Multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy, transport method and related equipment

Abstract

The application provides a multi-chamber transport device, a transport method and related equipment for radiotherapy, and relates to the technical field of particle therapy; wherein the device comprises a transport track, a sitting and lying equipment, a plurality of positioning chambers and a treatment chamber; each of the positioning chambers comprises at least one sitting and lying equipment; each of the sitting and lying equipment is arranged on the transport track, and the transport track penetrates through the plurality of positioning chambers and the treatment chamber; the method comprises a treatment plan; according to the first treatment plan, the position and angle of the sitting and lying equipment of a first patient are adjusted; the adjusted sitting and lying equipment is moved to a treatment position of the treatment chamber through the transport track; the positioning time of the sitting and lying equipment of a second patient is determined through the treatment time length of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time length of a second treatment plan and the moving time length of the sitting and lying equipment on the transport track; and flexible switching between the plurality of positioning chambers and the treatment chamber is realized, so that the treatment efficiency is greatly improved, the overall cost is reduced, and the particle therapy system is more compact.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese application No. 202411240069.1, filed on September 5, 2024, entitled "Multi-chamber transport device, transport method and related equipment for radiotherapy". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of particle radiotherapy technology, and in particular to multi-chamber transport devices, transport methods and related equipment for radiotherapy. Background Technology

[0003] In the field of cancer treatment, radiotherapy is an important treatment method, and its continuous technological advancements are of great significance in improving treatment efficacy and reducing side effects. Although traditional photon radiotherapy has achieved the goal of killing tumor cells to a certain extent, its limitations in dose distribution and penetration ability often make it difficult to achieve precise targeting of tumor tissue, while potentially causing unnecessary damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

[0004] With the rapid development of medical physics and engineering technology, particle radiotherapy has gradually emerged as an advanced radiotherapy technique. Particle radiotherapy, especially proton and heavy ion radiotherapy, has become a research hotspot in the field of cancer treatment due to its unique physical properties and precise dose distribution advantages. Particle radiotherapy can more precisely control the dose and range of radiotherapy, achieving precise targeting of tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

[0005] However, the complexity and relatively high cost of particle radiotherapy equipment limit its widespread application. Traditional single-room treatment systems can only treat one patient at a time, resulting in lower treatment efficiency and affecting the utilization rate of core components such as particle accelerators. Multi-room treatment systems typically have multiple treatment rooms for patients, but these systems often involve complex particle beam transport lines and magnet systems, which not only increase equipment costs but also reduce the system's flexibility and convenience.

[0006] Therefore, how to design a particle therapy device that can improve treatment efficiency, reduce costs, and increase equipment flexibility has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a multi-chamber transport device, transport method, and related equipment for radiotherapy. By setting up a positioning room, a movable treatment chair or treatment bed, and a transport track, it enables flexible switching between multiple positioning rooms and treatment rooms, thereby significantly improving treatment efficiency and reducing overall costs.

[0008] On one hand, the present invention provides a multi-compartment transport method for radiotherapy, comprising:

[0009] Obtain the first treatment plan for the first patient and the second treatment plan for the second patient;

[0010] According to the first treatment plan, the position and angle of the sitting and lying device for the first patient are adjusted at the placement point; the adjusted sitting and lying device is moved to the treatment position in the treatment room via the transfer track; the placement point is the virtual isocenter point of the placement room; the line connecting the virtual isocenter points of each placement room is parallel to the first track of the transfer track, and the physical isocenter point of the treatment room falls on the connecting line.

[0011] The preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan is obtained through the first treatment plan;

[0012] The movement time of the sitting and lying device on the transfer track is identified, and the movement time includes a first time and a second time; the first time is the track movement time of the first patient sitting and lying device after completing the treatment and moving out of the treatment room, and the second time is the track movement time of the second patient sitting and lying device from the placement point to the treatment position in the treatment room.

[0013] The starting time for positioning the sitting-lying device for the second patient is determined by using the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, and the travel time of the sitting-lying device on the transport track. The starting time for positioning the sitting-lying device for the second patient is:

[0014] Ts = Tc - (T2b + T2) + T1z + T1 - Tr

[0015] Wherein, Ts is the start time of the second patient's sitting / lying device placement; T1z is the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan; T2b is the preset placement duration of the second treatment plan, T1 is the first duration, T2 is the second duration, Tc is the expected start time of the first treatment plan, and Tr is the duration redundancy, which is a reserved safety buffer duration.

[0016] The preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan is determined by acquiring the second patient's biometrics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging examination data, and historical positioning duration. This data is then used as input features, and a machine learning model is used to predict the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan.

[0017] Preferably, the placement point is a virtual isocenter point of the placement room; adjusting the position and angle of the sitting / lying device for the first patient at the placement point according to the first treatment plan includes:

[0018] Acquire the imaging data of the first patient;

[0019] Based on the first treatment plan and the imaging data of the first patient, the adjustment parameters of the sitting and lying device are determined through image registration. The adjustment parameters include the adjustment position and angle.

[0020] By applying the adjustment parameters, the sitting / lying device is adjusted so that the treatment area of ​​the first patient coincides with the virtual isocenter point.

[0021] Preferably, determining the positioning time of the sitting / lying device for the second patient based on the treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan, and the movement time of the sitting / lying device on the transport track includes:

[0022] The preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan is obtained through the first treatment plan;

[0023] Based on a machine learning model, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan is obtained through the second treatment plan.

[0024] The first time it took for the sitting and lying equipment to move out of the treatment room for the first patient and the second time it took for the sitting and lying equipment to move from the placement point to the treatment position in the treatment room for the second patient were obtained by measuring the moving speed and moving distance of the sitting and lying equipment.

[0025] The positioning time of the sitting and lying equipment for the second patient is obtained by using the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, the first duration, and the second duration.

[0026] Preferably, the setup time for the sitting / lying device for the second patient is:

[0027] Ts = Tc - (T2b + T2) + T1z + T1 + Tr

[0028] Where Ts is the start time of the second patient's sitting / lying position setup; T1z is the treatment duration of the first treatment plan; T2b is the pre-positioning duration of the second treatment plan, T1 is the first duration, T2 is the second duration, Tc is the expected start time of the first treatment plan, and Tr is the duration redundancy;

[0029] Preferably, the duration redundancy is obtained in the following way:

[0030] Collect execution data for all treatment plans within a preset time period;

[0031] The execution data is analyzed to obtain statistical indicators, including the average treatment delay time and the frequency of delays.

[0032] Based on the aforementioned statistical indicators, a time redundancy setting is implemented.

[0033] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a particle radiotherapy system, the system comprising a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, the processor executing the computer program to perform the steps of the aforementioned multi-compartment transport method for radiotherapy, the system further comprising a multi-compartment transport device, the device comprising:

[0034] Transfer track, multiple sitting and lying devices, multiple placement rooms, treatment room and movable shielded door;

[0035] Each of the seating rooms includes an entrance and at least one sitting or reclining device;

[0036] Each of the aforementioned sitting / reclining devices is mounted on the transfer track, which runs through multiple positioning rooms and treatment rooms; the treatment rooms have an isocenter point.

[0037] The positioning room includes at least a first positioning room and a second positioning room, which are located on opposite sides of the treatment room and are separated from or connected to the treatment room by a movable shielding door.

[0038] The multi-chamber transfer device also includes equipment control software, which is configured to:

[0039] Based on the patient's biometrics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging examination data, and historical positioning duration, a machine learning model is used to determine the patient's preset positioning duration.

[0040] Preferably, the transfer track includes a first track, which includes a first section extending from a first positioning room to a treatment position in the treatment room and a second section extending from a second positioning room to a treatment position in the treatment room; the first section is used only for the sitting / lying device of the first positioning room to move between the first positioning room and the treatment room, and the second section is used only for the sitting / lying device of the second positioning room to move between the second positioning room and the treatment room; the sitting / lying device of the first positioning room and the sitting / lying device of the second positioning room are not located in the treatment room at the same time;

[0041] Each placement room is equipped with a virtual isocenter and imaging equipment;

[0042] The virtual isocenters are used to simulate the treatment points of the treatment bundle in the treatment room. The line connecting the virtual isocenters is parallel to the first track, and the isocenter of the treatment room is located on the line connecting the virtual isocenters.

[0043] The imaging device's shooting range covers the treatment target area, used to determine the location of the patient's treatment target area.

[0044] Preferably, the first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber are symmetrically arranged with their center points at the same level.

[0045] Preferably, the transfer track further includes a second track; the second track is located in the placement chamber;

[0046] Preferably, the second track is connected to the first track, and a sitting or reclining device is provided on the second track; the sitting or reclining device on the second track is configured to be able to move from the second track to the first track.

[0047] Thirdly, the present invention provides an electronic device, the electronic device including a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the steps of the method of the present invention.

[0048] Fourthly, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that the storage medium stores computer instructions, and when a computer reads the computer instructions, the computer implements the function of any of the multi-chamber transfer devices of the present invention or executes the steps of the method of the present invention.

[0049] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention include at least the following: The multi-positioning chamber and positioning device particle therapy equipment of this invention employs high-precision guide rails and servo motor control technology to achieve precise movement and positioning of the treatment chair or treatment bed. Simultaneously, each positioning chamber is equipped with an independent imaging system to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of patient positioning. Furthermore, the accelerator is housed in a strongly shielded space and isolated from the treatment room by heavy-duty shielded doors, effectively protecting the safety of medical personnel and the surrounding environment. The multi-chamber design, with one treatment room corresponding to multiple positioning chambers, allows for simultaneous or staggered patient positioning and treatment, significantly reducing patient waiting time, improving the efficiency and smoothness of the overall treatment process, and making the particle radiotherapy system more compact, thus facilitating proton radiotherapy to benefit more patients. By precisely calculating and scheduling the movement time of the sitting and lying devices, the idle time of the treatment equipment can be utilized to the maximum extent, improving equipment utilization. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-compartment transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the placement point of a multi-compartment transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the transport track of a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-compartment transport method for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] In the diagram: 11. First track; 12. Second track; 2. Sitting / lying equipment; 3. Positioning room; 31. Virtual isocenter; 32. Imaging equipment; 4. Treatment room; 41. Isocenter of treatment room; 5. Shielding door; 6. Accelerator; 7. Operating room; 8. Equipment room. Detailed Implementation

[0055] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided to make the invention more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0056] See attached document Figure 1 Some embodiments of the present invention provide a multi-compartment transport device for radiotherapy, comprising:

[0057] The system includes a transfer track, multiple sitting and lying devices, multiple positioning rooms, a treatment room, and a movable shielding door.

[0058] Each of the positioning rooms 3 includes at least one sitting / lying device 2;

[0059] Each of the sitting / lying devices 2 is mounted on the transfer track, which runs through multiple positioning rooms 3 and treatment rooms 4, extending from the positioning room 3 to the treatment room 4; the treatment room 4 has an isocenter point 41.

[0060] The sitting / reclining device 2 is used to support the patient, and may be, for example, a treatment bed or a treatment chair. The patient can sit or lie down on the sitting / reclining device 2.

[0061] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows: the transport track runs through multiple positioning rooms and treatment rooms, extending from multiple positioning rooms to the treatment room, providing a precise path for the movement of the sitting and lying equipment; multiple positioning rooms share a fixed radiotherapy room (treatment room), making the overall structure more compact and the space utilization more rational; a set of moving drive tracks is located under the sitting and lying equipment, allowing the equipment to move parallel along its tracks. The sitting and lying equipment is designed to move freely along the transport track to meet the needs of patients at different treatment stages; the flexible transport system enables rapid transfer of patients between different treatment stages; this equipment technology increases the utilization rate of particle radiotherapy equipment by adding movable sitting and lying equipment; when one sitting and lying equipment is being used for treatment or before treatment, other positioning devices can be used for positioning; the design of different positioning devices is intended to meet the needs of different patients, and medical staff can select the use of different positioning devices according to the patient's treatment plan. After treatment, the sitting and lying equipment is moved out of the treatment room via the track and does not need to be removed from the track.

[0062] The entire movement process is fully automated, using a high-precision guide rail with an accuracy of up to 0.05mm. By moving along the rail and precisely positioning the stopping point, accurate patient positioning can be achieved, ensuring the effectiveness of radiotherapy. No secondary alignment is required after moving to the treatment room. Under these conditions, medical staff do not need to enter the area with the strongest radiation; patient positioning can be performed in the positioning room, maximizing the safety of medical staff.

[0063] The accelerator body is located in equipment room 8, surrounded by a concrete wall about two meters thick, which can effectively prevent radiation penetration. The front end of the treatment head is equipped with a particle irradiation wall, which uses a three-meter thick concrete wall to minimize the impact of radiation on the external environment.

[0064] Generally, medical staff do not need to enter the treatment area; they can operate from the placement room. After placement, the patient is moved to the treatment room via a track for treatment.

[0065] Compared to radiotherapy systems where the placement room and treatment room are shared, i.e., the placement device is directly installed in the treatment room, the device in this embodiment can increase the efficiency of the accelerator by 2 to 3 times.

[0066] Compared to traditional multi-room treatment systems, movable sitting and lying devices can move patients to a position closer to the accelerator. In this way, the radiotherapy system does not have a dipole magnet or a quadrupole magnet and has no beam transport line.

[0067] Compared to mobile accelerometers, mobile sitting and reclining devices are much lighter and more convenient, faster, and cost-effective.

[0068] For example, the sitting and lying equipment includes a treatment bed and / or a treatment chair; the positioning room can be equipped with positioning chairs or positioning beds, which can be flexibly selected according to the actual situation of the hospital.

[0069] For example, in the multi-chamber transfer device, each placement chamber is equipped with a virtual isocenter point 31 and an imaging device 32; the virtual isocenter point 31 is used to simulate the treatment point of the actual treatment beam (particle beam) in the treatment chamber.

[0070] The imaging device 32 has a scanning range that covers the treatment target area, used to determine the location and orientation of the patient's treatment target area (e.g., the tumor site).

[0071] The principle and effect of the above technical solution are as follows: The positioning room has a virtual isocenter point to simulate the actual treatment point; and independent imaging equipment is set up to acquire images of the patient's anatomical structure, helping medical professionals determine the location and orientation of the target area and register and verify it with the treatment plan. This independent imaging equipment includes, but is not limited to, X-ray and CT scanners, which can accurately locate the patient's position independently without interfering with each other.

[0072] See attached document Figures 1-3 For example, there are two positioning rooms 3, which are located on both sides of the treatment room 4 and are separated from or connected to the treatment room 4 by a movable shielding door 5; the first positioning room and the second positioning room are symmetrically arranged with respect to the isocenter point 41.

[0073] The transfer track includes a first track 11; the first track 11 includes a first section extending from the first positioning room to the treatment room at a treatment position and a second section extending from the second positioning room to the treatment room at a treatment position; the first section is only used for the sitting and lying device of the first positioning room to move between the first positioning room and the treatment room, and the second section is only used for the sitting and lying device of the second positioning room to move between the second positioning room and the treatment room; the sitting and lying device of the first positioning room and the sitting and lying device of the second positioning room are not located in the treatment room at the same time; when there is one sitting and lying device in the treatment room, the first positioning room and the second positioning room also each have one sitting and lying device, or the first positioning room has two sitting and lying devices and the second positioning room does not have a sitting and lying device.

[0074] The line connecting each of the virtual isocenter points 31 is parallel to the first track 11, and the isocenter point 41 of the treatment room 4 is located on the line connecting them.

[0075] The principle and effect of the above technical solution are as follows: a heavy-duty shielded door is used to separate the treatment room and the positioning room, and a safe area is demarcated. The coordinate directions of the virtual coordinate system are consistent in three-dimensional space. After positioning, it is only necessary to move the treatment bed and / or treatment chair on the first track 11 to the accurate position along the extension direction of the first track, so as to more efficiently place the patient in the accurate treatment position. It can also save the design of one axis (the axis of linear motion in the horizontal direction) for the treatment chair or treatment bed body, simplifying the structure of the treatment chair or treatment bed, thereby reducing the product cost. The body is the part of the treatment chair or treatment bed that directly supports and contacts the patient. It solves the problem that other multi-room designs require complex coordinate system transformation calculations during positioning. The actual isocenter point of the treatment room and the virtual isocenter point of the positioning room are on the same straight line, and the straight line coincides with or is parallel to the extension direction of the first track.

[0076] The transport track system is designed to be modular, specifically by using different sections (section 1 and section 2) of the first track 11 to serve two different placement rooms (section 1 and section 2). This design allows each placement room to independently transport its internal seating and reclining equipment (such as beds, treatment chairs, etc.) to the shared treatment room, thus enabling flexible resource allocation. By stipulating that the seating and reclining equipment of section 1 and section 2 cannot be located in the treatment room simultaneously, it ensures that the efficiency of the treatment room is not affected by equipment conflicts during use. This time-sharing strategy optimizes the utilization rate of the treatment room and reduces waiting time. Considering that different patients or treatment needs may require different types of seating and reclining equipment, the system allows section 1 and section 2 to be configured with different seating and reclining equipment. This diversity ensures targeted and personalized treatment, while also improving equipment utilization and adaptability. In specific situations (such as when there is already one seating and reclining device in the treatment room), the system also allows section 1 and section 2 to maintain a certain number of seating and reclining devices as redundancy, or section 1 to have additional equipment to cope with high demand periods. This design enhances the system's flexibility and responsiveness.

[0077] The first and second positioning rooms are symmetrically arranged relative to the isocenter point, which makes the treatment process smoother. Whether the patient is transferred from the first or second positioning room, they will arrive at the treatment room along a similar path, and the preparation and process of receiving treatment in the treatment room will be more standardized and uniform.

[0078] For example, the transfer track further includes a second track 12; the second track is located in the placement chamber 3;

[0079] The second track 12 is connected to the first track 11, and a sitting / lying device 2 is also provided on the second track 12; the sitting / lying device 2 on the second track 12 is configured to be able to flow from the second track 12 to the first track 11.

[0080] By adding a second track, which is also equipped with sitting and lying devices as a transition position, the following measures are taken: firstly, to provide sufficient positioning and pre-treatment time for the next patient, avoiding conflicts with operations in the treatment room; and secondly, to reduce potential delays caused by equipment adjustments in the treatment room through pre-positioning and pre-treatment, thereby improving treatment efficiency.

[0081] While the sitting / lying device on the first track is performing radiotherapy in the treatment room, the sitting / lying device on the second track 12 can move to the leftmost positioning point on the first track 11, and simultaneously perform patient positioning and placement in the positioning room 3; in this way, the sitting / lying devices on the two tracks can alternate between treatment and positioning, greatly improving the overall treatment efficiency.

[0082] The dual-track design makes the entire treatment process more flexible. Furthermore, in emergencies, if one of the sitting or reclining devices malfunctions or requires special maintenance, the other device on the other track can be quickly used to take over, ensuring the treatment process remains uninterrupted.

[0083] By rationally planning the layout of the first and second tracks, a more efficient treatment process can be achieved within a limited space. Although the introduction of the second track mainly affects treatment efficiency and equipment utilization, it also indirectly promotes the improvement of treatment accuracy. This is because a more efficient treatment process means that medical professionals can focus more on the work of each treatment stage, reducing negligence or errors caused by time constraints.

[0084] For example, the device further includes a positioning component; the positioning component includes a first positioning module and a second positioning module, the first positioning module including an encoder; the second positioning module including a sensor, a potentiometer and a limit switch; the encoder is disposed on the servo motor of the main control system, and the second positioning module is disposed on the transfer track.

[0085] For example, the sitting / reclining device 2 includes a drive module, a sitting / reclining cushion, and a support module;

[0086] The sitting / lying cushion is movably connected to the support module, which is rotatably mounted on the transfer track.

[0087] The output end of the drive module is driven to connect to the support module;

[0088] The output end of the drive module is connected to the seat / reclining cushion on the other side.

[0089] The support module has a rotating wheel at its bottom, which drives the support module to rotate, thereby rotating the seat / reclining cushion. A sliding mechanism is provided between the seat / reclining cushion and the support module. The sliding mechanism includes slide rails in the XYZ axis direction, so that the drive module drives the seat / reclining cushion to move along the XYZ axis direction; wherein the X-axis direction is horizontal; or the sliding mechanism includes slide rails in the YZ axis direction, so that the drive module drives the seat / reclining cushion to move along the YZ axis direction.

[0090] The working principle and effect of the above technical solution are as follows: The movement of the sitting / reclining device (treatment chair or treatment bed) is controlled by a servo motor. The motor is equipped with an encoder, which can accurately sense the position information of the treatment chair or treatment bed on it. At the same time, position sensors, potentiometers and limit switches are set on the track to provide dual position confirmation of the treatment chair or treatment bed, so that its stopping position can be precisely adjusted. Within the treatment room, the track can cooperate with the treatment chair to achieve precise positioning in the left and right directions to accommodate treatment at different positions. This method can save the design of one axis (the axis required for horizontal linear movement) for the treatment chair or treatment bed body. For example, after the treatment chair moves into the treatment room, if left and right positioning is required, the treatment chair body (i.e., the part of the treatment chair that directly supports and contacts the patient) does not need to move. The left and right position of the treatment chair on the transfer track can be adjusted to achieve left and right positioning, because the irradiation position is not necessarily directly in front of the treatment chair, but may be to the left or right.

[0091] The sitting and lying equipment (treatment bed or treatment chair) has electric or mechanical drive and can translate, rotate and lift up on multiple axes (e.g., X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis) to achieve precise position adjustment; it can also translate only on the Y-axis and Z-axis, and adjust the X-axis position by controlling the transfer track, thus saving one axis design; the treatment chair (bed) has an adjustable seat (bed body) and support device to provide a comfortable and stable patient positioning.

[0092] For example, the apparatus further includes a calibration device installed in each of the positioning rooms 3 and treatment rooms 4 for calibrating the virtual isocenters 31 and 41.

[0093] Each treatment room and positioning room is equipped with an interface for calibration equipment. Regular calibration of the isocenter point in the treatment room, the virtual isocenter point in the positioning room, the treatment bed or chair, and the imaging equipment ensures accurate positioning of the treatment bed or chair and imaging equipment relative to the isocenter point. The calibration equipment can be fixed via the installation interface, and one set of calibration equipment can be shared between two positioning rooms and the treatment room.

[0094] The device used in this embodiment is a compact system. The treatment room, placement room, and equipment room are all on the same floor, occupying an area of ​​approximately 14 meters x 14 meters, with a height of less than four meters; one meter of the floor is used to pre-embed the guide rail equipment and the sinking accelerator. The overall layout is well-organized, with convenient and simple movement lines between devices. After placing one patient, medical staff can quickly move to another placement room for the next placement. Each placement room is equipped with a monitoring screen, allowing medical staff to check the patient's treatment status at any time.

[0095] This invention provides a multi-compartment transport method for radiotherapy, implemented using a multi-compartment transport device for radiotherapy according to embodiments of this application. The method includes:

[0096] Obtain the first treatment plan for the first patient and the second treatment plan for the second patient;

[0097] According to the first treatment plan, the position and angle of the sitting / lying device for the first patient are adjusted at the placement point; the placement point is located in the placement room.

[0098] The adjusted sitting and lying equipment is moved to the treatment position in the treatment room via a transfer track, and the first patient is treated according to the first treatment plan;

[0099] The positioning time of the sitting and lying device for the second patient is determined by the treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, and the movement time of the sitting and lying device on the transport track.

[0100] The working principle and effect of the above technical solution are as follows: The method first obtains a personalized treatment plan for each patient, such as a first treatment plan for the first patient and a second treatment plan for the second patient. These treatment plans contain key information such as the patient's treatment needs, treatment sites, treatment dosage, and treatment duration; the treatment plan is then loaded into the equipment control software and parsed into machine settings.

[0101] According to the first treatment plan, medical personnel make precise adjustments to the position and angle of the sitting and lying equipment for the first patient in the positioning room; this step ensures the precise alignment of the patient and the treatment equipment during treatment, which is the key to the success of radiotherapy.

[0102] After the adjustment is completed, open the shielding door on the side of the first patient's placement room, then start the transfer track and move the adjusted sitting / lying equipment to the specific treatment position in the treatment room; then close the shielding door.

[0103] In the treatment room, the first patient is treated according to the first treatment plan. During this process, the sitting and lying equipment and the treatment equipment need to maintain a stable connection and precise synchronization to ensure accurate release of the treatment dose. When the dose set in the first treatment plan is reached, the accelerator stops emitting the beam. The dose is controlled to ensure that the set treatment dose is reached before the accelerator stops the beam.

[0104] While the first patient is receiving treatment, the positioning time of the sitting and lying equipment for the second patient is dynamically determined based on the treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, and the movement time of the sitting and lying equipment on the transport track; this allows for preparation for the treatment of the next patient in advance while ensuring that the current treatment is not affected.

[0105] Specifically, the optimal positioning time is calculated by comprehensively considering the availability of each time window, as well as the movement speed and stability of the sitting and lying equipment. Within this time window, the second patient's sitting and lying equipment will be moved to the positioning room for adjustment so that the patient can immediately enter the treatment process after the first patient's treatment is completed.

[0106] Through the aforementioned time management and patient placement scheduling mechanisms, the method of this invention enables seamless connection and continuous treatment among multiple patients; it not only improves treatment efficiency but also optimizes the utilization of medical resources, reducing patient waiting time and hospital operating costs.

[0107] Throughout the treatment process, the status of the sitting / lying equipment, treatment devices, and the patient will be monitored in real time to ensure the safety and stability of the treatment. In the event of any abnormality, an alarm mechanism will be immediately triggered, and appropriate emergency measures will be taken.

[0108] In summary, the multi-room transport method for radiotherapy provided by this invention achieves orderly treatment and optimized resource utilization among multiple patients through efficient time management and resource scheduling mechanisms. This not only improves treatment efficiency and patient satisfaction but also reduces hospital operating costs and risks.

[0109] In some embodiments, the placement point is a virtual isocenter point of the placement room; adjusting the position and angle of the sitting / lying device for the first patient at the placement point according to the first treatment plan includes:

[0110] Acquire the imaging data of the first patient;

[0111] Based on the first treatment plan and the image data of the first patient, the adjustment parameters of the sitting and lying device are determined through image registration. The adjustment parameters include the adjustment position and angle. By applying the adjustment parameters, the sitting and lying device is adjusted so that the treatment site of the first patient coincides with the virtual isocenter point.

[0112] The working principle and effect of the above technical solution are as follows: First, the imaging data of the first patient are acquired through medical imaging equipment (such as CT); these data provide a detailed view of the patient's internal structure, which is the basis for formulating treatment plans and making precise positioning.

[0113] Based on the treatment plan for the first patient, the target area (i.e. the site to be treated) defined in the treatment plan is registered with the patient's image data. This process usually involves complex image processing algorithms to ensure that the target area in the treatment plan corresponds precisely to the patient's actual anatomical structure.

[0114] Through image registration, the system can calculate the specific parameters that the sitting / lying equipment needs to be adjusted, including the position and angle. These parameters are determined to ensure that the patient's treatment site coincides with the virtual center of positioning (VCP) in the positioning room. The virtual center of positioning is a reference point defined in the treatment plan to ensure that the particle beam from the treatment equipment (such as a particle accelerator) accurately irradiates the target area.

[0115] Once the adjustment parameters are set, the sitting and reclining device is precisely adjusted via an electric or mechanical drive system. This process may involve translation, rotation, and lifting operations along multiple axes to ensure that the patient on the sitting and reclining device is positioned in the predetermined location and angle.

[0116] Once the adjustments are complete, medical personnel can use additional imaging techniques (such as X-rays) to verify that the patient's treatment area indeed aligns with the virtual isocenter. If fine-tuning is required, the system will readjust the parameters of the sitting / lying device until satisfactory accuracy is achieved.

[0117] Once the sitting / lying device has been adjusted and validated, it can be moved to its treatment position in the treatment room via a transport track. Inside the treatment room, the device will deliver radiation therapy to the patient's target areas according to the treatment plan.

[0118] In summary, through steps such as image data acquisition, treatment planning and image registration, determination of adjustment parameters, adjustment of sitting and lying equipment, and verification and fine-tuning, the radiotherapy-oriented transport method provided by the embodiments of the present invention can ensure that patients receive precise position and angle adjustments in the positioning room, laying a solid foundation for subsequent treatment processes.

[0119] In some embodiments, the sitting / reclining device is positioned and adjusted by the cooperation of a first positioning module and a second positioning module; the first positioning module is connected to the sitting / reclining device, and the second positioning module is located on the transfer track.

[0120] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows:

[0121] The first positioning module is directly connected to the sitting / reclining equipment and is the direct actuator for adjusting the position and angle of the equipment. Through a precise mechanical or electric drive system, the first positioning module can realize translation, rotation and lifting operations of the sitting / reclining equipment in multiple axes.

[0122] Specifically:

[0123] First, the first positioning module receives instructions from the control system, which typically include specific parameters (such as position coordinates, angles, etc.) that the sitting / lying device needs to be adjusted.

[0124] Upon receiving the instruction, the drive system of the first positioning module begins operation, using mechanical or electric devices to adjust the sitting / reclining device according to predetermined parameters. Once the adjustment is complete, the first positioning module sends its current position and angle information back to the control system for verification and confirmation.

[0125] The second positioning module is installed on the transfer track and is used to determine and calibrate the movement and positioning of the sitting and reclining equipment on the track.

[0126] By providing precise reference points and calibration mechanisms, the second positioning module ensures the stability and accuracy of the sitting / lying device during movement.

[0127] The first and second positioning modules work collaboratively through a control system. The control system calculates the required position and angle parameters for the sitting / lying device based on the treatment plan and the patient's imaging data, and sends these parameters to the first and second positioning modules respectively. The system then precisely adjusts the sitting / lying device according to the received parameters. For example, after the treatment chair is moved into the treatment room, if left-right positioning is required, the chair itself does not need to move; its left-right position on the track can be adjusted to achieve left-right positioning, since the irradiation position may not be directly in front of the chair, but may be slightly to the left or right.

[0128] In some embodiments, determining the placement time of the sitting-lying device for the second patient based on the treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset placement duration of the second treatment plan, and the movement time of the sitting-lying device on the transport track includes:

[0129] The preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan is obtained through the first treatment plan;

[0130] Based on a machine learning model, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan is obtained through the second treatment plan.

[0131] The first time it took for the sitting and lying equipment to move out of the treatment room for the first patient and the second time it took for the sitting and lying equipment to move from the placement point to the treatment position in the treatment room for the second patient were obtained by measuring the moving speed and moving distance of the sitting and lying equipment.

[0132] The positioning time of the sitting and lying equipment for the second patient is obtained by using the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, the first duration, and the second duration.

[0133] The setup time for the second patient's sitting / lying position equipment was:

[0134] Ts = Tc - (T2b + T2) + T1z + T1 + Tr

[0135] Where Ts is the start time of the second patient's sitting / lying position setup; T1z is the treatment duration of the first treatment plan; T2b is the pre-positioning duration of the second treatment plan, T1 is the first duration, T2 is the second duration, Tc is the expected start time of the first treatment plan, and Tr is the duration redundancy.

[0136] The inputs to the machine learning model include:

[0137] The patient's biological characteristics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging examination data, and historical positioning duration.

[0138] The working principle of the above technical solution is as follows: the fixed value obtained directly from the first treatment plan represents the time required for the first patient to receive treatment.

[0139] The machine learning model predicts the preset placement duration of the second treatment plan based on relevant information from the second treatment plan. The model considers multiple factors, including the patient's biometrics (such as age and weight), disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging data, and historical placement duration, to provide more personalized and accurate predictions.

[0140] If the sitting / lying device needs to return to a different positioning room than the second patient after treating the first patient, then the first duration represents the time it takes for the sitting / lying device for the first patient to move out of the treatment room and reach the shielded door between the treatment room and the positioning room of the second patient; if the sitting / lying device needs to return to the same positioning room as the second patient after treating the first patient, then the first duration represents the time it takes for the sitting / lying device for the first patient to move out of the treatment room and leave the first track; this is calculated using the moving speed of the sitting / lying device and the distance it needs to move. The moving speed can be the historical average moving speed.

[0141] The second duration represents the time it takes for the second patient's sitting / lying device to travel from the placement point to the treatment position in the treatment room; it is also calculated based on the movement speed and distance.

[0142] The formula for calculating the setup time (Ts) comprehensively considers all the time parameters mentioned above and introduces a duration redundancy (Tr) to cope with possible delays or uncertainties; T1z is the treatment duration of the first patient, while T1 is the time when the sitting / lying device for the first patient is removed from the treatment room. Adding these two times together gives the total time from the start of Tc to the end of the first patient's treatment and the removal of the sitting / lying device from the treatment room; after this point, the treatment room for the first patient is vacant and can be prepared for the second patient.

[0143] Finally, subtract Tr (duration redundancy) from the above results to ensure a safe time buffer to deal with any possible delays before the second patient's sitting and lying equipment begins to be positioned.

[0144] In summary, this formula, by precisely calculating the length of each time period and taking into account possible delays and uncertainties, ensures that the second patient's sitting and lying equipment can be positioned at the correct time, maximizing treatment efficiency and reducing patient waiting time, thereby improving the efficiency of the entire radiotherapy process.

[0145] The working principle of machine learning models is as follows:

[0146] Input data includes patient biometrics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging data, and historical positioning duration. This data provides the model with rich information to learn the changing patterns of positioning duration across different patients and diseases.

[0147] A machine learning model is trained using a large amount of historical data to identify key factors influencing placement duration and predict placement duration for new patients. For a given second treatment plan, the model outputs a predicted preset placement duration T2b, which will be used in subsequent time management and placement scheduling.

[0148] The benefits of the above technical solution are as follows: By accurately calculating the length of each time period, including treatment duration, positioning time, and equipment movement time, the continuity and efficiency of the treatment process can be ensured. It provides accurate positioning time for the second patient, avoids unnecessary waiting, and improves the patient turnover rate of the entire radiotherapy center.

[0149] Patients can know their treatment time more accurately, reducing anxiety and uncertainty caused by waiting.

[0150] By optimizing the process, inconvenience and delays for patients during treatment were reduced, and the overall treatment experience was improved.

[0151] Using machine learning models to predict placement time can take into account individual patient differences and disease characteristics, providing more personalized and accurate prediction results.

[0152] Introducing time redundancy (Tr) to address potential delays or uncertainties ensures the flexibility and robustness of the treatment process; by reserving a time buffer, delays in the first treatment plan due to unforeseen circumstances are reduced, improving the level of risk management.

[0153] Precise time planning can maximize the utilization of treatment and sitting / lying equipment and reduce idle time.

[0154] Healthcare workers can schedule their work according to a precise timetable, reducing unnecessary waiting and repetitive work, and improving work efficiency.

[0155] In summary, this technical solution, through precise time calculation, intelligent predictive models, and optimized resource allocation, not only improves the efficiency of radiotherapy procedures but also enhances patient satisfaction and treatment experience. Simultaneously, it provides strong support for hospital management, promoting the rational use of medical resources and process optimization.

[0156] In some embodiments, the method for determining the duration redundancy includes:

[0157] Collect execution data for all treatment plans within a preset time period, including the actual start time, end time, planned duration, actual duration, and delays of each treatment plan.

[0158] The execution data is analyzed to obtain statistical indicators, including the average treatment delay time and the frequency of delays.

[0159] Set time redundancy based on statistical indicators;

[0160] For example,

[0161] Where f is the frequency of delays; Ta is the average treatment delay time.

[0162] The working principle and effect of the above technical solution is as follows: collect the execution data of all treatment plans within a preset time period. This data includes, but is not limited to, the actual start time, end time, planned duration, actual duration, and delay status of the treatment plan.

[0163] The collected execution data is analyzed to obtain key statistical indicators. These indicators typically include the average treatment delay time (Ta) and the frequency of delays (f, i.e., the ratio of the number of delays to the total number of treatment plans).

[0164] Based on statistical indicators, set a duration redundancy (Tr).

[0165] The example formula given here is... .

[0166] As the frequency (f) of delays increases, the time redundancy (Tr) does indeed increase accordingly to better handle potential delays. However, when f=0, although Tr is theoretically 0, in practice a minimum time redundancy value may be set to ensure process flexibility and fault tolerance.

[0167] In summary, by accurately calculating the length of each time period and reasonably setting time redundancy, it is possible to ensure that the sitting and lying equipment for the second patient can be positioned at the correct time, thereby optimizing the radiotherapy process and improving treatment efficiency.

[0168] This application provides a particle radiotherapy system, which includes any of the multi-chamber transport devices in the embodiments of the present invention; the particles may be protons or heavy ions.

[0169] This invention also provides an electronic device, which includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of any of the methods described in this application or the functions of any of the devices described in this application.

[0170] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed, it implements the steps of the method in this application embodiment or the function of any of the devices described in this application embodiment. Its specific implementation is consistent with the implementation methods and technical effects achieved in the above method embodiments, and some contents will not be repeated.

[0171] In this application, a readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program product can take the form of any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium can be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0172] Computer-readable storage media may include data signals propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. The readable storage medium may also be any readable medium capable of sending, propagating, or transmitting a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical fiber, RF, or any suitable combination thereof. Program code for performing operations of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar programming languages. The program code may be executed entirely on a user computing device, partially on an associated device, as a standalone software package, partially on a user computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing devices can be connected to user computing devices via any type of network, including local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs), or they can be connected to external computing devices (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0173] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and all such changes should fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-compartment transport method for radiotherapy, characterized in that, include: Obtain the first treatment plan for the first patient and the second treatment plan for the second patient; According to the first treatment plan, the position and angle of the sitting and lying device for the first patient are adjusted at the placement point; the adjusted sitting and lying device is moved to the treatment position in the treatment room via the transfer track; the placement point is the virtual isocenter point of the placement room; the line connecting the virtual isocenter points of each placement room is parallel to the first track of the transfer track, and the physical isocenter point of the treatment room falls on the connecting line. The preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan is obtained through the first treatment plan; The movement time of the sitting and lying device on the transfer track is identified, and the movement time includes a first time and a second time; the first time is the track movement time of the first patient sitting and lying device after completing the treatment and moving out of the treatment room, and the second time is the track movement time of the second patient sitting and lying device from the placement point to the treatment position in the treatment room. The starting time for positioning the sitting and lying device for the second patient is determined by the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, and the movement time of the sitting and lying device on the transport track. The starting time for setting up the sitting and lying equipment for the second patient is: Ts = Tc - (T2b + T2) + T1z + T1 - Tr Wherein, Ts is the start time of the second patient's sitting / lying device placement; T1z is the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan; T2b is the preset placement duration of the second treatment plan, T1 is the first duration, T2 is the second duration, Tc is the expected start time of the first treatment plan, and Tr is the duration redundancy, which is a reserved safety buffer duration. The preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan is determined by acquiring the second patient's biometrics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging examination data, and historical positioning duration. This data is then used as input features, and a machine learning model is used to predict the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the position and angle of the sitting / lying device for the first patient at the placement point according to the first treatment plan includes: Acquire the imaging data of the first patient; Based on the first treatment plan and the imaging data of the first patient, the adjustment parameters of the sitting and lying device are determined through image registration. The adjustment parameters include the adjustment position and angle. By applying the adjustment parameters, the sitting / lying device is adjusted so that the treatment area of ​​the first patient coincides with the virtual isocenter point.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The duration redundancy is obtained in the following way: Collect execution data for all treatment plans within a preset time period; The execution data is analyzed to obtain statistical indicators, including the average treatment delay time and the frequency of delays. Based on the aforementioned statistical indicators, a time redundancy setting is implemented.

4. A particle radiotherapy system, characterized in that, The system includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-3. The system further includes a multi-chamber transfer device, the device comprising: Transfer track, multiple sitting and lying devices (2), multiple positioning rooms (3), treatment room (4) and movable shielding door (5); Each of the aforementioned seating rooms (3) includes an entrance and at least one sitting or reclining device (2); Each of the sitting / lying devices (2) is mounted on the transfer track, which runs through multiple positioning rooms (3) and treatment rooms (4); the treatment rooms (4) have an isocenter point (41). The positioning room (3) includes at least a first positioning room and a second positioning room, which are located on both sides of the treatment room (4) and are separated from or connected to the treatment room (4) by a movable shielding door (5); The multi-chamber transfer device also includes equipment control software, which is configured to: Based on the patient's biometrics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging examination data, and historical positioning duration, a machine learning model is used to determine the patient's preset positioning duration.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transfer track includes a first track (11), which includes a first section extending from a first positioning room to a treatment position in the treatment room and a second section extending from a second positioning room to a treatment position in the treatment room; the first section is only used for the sitting and lying device of the first positioning room to move between the first positioning room and the treatment room, and the second section is only used for the sitting and lying device of the second positioning room to move between the second positioning room and the treatment room; the sitting and lying device of the first positioning room and the sitting and lying device of the second positioning room are not located in the treatment room at the same time; Each placement room is equipped with a virtual isocenter point (31) and imaging equipment (32). The virtual isocenter point (31) is used to simulate the treatment point of the treatment bundle in the treatment room. The line connecting each of the virtual isocenter points (31) is parallel to the first track (11), and the isocenter point (41) of the treatment room (4) is located on the line connecting the virtual isocenter points (31). The imaging device (32) covers the treatment target area and is used to determine the location of the patient's treatment target area.

6. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first and second positioning rooms are symmetrically arranged at their respective center points (41).

7. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transfer track also includes a second track (12); the second track is located in the placement chamber (3).

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second track (12) is connected to the first track (11), and a sitting / lying device (2) is provided on the second track (12); the sitting / lying device (2) on the second track (12) is configured to be able to flow from the second track (12) to the first track (11).

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-3.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the computer reads the computer instructions, the computer executes the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1-3.

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