted to that specific range via the second microwave cavity 430. In this case, the focused electron beam can be considered as focused on the target region in the Y-axis direction. In some embodiments, the parameters of the first microwave cavity 420 and the second microwave cavity 430 can be determined based on, for example, the planned dose distribution, the position of the electron beam generator 410 relative to the target region, the position of the first microwave cavity 420 relative to the target region, the position of the second microwave cavity 430 relative to the target region, or any combination thereof.

[0084] As described above, in some embodiments, the electron beam can be defocused and focused in a specific direction (e.g., a second direction) before entering the object 440. The focused electron beam can be focused onto the target region, thereby depositing a larger radiation dose on the target region and forming a "Bragg peak" similar to that of a hadron beam. Before reaching the target region, the focused electron beam may have a larger radiation area in the object 440, while the original electron beam, without defocusing and focusing, may have a relatively small radiation area. In other words, the radiation dose of the defocused electron beam can be scattered more widely across non-target regions (e.g., the object's surface and healthy organs between the surface and the target region) than the original electron beam, avoiding or reducing dose deposition in non-target regions. In this way, the desired depth dose distribution can be achieved, thereby improving the accuracy of treatment delivery and / or reducing or avoiding damage to the object caused by unintended radiation.

[0085] Furthermore, according to some embodiments of this application, the deflection of the electron beam can be achieved by a pair of first microwave cavities 420 and second microwave cavities 430. Compared to deflection devices that provide a constant deflection force (e.g., magnets or magnetic lenses), microwave cavities can provide dynamic microwave fields and have higher energy efficiency. Moreover, the microwave field of a microwave cavity can provide a higher field gradient than the magnetic field of a magnet. When the microwave field and magnetic field exert the same force on the electrons, the microwave field has a better defocusing and / or focusing effect on the electrons than the magnetic field.

[0086] Furthermore, by using the beam control device 400 (or a portion thereof), the radiation delivery device can treat the subject 440 from multiple angles, and the flexibility of the radiation delivery device 110 can be improved. For example, as Figure 4 As shown, the gantry of the radiation delivery device can rotate in the XZ plane. The direction of the electron beam in the XZ plane can be adjusted by rotating the gantry. The direction of the electron beam on the Y-axis can be adjusted by the beam control device 400. As another example, the radiation delivery device may include multiple treatment heads, each of which can be located at a specific position and treat the object from a specific angle. Each treatment head may be equipped with a beam control device 400 (or a portion thereof) for widening the treatment angle. By way of example only, the treatment head may be located in the same position as the electron beam generator 410 and configured to emit an electron beam in the positive Z-axis direction. A microwave cavity similar to the first microwave cavity 420 may be mounted on the treatment head to scatter the electron beam in the X-axis direction. In this way, the treatment head can treat the target area of ​​the object at a wider angle, for example, within ±10° relative to the positive Z-axis.

[0087] It should be noted that Figure 4The beam control device 400 and its description are for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and alterations to the form and details of the above-described methods and systems can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of this application. However, such modifications and alterations also fall within the scope of this application.

[0088] Figure 4 The shapes, dimensions, and / or positions of the components of the beam control device 400 shown are illustrative and not limiting. By way of example only, the first microwave cavity 420 can have any suitable shape and / or size. Additionally, as... Figure 4 The first, second, and third directions shown are for illustrative purposes and can be modified according to actual needs. They are merely examples; the second direction can be parallel to the X-axis, and the third direction can be parallel to the Y-axis.

[0089] In some embodiments, the beam control device 400 may include one or more additional components. For example, the beam control device 400 may include a beam distribution modulator (e.g., beam distribution modulator 610) and / or a scanning electrode (e.g., scanning electrode 510) for beam shaping. As another example, the beam control device 400 may include one or more deflection devices for deflecting the focused electron beam in a third direction. The third direction can be any direction different from the first and second directions. By way of example only, the first and second directions can be the Z-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. The third direction can be the X-axis direction.

[0090] In some embodiments, the additional deflection device may include a defocusing assembly and a focusing assembly. After exiting the second microwave cavity 430, the focused electron beam can pass through the defocusing assembly, which can be configured to defocus the focused electron beam in a third-party upward direction to generate a second defocused electron beam. The second defocused electron beam can then pass through the focusing assembly after exiting the defocusing assembly, and the focusing assembly can be configured to focus the second defocused electron beam in a third-party upward direction to generate a second focused electron beam. The second focused electron beam can then enter the object 440. In some embodiments, one or more parameters of the defocusing assembly and the focusing assembly can be adjusted, for example by a control device, such that the second focused electron beam can be focused on the target area in a third-party upward direction.

[0091] Exemplary defocusing components may include a third microwave cavity, a defocusing magnet (e.g., a defocusing quadrupole magnet), a defocusing lens, or any combination thereof. The third microwave cavity may have the same or similar structure as the first microwave cavity 420. Exemplary focusing components may include a fourth microwave cavity, a focusing magnet (e.g., a focusing quadrupole magnet), a focusing lens, or any combination thereof. The fourth microwave cavity may have the same or similar structure as the first microwave cavity 420.

[0092] In some embodiments, one or more components of the beam control device 400 described above may be omitted. For example, the second microwave cavity 430 may be omitted. Additionally or alternatively, components of the beam control device 400 may be replaced by another component that can perform the same or similar function. For example, the first microwave cavity 420 may be replaced by another deflection device, such as a defocusing magnet, a defocusing lens, etc.

[0093] In some embodiments, the microwave cavity may be replaced by another device that can apply force to an electron beam to defocus or focus it. By way of example only, the device may generate a laser field instead of a microwave field to defocus or focus the electron beam. For illustrative purposes, the term "microwave cavity" is used herein to refer collectively to a device capable of applying force to an electron beam to scatter or focus it, and the term "microwave field" as used herein refers to the field applied by such a device.

[0094] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary beam control device 500 according to some embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, the beam control device 500 may be as follows: Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of the beam control device 112.

[0095] like Figure 5 As shown, the beam control device 500 is similar to Figure 4 The beam control device 400, in addition to the beam control device 500, may include a scanning electrode 510 instead of a second microwave cavity. The scanning electrode 510 may be located between the first microwave cavity 420 and the object to be scanned ( Figure 5 (Not shown)

[0096] The scanning electrode 510 can be configured to scan the defocused electron beam in a fourth direction. The fourth direction can be any direction different from both the first and second directions. The first direction can be the same as or different from the third direction. For example, as... Figure 1 As shown, the first and second directions can be the Z-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively. The fourth direction can be the X-axis direction. During the scanning of the defocused electron beam, the scanning electrode 510 can apply an electric field to the defocused electron beam. The intensity and / or direction of the electric field can change over time, so that different microbeams of the defocused electron beam can be deflected by different forces in the fourth direction.

[0097] For ease of description, the scanned defocused electron beam is referred to as the target electron beam. In some embodiments, the cross-section of the target electron beam may include multiple stripes or lines spaced apart from each other along a fourth direction. This is merely an example, such as... Figure 5As shown, the electron beam generator 410 can emit an electron beam in the Z-axis direction, and the first microwave cavity 420 can scatter the electron beam in the Y-axis direction. The scanning electrode 510 can scan the defocused electron beam in the X-axis direction, thereby generating the target electron beam. A cross-section of the target electron beam parallel to the XY plane may include multiple strips 520. The strips 520 can be considered as multiple parallel lines of equal length, which are uniformly or non-uniformly distributed along the X-axis direction.

[0098] In some embodiments, adjacent strips of strip 520 may be close to each other (e.g., less than a threshold distance), such that strip 520 may nearly form a treatment plane on certain cross sections. This targeted electron beam can be used to treat a region of the plane in the subject, which can have higher treatment efficiency than an electron beam focused at a single point. In some embodiments, beam control device 500 may include one or more additional deflection devices, such as another microwave cavity, focusing lens, etc. For example, a fourth microwave cavity may be mounted between scanning electrode 510 and the subject. The fourth microwave cavity may be configured to focus and / or defocus the targeted electron beam along a second direction (or another direction) to control the length of strip 520 (along the second direction). As merely an example, different microwave fields may be applied to the microbeams of different strips, such that the strips have different lengths along the second direction.

[0099] It should be noted that the above description of the beam control device 500 is provided for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations in the form and details of the above methods and systems can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of this application. However, these modifications and variations also fall within the scope of this application. In some embodiments, the beam control device 500 may include one or more other components and / or one or more of the above-described components may be omitted. Additionally or alternatively, components of the beam control device 500 may be replaced by another component that performs the same or similar function. Furthermore, for illustrative purposes, Figure 5 The first, second, and fourth directions shown can be modified according to actual needs.

[0100] Figure 6A This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary beam control device 600A according to some embodiments of this application. Figure 6A As shown, the beam control device 600A can be configured to control the electron beam emitted onto a target. The target may include a target region 630 (e.g., a tumor) and a non-target region 620. The beam control device 600A can be similar to... Figure 4 The beam control device 400 is described above, but the beam control device 600A may also include a beam distribution modulator 610.

[0101] A beam distribution modulator 610 may be located between the first microwave cavity 420 and the second microwave cavity 430 and configured to shape a defocused electron beam. For example, the beam distribution modulator 610 may include one or more beam confinement devices, such as multi-leaf collimators or blockers, which may block specific portions of the defocused electron beam. Without blocking, specific portions of the defocused electron beam may result in dose deposition in the off-target region 620. This is merely an example. Figure 6A As shown, the right half of the defocused electron beam can be blocked by the beam distribution modulator 610, thereby preventing dose deposition in the non-target region 620. In some embodiments, the shape of the beam distribution modulator 610 can be adjusted so that the remaining portion of the electron beam can better conform to the target region 630.

[0102] Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary beam control device 600B according to some embodiments of this application. The beam control device 600B can be similar to... Figure 6A The described beam control device 600A, except that beam control device 600B may include a beam distribution modulator 640 instead of a beam distribution modulator 610. The beam distribution modulator 640 may be located between the electron beam generator 410 and the first microwave cavity 420, and shapes the electron beam generated by the electron beam generator 410. In some embodiments, beam distribution modulators located at different positions along the electron beam's propagation path may have different configurations (e.g., shape and / or size). By way of example only, the electron beam may have a relatively small size before being defocused in the first microwave cavity 420. The beam distribution modulator 610 used to shape the defocused electron beam may be larger than the beam distribution modulator 640 used to shape the original electron beam shape.

[0103] It should be noted that the above description of the beam control devices 600A and 600B is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the description in this application. However, these changes and modifications do not depart from the scope of this application. In some embodiments, the beam control device 600A or 600B may include one or more other components and / or one or more of the aforementioned components may be omitted. For example, the beam control device 600A or 600B may include multiple beam distribution modulators. Additionally or alternatively, components of the beam control device 600A or 600B may be replaced by another component that can achieve the same or similar function. For example, the first microwave cavity 420 may be replaced by a defocusing lens, and / or the second microwave cavity 430 may be replaced by a focusing lens.

[0104] Figure 7These are exemplary waveforms of the microwave field 700 shown according to some embodiments of this application. The microwave field 700 may be derived from other parts of this application (e.g., Figure 4 The microwave field 700 is generated by a microwave cavity (e.g., a first microwave cavity 420, a second microwave cavity 430) as described in the relevant description. The intensity of the microwave field 700 can be changed periodically with a period T. Figure 7 The black dots in the image can represent electron beams (e.g., Figure 4 Multiple microbeams (e.g., 701, 702, and 703) generated by electron beam generator 410 (or defocused electron beam).

[0105] Microbeams can pass sequentially through the microwave cavity, with a time interval of T / 3 between adjacent microbeams. Each microbeam 701 can be deflected by force F1, corresponding to a positive 90° phase of the microwave field 700. Each microbeam 702 can be deflected by force F2, corresponding to a negative 210° phase of the microwave field 700. Each microbeam 703 can be deflected by force F3, corresponding to a negative 330° phase of the microwave field 700. Force F1 can be opposite in direction to forces F2 and F3. Forces F2 and F3 can have the same magnitude and be in the same direction. After passing through the first microwave cavity, each microbeam 701 can proceed along... Figure 7 The beam moves in the direction indicated by the middle arrow 704, while each of the microbeams 702 and 703 can move along the direction indicated by the middle arrow 704. Figure 7 Move in the direction indicated by the middle arrow 705. The electron beam can be split into two parts.

[0106] Figure 8 These are exemplary waveforms of a microwave field 800 shown according to some embodiments of this application. The microwave field 800 can be similar to... Figure 7 The microwave field described is 700. Figure 8 The black dots in the image can represent electron beams (e.g., Figure 4 Multiple microbeams (e.g., 801, 802, and 803) generated by electron beam generator 410 (or defocused electron beam).

[0107] Microbeams can pass through the microwave cavity sequentially, with a time interval of T / 3 between adjacent microbeams. Each microbeam 801 can be deflected by force F1', corresponding to a positive 60° phase of the microwave field 800. Each microbeam 802 can be deflected by force F2', corresponding to a zero phase of the microwave field 800 at 180°. Each microbeam 803 can be deflected by force F3', corresponding to a negative 300° phase of the microwave field 800. Force F1' can be in the opposite direction to force F3. The magnitude of force F2' can be 0, i.e., no force is applied to microbeam 802. After passing through the microwave cavity, microbeam 801 can travel along... Figure 8 The microbeam 802 can move in the direction indicated by arrow 804, as shown in the image. Figure 8 The microbeam 803 can move in the direction indicated by arrow 806, as shown in the image. Figure 8 Move in the direction indicated by the middle arrow 805. The electron beam can be divided into three parts.

[0108] In some embodiments, microwave field 700 or microwave field 800 may be generated by a first microwave cavity 420. Forces F1, F2, F3, F1', F2', and F3' may be along a second direction. For example, force F1 may be along the positive Y-axis direction. Forces F2 and F3 may be along the negative Y-axis direction.

[0109] Figure 9 These are exemplary waveforms of microwave field 900 shown in some embodiments of this application. Figure 9 The horizontal and vertical axes in the diagram represent the time and intensity of the microwave field 900, respectively. The microwave field 900 can be generated from other parts of this application (e.g., Figure 4 The microwave field 900 is generated by a microwave cavity (e.g., the first microwave cavity 420) as described in the relevant description. The intensity of the microwave field 900 can vary periodically according to the period T'.

[0110] Figure 9 The gray spot in the image can represent multiple microbeams of the electron beam (e.g., the electron beam generated by electron beam generator 410). The microbeams can pass sequentially through the microwave cavity, with a time interval of T' / 2 between adjacent microbeams. No force is applied to the center of each microbeam. Because each microbeam can have a certain length, the other portions of each microbeam (e.g., the two ends of each microbeam) can be deflected by a force induced by the microwave field 900. In this way, the electron beam can be defocused to some extent.

[0111] It should be noted that Figures 7 to 9 The description herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the description herein. However, these changes and modifications do not depart from the scope of this application. For example, the time interval between each pair of consecutive microbeams and / or microwave fields of the electron beam can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0112] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art who have read this application, the above disclosure is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this application, and therefore, such modifications, improvements, and corrections still fall within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0113] Furthermore, this application uses specific terms to describe its embodiments. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this application can be appropriately combined.

[0114] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that aspects of this application can be described and illustrated through several patentable types or situations, including any new and useful combination of processes, machines, products, or substances, or any new and useful improvements thereof. Therefore, aspects of this application can be implemented entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or a combination of software and hardware implementations, which are generally referred to herein as “units,” “modules,” or “systems.” Additionally, aspects of this application can take the form of a computer program product contained in one or more computer-readable media containing computer-readable program code.

[0115] A computer-readable signal medium may contain a propagated data signal containing computer program code, for example, on baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such propagated signals can take many forms, including electromagnetic, optical, and any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium can be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, which can be connected to an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device to enable communication, propagation, or transmission of a program for use. The program code located on the computer-readable signal medium can be propagated through any suitable medium, including radio, cable, fiber optic cable, RF, and any combination of the above.

[0116] Computer program code used for operations on various aspects of this application may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, Jade, Emerald, C++, C#, vb.NET, Python, etc.; traditional procedural programming languages ​​such as C, Visual Basic, Fortran, Perl, Cobol, PHP, ABAP; dynamic programming languages ​​such as Python, Ruby, and Groovy; or other programming languages. This program code may run entirely on the user's computer, or as a standalone software package on the user's computer, or partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network (including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., through the network of an internet service provider) or in a cloud computing environment, or provided as a service, such as a software service (SaaS).

[0117] Furthermore, unless expressly stated in the claims, the order of processing elements and sequences, the use of numbers and letters, or other names described in this application are not intended to limit the order of the processes and methods of this application. Although the foregoing disclosure has discussed some currently considered useful embodiments of the invention through various examples, it should be understood that such details are for illustrative purposes only, and the appended claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments; rather, the claims are intended to cover all modifications and equivalent combinations that conform to the substance and scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, while the implementation of the various components described above can be embodied in a hardware device, it can also be implemented as a purely software solution, such as an installation on an existing server or mobile device.

[0118] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, the method of the present application should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed object to be scanned requires more features than expressly recited in each claim. In fact, the embodiments have fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0119] In some embodiments, the numbers used to describe and claim certain embodiments of the present application in terms of expressive quality or characteristics should be understood to be modified in certain circumstances by the terms "about," "approximately," or "substantially." For example, unless otherwise stated, "about," "approximately," or "substantially" can represent a range of ±1%, ±5%, ±10%, or ±20% of the numerical value they describe. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximate values, which may be changed depending on the desired characteristics of individual embodiments. In some embodiments, numerical parameters should take into account specified significant digits and employ a general method of digit reservation. Although the numerical ranges and parameters used to confirm their breadth of range in some embodiments of the present application are approximate values, in specific embodiments, such numerical values ​​are set as precisely as feasible.

[0120] For each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other material cited herein, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, and documents, the entire contents are incorporated herein by reference. This excludes historical application documents that are inconsistent with or conflict with the content of this document, as well as documents that limit the broadest scope of the claims of this application (currently or subsequently appended herein). It should be noted that in the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in the appended materials and the content herein, the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used herein shall prevail.

[0121] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this application are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of this application. Other modifications may also fall within the scope of this application. Therefore, alternative configurations of the embodiments of this application are considered as examples and not limitations, and are regarded as consistent with the teachings of this application. Accordingly, the embodiments of this application are not limited to the embodiments explicitly described and illustrated in this application.

Claims

1. A beam control device for radiotherapy, comprising: An electron beam generator is configured to emit an electron beam for radiotherapy toward a target in a first direction; as well as A first deflection device is configured to generate a defocused electron beam by defocusing the electron beam in a second direction, which is different from the first direction. The second deflection device is configured to generate a focused electron beam by focusing the defocused electron beam; A control device is configured to control the first deflection device and the second deflection device to focus the focused electron beam on a target region of the object in the second direction, so as to achieve a desired depth dose distribution in the object, wherein at least one of the first deflection device and the second deflection device includes a microwave cavity capable of providing a dynamic microwave field.

2. The beam control device according to claim 1, wherein, The energy of the electron beam ranges from 50 megaelectron volts (MeV) to 300 megaelectron volts.

3. The beam control device according to claim 1, wherein, The electron beam generator is mounted on a frame, and the second direction is parallel to the rotation axis of the frame.

4. The beam control device according to claim 1, wherein, The first deflection device includes a first microwave cavity.

5. The beam control device according to claim 4, wherein, The second deflection device includes a second microwave cavity.

6. The beam control device according to claim 5, further comprising: A defocusing assembly is configured to generate a second defocusing electron beam by defocusing the focusing electron beam in a third direction, the third direction being different from both the first and second directions; as well as The focusing component is configured to generate a second focusing electron beam by focusing the second defocused electron beam in a third-direction upward direction.

7. The beam control device according to claim 6, wherein, The electron beam generator is mounted on a frame, and the third direction is the horizontal direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the frame.

8. The beam control device according to claim 6, wherein, At least one of the defocusing assembly and the focusing assembly includes at least one of a microwave cavity, a magnet, and a magnetic lens.

9. The beam control device according to claim 5, wherein, in order to control the first deflection device and the second deflection device so that the focusing electron beam is focused on the target region of the object in the second direction, the control device is configured to: The first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity are controlled to focus the focused electron beam on the target area of ​​the object in the second direction.

10. The beam control device according to claim 9, wherein, To control the first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity, the control device is configured to: Based on at least one of the planned dose distribution, the position of the electron beam generator relative to the target region, the position of the first microwave cavity relative to the target region, and the position of the second microwave cavity relative to the target region, one or more parameters of the first microwave cavity and the second microwave cavity are determined.

11. The beam control device according to claim 4, further comprising a beam distribution modulator, wherein, The beam distribution modulator is positioned between the electron beam generator and the first microwave cavity and is configured to shape the electron beam generated by the electron beam generator. The first microwave cavity is configured to defocus the shaped electron beam.

12. The beam control device according to claim 11, wherein, The beam distribution modulator includes at least one of a multi-leaf collimator or a blocker.

13. The beam control device of claim 4, further comprising a second beam distribution modulator configured to shape the defocused electron beam, wherein the first microwave cavity is located between the electron beam generator and the second beam distribution modulator.

14. The beam control device according to claim 13, wherein the second beam distribution modulator comprises at least one of a multi-leaf collimator and a blocker.

15. The beam control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first microwave cavity is configured to defocus the electron beam in a second direction by applying a microwave field to the electron beam, the microwave field of the electron beam varying over time.

16. The beam control device according to claim 15, wherein, The electron beam comprises a plurality of microbeams generated sequentially by the electron beam generator, wherein each pair of adjacent microbeams is separated by a time interval. The microwave field is periodically changing, and The period of change of the microwave field is greater than the time interval.

17. The beam control device according to claim 1, further comprising: The scanning electrode is configured to scan the defocused electron beam in a fourth direction, which is different from both the first and second directions.

18. A radiation transfer device, comprising: At least one treatment head, said at least one treatment head including the beam control device as described in claim 1.

19. The radiation transfer device according to claim 18, wherein, The radiation transfer device includes at least two treatment heads, each of the at least two treatment heads including the beam control device as described in claim 1.

20. The radiation transfer device according to claim 18, wherein, The second direction is perpendicular to the plane in which the at least two treatment heads are located.

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