Management jig and management system

Abstract

To provide a management jig and a management system capable of performing accurate quality control work without performing radioactive ray irradiation.SOLUTION: A management jig 20 used for quality control of radiation therapy equipment 1 in which a head part 3 equipped with an irradiation part moves around a patient and irradiates the patient with a radioactive ray includes a body part 22 and a connection part. The body part 22 includes a butt side part arranged, when in use, on a head part 3 side, a tip side part 25 arranged on a side opposite to the butt side part, a first mark part arranged between the butt side part and the tip side part 25, and a second mark part arranged at a position different from the position of the first mark part. The butt side part 26 is fixed to a predetermined position of the connection part, and the tip side part 25 is arranged at a position away from the connection part by a predetermined distance on an irradiation axis line S extending from the irradiation part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management tool and a management system suitable for use in quality management of a radiation therapy device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a radiotherapy apparatus that irradiates a treatment target part of a patient with radiation such as X-rays or electron beams to treat a tumor, etc. In general, a radiotherapy apparatus includes a gantry and a treatment bed on which the patient is placed.

[0003] The head of the gantry of this radiotherapy device is equipped with an irradiation unit that irradiates radiation toward a patient placed on a treatment bed. In general, radiotherapy devices are configured to irradiate radiation along an axis extending from the irradiation unit in a predetermined direction. Hereinafter, this axis extending from the irradiation unit in a predetermined direction will also be referred to as the "irradiation axis."

[0004] The radiotherapy device is also provided with a rotation mechanism that rotates the gantry around a predetermined axis. The rotation mechanism rotates the gantry, so that the head unit can rotate to a desired position and irradiate the treatment target area from a desired direction. Hereinafter, the center of the rotational movement of the head unit is also referred to as the "rotation center of the head unit" or the "geometric isocenter."

[0005] In radiation therapy using a radiation therapy device, the patient is positioned so that the area to be treated is located on the irradiation axis, and then radiation therapy is performed. That is, the position of the patient is adjusted so that the radiation emitted from the irradiation unit is appropriately irradiated to the area to be treated.

[0006] In the radiotherapy device, radiation irradiated from any direction is configured to intersect at the geometric isocenter. That is, the irradiation axis when the head unit is placed at a predetermined position and the irradiation axis when the head unit is placed at another position are configured to intersect at the geometric isocenter. Hereinafter, the position where the irradiation axes intersect is also referred to as the "radiation isocenter." In addition, the geometric isocenter and the radiation isocenter are collectively referred to as the "isocenter."

[0007] With this configuration, the radiation therapy device can position the area to be treated at the isocenter and irradiate the area to be treated with the desired dose of radiation from a predetermined direction in accordance with a treatment plan prepared by a doctor.

[0008] In a treatment using a radiotherapy device, it is necessary to accurately irradiate a desired dose to a specified area in order to reduce the influence on normal cells as much as possible and to perform an appropriate treatment. Therefore, it is required that the performance of the radiotherapy device is properly maintained so that appropriate irradiation is performed. In other words, it is required that the quality of the radiotherapy device is controlled so that appropriate radiation is irradiated, and that each performance is maintained in a state that appropriately meets each specification.

[0009] In order to maintain such a state, in facilities that use radiotherapy devices, work is periodically performed to check the performance of the radiotherapy devices. That is, work is periodically performed for quality control of the radiotherapy devices. Hereinafter, this work for quality control is also referred to as "quality control work."

[0010] In the quality control work of the radiotherapy device, a test is performed to confirm the performance of the radiotherapy device using a measuring device, a jig, etc. Specifically, various tests are performed according to requirements, etc., set by the manufacturer of the radiotherapy device, academic societies, international standards, etc. For example, a test is performed to confirm the performance related to the radiation irradiated from the radiotherapy device, a test is performed to confirm the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device, a test is performed to confirm the accuracy of the patient's positioning, a test is performed to confirm the safety of the device, etc. These tests are performed to confirm whether the radiotherapy device meets the specified specifications. Alternatively, the results obtained by the test are compared with the results at the time of installation of the device to confirm the change in the performance of the radiotherapy device over time.

[0011] Some of the tasks performed in this quality control process require time and effort. For example, to confirm that radiation irradiated from any position intersects at the isocenter, a method called star shot (or spoke shot) is used to irradiate radiation multiple times to confirm this. This process requires that radiation is actually irradiated while changing the position of the head with the X-ray film or imaging plate in place, which requires a lot of time and effort, placing a heavy burden on the workers performing the quality control work.

[0012] Meanwhile, a technique is known in which multiple markers are attached to the head of a gantry and the positions of the markers are detected by an external camera to calculate the position of the head of the gantry, and further to calculate the direction of the irradiation axis and the position of the isocenter (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2008-537899 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] The technology described in the above Patent Document 1 makes it possible to calculate the direction of the irradiation axis and the position of the isocenter without actually irradiating radiation. Therefore, it is possible to confirm the position of the isocenter by simply rotating the gantry without irradiating radiation.

[0015] However, in the above technology, since the marker is placed at a location away from the isocenter, the influence of errors is large. That is, it is difficult to accurately calculate information on the position of the isocenter from information based on the marker. Also, depending on the placement position of the head unit, the camera may not be able to detect the marker. For example, when the gantry is rotated to place the head unit on the lower side, the marker may be in the shadow of the treatment bed, and the camera may not be able to detect the marker. That is, depending on the placement position of the head unit, it may not be possible to calculate the position of the isocenter or the irradiation axis.

[0016] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a management tool and a management system that are capable of performing accurate quality control work without irradiating radiation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides the following means. The management tool disclosed herein is a management tool used for quality control of a radiation therapy device in which a head unit equipped with an irradiation unit that irradiates radiation in a predetermined direction moves around a patient and irradiates the patient from any direction, and the management tool comprises a main body unit and a connection unit that is detachably connected to the head unit, the main body unit comprising: a base side unit that is arranged on the side of the head unit when in use; a tip side unit that is arranged on the opposite side from the base side unit when in use; a first marker unit that is arranged between the base side unit and the tip side unit; and a second marker unit that is arranged at a position different from the first marker unit between the base side unit and the tip side unit, the base side unit being fixed to a predetermined location on the connection unit, and the tip side unit being configured to be arranged at a position a predetermined distance away from the connection unit on an irradiation axis extending from the irradiation unit in the irradiation direction of the radiation when the connection unit is connected to the head unit.

[0018] According to the above-mentioned management tool, when the connection part of the management tool is connected to the head part, the tip part is arranged at a predetermined position on the irradiation axis of the radiotherapy device. Therefore, the predetermined position on the irradiation axis can be visually confirmed without actually irradiating radiation. In other words, the predetermined position of the area to be irradiated with radiation can be visually confirmed without actually irradiating radiation.

[0019] In addition, since the first mark section and the second mark section are provided between the tip section and the base section, information on each position can be obtained using, for example, a three-dimensional measuring device that is widely used in the field of measurement technology. Then, based on the obtained position information, information on the irradiation axis and information on the isocenter can be calculated without irradiating radiation. Furthermore, since the tip section, the first mark section, the second mark section, and the base section are each disposed in a position close to the isocenter, they are less susceptible to error. In addition, even if the head section is disposed on the lower side, for example, the treatment bed does not get in the way of the operation of obtaining position information. That is, information on the irradiation axis can be obtained when the head section is disposed in any position.

[0020] In the above, it is preferable that the base side portion is configured such that, when the connection portion is connected to the head portion, the center of the base side portion is disposed on the irradiation axis.

[0021] In this way, information about the irradiation axis can be calculated more accurately. Furthermore, by visually checking the positions of the tip side part and the base side part, it is easy to grasp the direction in which the irradiation axis extends. In other words, it is easy to grasp the direction in which the radiation is irradiated.

[0022] In the above, it is preferable that the tip portion is disposed at the isocenter of the radiation therapy apparatus when the connection portion is connected to the head portion.

[0023] In this way, information about the isocenter can be obtained accurately and easily, and the position of the isocenter relative to the radiation therapy apparatus can be grasped visually.

[0024] In the above, it is preferable that the main body has a columnar shape extending along the beam axis.

[0025] In this way, information on the irradiation axis and information on the isocenter can be obtained more accurately and easily. Also, the direction in which the irradiation axis extends relative to the radiotherapy device can be visually confirmed. That is, the direction in which radiation is irradiated can be visually grasped without irradiating radiation.

[0026] Further, a quality control system of the present disclosure includes any one of the management tools described above, and a position information acquisition device that acquires at least position information regarding the positions of the first mark portion and the second mark portion.

[0027] According to the above quality control system, information regarding the irradiation axis and information regarding the isocenter can be easily calculated using the position information acquisition device. Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the control tool and quality control system of the present disclosure, accurate quality control work can be easily performed without irradiating radiation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a management tool and a management system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a radiotherapy apparatus in which a management tool and a management system according to the present disclosure are used. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a management tool according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4] Fig. 4(a) is an example of a side view of the management tool according to the present disclosure, and Fig. 4(b) is an example of a front view of the management tool according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] Fig. 5(a) is a diagram illustrating an example of a first mark portion and a second mark portion of a management jig according to the present disclosure, and Fig. 5(b) is a diagram illustrating another example of a first mark portion and a second mark portion of a management jig according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] Fig. 6(a) is a diagram for explaining another example of a method for fixing a main body part of a management jig according to the present disclosure to a connection part, and Fig. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view for explaining another example of a method for fixing a main body part of a management jig according to the present disclosure to a connection part. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram illustrating a head portion of a radiation therapy apparatus in which a management tool and a management system according to the present disclosure are used. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram illustrating a head portion of a radiation therapy apparatus in which a management tool and a management system according to the present disclosure are used. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the manner in which a management jig according to the present disclosure is attached to a head portion of a radiation therapy device. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a management jig according to the present disclosure is attached to a head unit of a radiation therapy device. FIG. [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a quality control operation using a control jig according to the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a quality control operation using a control jig according to the present disclosure. [Figure 13] Fig. 13(a) is a perspective view illustrating another example of the management tool according to the present disclosure, Fig. 13(b) is a side view illustrating another example of the management tool according to the present disclosure, and Fig. 13(c) is a top view illustrating another example of the management tool according to the present disclosure. [Figure 14] Fig. 14(a) is a perspective view illustrating a modified example of the management jig according to the present disclosure, and Fig. 14(b) is a perspective view illustrating another modified example of the management jig according to the present disclosure. [Figure 15] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating another example of a management tool according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] [First embodiment] A management system 10 and a management tool 20 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference mainly to Fig. 1 to Fig. 12. In the following description, directions such as front / back, left / right, up / down, front, back, etc. refer to the directions shown in the figures unless otherwise specified.

[0031] Arrows and diagonal lines indicating directions in each figure are provided to facilitate understanding of the relationship between the figures and the shapes of each member or part. Therefore, the technical content shown in this disclosure is not limited to the directions in each figure. Diagonal lines do not necessarily indicate cross-sectional views.

[0032] The management system 10 according to the present disclosure is used for quality control of the radiotherapy apparatus 1. More specifically, the management system 10 is used for quality control work for confirming that the performance, etc., of the radiotherapy apparatus 1 is appropriate.

[0033] The management system 10 is composed of a management tool 20 and a three-dimensional measuring device 30. The three-dimensional measuring device 30 is a general-purpose three-dimensional measuring device that has a function of acquiring position information of a desired location and is widely used in the field of measuring devices. Here, position information is information that can identify the position of a specific location, such as information on coordinates that can identify a specific location in a three-dimensional coordinate system or a rotating coordinate system. The management tool 20 and the three-dimensional measuring device 30 will be described in detail later.

[0034] 1. Description of radiation therapy equipment First, a radiotherapy device 1 in which a management system 10 according to the present disclosure is used will be described. The radiotherapy device 1 is a general-purpose radiotherapy device that is widely used in the field of radiotherapy. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the radiotherapy device 1 mainly includes a gantry 2 and a treatment bed 6. Note that the configuration of the radiotherapy device 1 is not limited to the above, and may include other configurations.

[0035] The radiotherapy device 1 includes a radiation generating mechanism that is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This radiation generating mechanism generates and outputs radiation used in treatment, and includes components such as an electron gun, an acceleration tube, a deflection magnet, and a target. Components such as the electron gun, the acceleration tube, the deflection magnet, and the target are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The radiation generating mechanism is configured such that electrons output from the electron gun and accelerated to a predetermined speed in the acceleration tube are deflected in a predetermined direction by the deflection magnet and collide with the target. When the accelerated electrons collide with the target, X-rays used in treatment are irradiated in a predetermined direction. Alternatively, electrons accelerated in the acceleration tube and deflected in a predetermined direction by the deflection magnet are output as they are as electron beams used in treatment. The radiation generating mechanism may further include other components different from those described above. Alternatively, it may be configured with other components as long as it can generate radiation used in treatment, and is not limited to the above.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, the gantry 2 is provided with a head unit 3 on one end side. Figs. 1 and 2 are schematic views of the radiation therapy device 1 for the purpose of explanation, and differ from the actual appearance of the radiation therapy device 1. An irradiation unit 5 is disposed in the center of the irradiation side surface 3A of the head unit 3, which is the surface facing the treatment bed 6. The irradiation unit 5 is a planar area in the center of the irradiation side surface 3A, as shown in Fig. 8 etc. The irradiation unit 5 is a portion through which radiation output from a radiation generating mechanism passes, at least in part.

[0037] The radiotherapy device 1 is configured so that radiation that has passed through the irradiation unit 5 is irradiated in a predetermined direction. More specifically, the radiotherapy device 1 is configured so that an axis passing through the center of the beam of radiation output from the radiation generating mechanism passes through the center 5c of the irradiation unit 5. The radiation that has passed through the area around the center 5c of the irradiation unit 5 is irradiated in the direction of the treatment bed 6 (toward the patient).

[0038] The radiation therapy device 1 is configured so that radiation output from a radiation generating mechanism is irradiated around an irradiation axis S (see Figs. 1, 2, 8, etc.). The irradiation axis S passes through the center 5c and is perpendicular to the irradiation unit 5. In other words, the radiation therapy device 1 is configured so that an axis passing through the center of the beam of radiation output from the radiation generating mechanism coincides with the irradiation axis S. That is, the radiation therapy device 1 is configured so that radiation output from the radiation generating mechanism passes through the irradiation unit 5 and is irradiated along the irradiation axis S in the direction of the treatment bed 6 (toward the patient).

[0039] A collimator 4 is disposed on the inside of the irradiation unit 5 side of the head unit 3. The collimator 4 is made of a material that is opaque to X-rays, such as lead, and is a part that regulates the irradiation region (irradiation field) of the radiation irradiated from the irradiation unit 5. Although the collimator 4 is shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1 and 2 for the purpose of explanation, the collimator 4 is disposed on the inside of the irradiation side surface 3A and is therefore not shown in Figs. 7 to 10.

[0040] The head unit 3 is configured such that at least the irradiation side 3A and the collimator 4 rotate as a unit around the rotation axis B. That is, when the irradiation side 3A rotates around the rotation axis B, the collimator 4 also rotates in the same manner. Here, the rotation axis B is an axis that extends perpendicular to the irradiation side 3A (see Figs. 1 and 2). The head unit 3 is configured such that this rotation axis B coincides with the irradiation axis S. That is, the head unit 3 is configured such that at least the irradiation side 3A and the collimator 4 rotate around the irradiation axis S.

[0041] As shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the irradiation side surface 3A is provided with slots 5a and 5b on both sides of the irradiation section 5. The slots 5a and 5b are portions to which a jig (not shown) provided by the manufacturer of the radiotherapy device 1 is attached. The slots 5a and 5b are groove-shaped portions arranged to face each other. The slots 5a and 5b extend in parallel. One side of the same side of the slots 5a and 5b is open, and the opposite side is closed. Hereinafter, the jig provided by the manufacturer of the radiotherapy device 1, which is attached to the slots 5a and 5b, is also referred to as a "manufacturer's jig." In addition, the side where the slots 5a and 5b are open is also referred to as a "front side," and the side opposite to the side where the slots 5a and 5b are open is also referred to as a "rear side."

[0042] The manufacturer's jig attached to the slots 5a and 5b is generally called a front pointer, and is used when checking the geometric isocenter, etc., according to a method defined by the manufacturer of the radiotherapy device 1. The manufacturer's jig (front pointer) has a plate-shaped portion that is placed on the irradiation side 3A during use. When using this manufacturer's jig, the plate-shaped portion can be inserted and slid into the slots 5a and 5b from the front side, and inserted all the way to the back, thereby attaching the manufacturer's jig to the head unit 3.

[0043] The gantry 2 is configured to rotate about the axis G shown in Fig. 2 by a rotation mechanism not shown. That is, the gantry 2 is configured to be able to rotate the head unit 3 about the axis G. Therefore, the radiotherapy device 1 can irradiate radiation from any direction by moving the head unit 3 around the patient placed on the treatment bed 6.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 2, the treatment bed 6 mainly comprises a top plate 6a, a turntable 6b, and a base column 6c. The top plate 6a is a portion on which a patient undergoing radiation therapy is placed. The base column 6c is a portion that supports the top plate 6a from below. The base column 6c is configured to be operated according to the user's operation so that the vertical height of the top plate 6a can be changed.

[0045] The turntable 6b is a part that is installed on the floor surface U of the radiotherapy room in which the radiotherapy device 1 is installed, and is configured integrally with the lower part of the base column 6c. The turntable 6b is configured to be able to rotate around the axis line T shown in FIG. 2. The axis line T is an axis line perpendicular to the floor surface U. The treatment bed 6 is configured such that the base column 6c connected to the turntable 6b and the top board 6a mounted on the base column 6c rotate around the axis line T with the rotation of the turntable 6b. The treatment bed 6 is configured in this way, so that the orientation of the patient placed on the top board 6a with respect to the gantry 2 can be changed to a desired direction.

[0046] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the radiotherapy device 1 is configured so that the irradiation axis S, the axis G, and the axis T intersect at the same location. That is, the positions of the gantry 2, the head unit 3, and the treatment bed 6 are adjusted so that the irradiation axis S, the axis G, and the axis T intersect at the same location. Hereinafter, the position where at least the irradiation axis S and the axis G intersect is referred to as the isocenter ISO. Generally, in a radiotherapy room where the radiotherapy device 1 is installed, a positioning laser marker or the like is disposed, which irradiates light such as a laser toward the isocenter ISO. That is, a user of the radiotherapy device 1 can grasp the position of the isocenter ISO by referring to the light irradiated from the laser marker.

[0047] With the radiation therapy device 1 configured as described above, the area to be treated on the patient is placed at the isocenter ISO, and the head unit 3 is rotated and moved to the desired position to irradiate radiation, so that the desired dose of radiation can be irradiated to the area to be treated from a predetermined direction.

[0048] 2. Description of the management tool Next, the management tool 20 will be described. 3, 4(a) and 4(b), the management jig 20 mainly includes a connection portion 21, a main body portion 22, a first mark portion 23, a second mark portion 24, a tip portion 25 and a base portion 26. The management jig 20 may further include other configurations different from those described above.

[0049] The connecting part 21 is a plate-like part that is detachably connected to the irradiation side surface 3A of the head part 3. The connecting part 21 has a thickness that is approximately the same as the width of the grooves of the slots 5a and 5b. The connecting part 21 also has a width that is the same as the length between the slots 5a and 5b. In other words, the connecting part 21 has a size suitable for being inserted between the slots 5a and 5b and fixed to the irradiation side surface 3A.

[0050] The main body portion 22 is a cylindrical portion, and one end of the cylindrical shape, a base portion 26, is fixed to a predetermined position of the connection portion 21. Specifically, the base portion 26 is fixed to the center portion of the connection portion 21. The side of the main body portion 22 opposite the side fixed to the connection portion 21 has a conical shape whose diameter decreases toward the tip side. The tip portion of this conical shape, i.e., the end of the main body portion 22 opposite the base portion 26, is the tip portion 25.

[0051] The management jig 20 is configured such that when the connection portion 21 is connected to the irradiated side surface 3A, the tip side portion 25 is positioned on the irradiation axis S (see FIG. 1, etc.). Moreover, the management jig 20 is configured such that when the connection portion 21 is connected to the irradiated side surface 3A, the base side portion 26 is positioned at a position corresponding to the center 5c of the irradiated section 5. More specifically, the center 26c of the circular base side portion 26 is configured to be positioned at a position corresponding to the center 5c of the irradiated section 5.

[0052] That is, the management jig 20 is configured such that, when the connection portion 21 is connected to the irradiated side surface 3A, an irradiation axis S passes through the center 26c of the base side portion 26 and the center of the cylindrical main body portion 22, and further, the tip side portion 25 is disposed on the irradiation axis S. In other words, the main body portion 22 is configured such that, when the connection portion 21 is connected to the irradiated side surface 3A, an axis 22c that passes through the center of the circular cross section of the main body portion 22 and the tip side portion 25 coincides with the irradiation axis S (see Figs. 4(a) and 4(b)).

[0053] The management jig 20 is configured so that the tip side portion 25 is located at the position of the isocenter ISO when connected to the irradiation side surface 3A. That is, the length between the tip side portion 25 and the connection portion 21 is configured to be the same as the length L1 (see FIG. 2) between the isocenter ISO and the center 5c of the irradiation portion 5. In other words, the management jig 20 is configured so that the length between the tip side portion 25 and the base side portion 26 is L1 (see FIG. 3).

[0054] The first mark portion 23 is provided on the main body portion 22 at a position a predetermined distance L2 away from the base side portion 26 toward the tip side. The first mark portion 23 is provided at a position on the main body portion 22 where the length between the first mark portion 23 and the base side portion 26 is L2 (see FIG. 3).

[0055] A second mark portion 24 is provided on a portion of the main body portion 22 that is further forward than the first mark portion 23. The second mark portion 24 is provided at a position on the main body portion 22 where the length between the second mark portion 24 and the base side portion 26 is L3 (see FIG. 3).

[0056] The first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 are portions used when measurements are performed by the probe 31 of the three-dimensional measuring device 30, the details of which will be described later. The first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 are recesses each having a shape corresponding to the tip portion 31b of the probe 31. The tip portion 31b has a spherical shape as shown in FIG. 5(a) and the like, and the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 each have a hemispherical recessed shape having a size corresponding to the spherical shape of the tip portion 31b. The first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 are each configured to be attached with the tip portion 31b and to be detachably fitted together.

[0057] A worker performing quality control work can position tip portion 31b with good reproducibility at the same location on main body portion 22 by fitting tip portion 31b into first mark portion 23 and second mark portion 24. That is, by fitting tip portion 31b into first mark portion 23 and second mark portion 24 and measuring the respective positions using three-dimensional measuring device 30, position information of the same location on main body portion 22 can be collected with good reproducibility.

[0058] 3, 4(a), and 4(b) show the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 arranged on the same side of the main body portion 22, but the positions at which the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 are arranged are not limited to these. That is, the second mark portion 24 may be arranged on a side of the main body portion 22 different from the side at which the first mark portion 23 is arranged. For example, the second mark portion 24 may be arranged on the opposite side to the first mark portion 23. Alternatively, the second mark portion 24 may be arranged on a side shifted by a predetermined angle from the position at which the first mark portion 23 is provided.

[0059] The first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 may have a different configuration from the above, as long as the tip portion 31b can be arranged at the same position with good reproducibility. For example, FIG. 5(a) discloses a state in which the deepest part E of the hemispherical recess is located on the axis 22c passing through the center of the main body portion 22. That is, a case is disclosed in which the depth D of the hemispherical recess is approximately the same length as the radius r of the cylindrical main body portion 22, but the depth D may be a length different from the radius r. For example, the depth D may be shorter than the radius r. That is, the deepest part E of the recess may be located on the surface side of the main body portion 22 from the axis 22c. Alternatively, the depth D may be longer than the radius r. 5(b), the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 may be inner portions of a ring-shaped member 27a protruding from the main body portion 22 and having a depression or a cylindrical space at its center corresponding to the shape of the tip portion 31b. Alternatively, the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 may be portions that are colored or the like to be distinguishable from other portions of the main body portion 22.

[0060] The management jig 20 is made of a material having a degree of rigidity such that its shape is not deformed by its own weight, etc. The management jig 20 is made of a material having a degree of rigidity such that the main body 22 is not deformed by its own weight and the connection part 21 is not bent by the weight of the main body 22 when the head part 3 rotates and moves with the management jig 20 connected to the irradiating side surface 3A.

[0061] For example, the connection part 21 and the main body part 22 are made of a metal such as stainless steel. Furthermore, the main body part 22 is disposed so as to be perpendicular to the connection part 21, and is fixed by welding to the connection part 21. The connection part 21 and the main body part 22 may be made of other materials as long as the desired rigidity can be satisfied.

[0062] The main body 22 may be fixed to the connecting part 21 by other methods. For example, as shown in Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b), the management tool 20 may be configured such that the opposite side of the tip side part 25 of the main body 22 is inserted into a cylindrical part 27b fixed to the connecting part 21 and fixed to the connecting part 21 (see Fig. 6(a)). Then, when the main body 22 is inserted into the cylindrical part 27b, the end side of the main body 22 may be fixed by a magnet part 27c arranged inside the cylindrical part 27b (see Fig. 6(b)). Alternatively, as long as the main body 22 can be fixed in a desired state, the main body 22 may be connected to the connecting part 21 by a configuration different from the above, and the fixing means is not particularly limited.

[0063] The main body 22 may have a columnar shape different from a cylindrical shape. For example, the cross section in the direction intersecting the direction in which the main body 22 extends may have a polygonal columnar shape. That is, the main body 22 may have a columnar shape having multiple side surfaces, such as a quadrangular prism or a pentagonal prism. Alternatively, the main body 22 may have another shape as long as at least the tip side part 25 is arranged on the irradiation axis S when the connection part 21 is connected to the head part 3. For example, the main body 22 may have a cone shape or a pyramid shape with a polygonal bottom.

[0064] 3. Description of the 3D measurement device As shown in FIG. 1, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 is mainly composed of a probe 31 and a measuring device 32. The three-dimensional measuring device 30 is an example of a position information acquisition device. The three-dimensional measuring device 30 has a function of acquiring three-dimensional position information of a location where the tip 31b of the probe 31 comes into contact. The three-dimensional measuring device 30 further includes reference markers 33a, 33b, and 33c. Hereinafter, the reference markers 33a, 33b, and 33c are collectively referred to as reference markers 33. The number of reference markers 33 is an example, and the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may include a number of reference markers 33 different from the above.

[0065] The probe 31 is a part that is held by a user and placed at a location to be measured. The probe 31 mainly comprises a rod portion 31a and a probe body 31c. The tip portion 31b, which is the tip end of the rod portion 31a, has a spherical shape. The tip portion 31b is the part that comes into contact with the location to be measured when the measurement is performed. The probe body 31c outputs a signal corresponding to the position of the location with which the tip portion 31b comes into contact.

[0066] The measuring device 32 includes a detection unit 32a and a device body 32b. The detection unit 32a receives a signal from the probe body 31c and acquires information about the position of the tip 31b. The device body 32b calculates position information about the position of the tip 31b based on the signal received by the detection unit 32a.

[0067] The detector 32a may receive a signal based on light from the probe body 31c, for example. The signal based on light may be light emitted from a light source (not shown) included in the probe body 31c. Alternatively, the detector 32a may receive a signal based on light that is emitted from a light source (not shown) arranged in the measuring device 32 or the like and reflected by a reflective marker (not shown) included in the probe body 31c. Alternatively, the detector 32a may receive a signal based on radio waves output from the probe body 31c. For example, the detector 32a may be configured to receive radio waves transmitted from a transmitter (not shown) included in the probe body 31c to obtain information regarding the position of the tip 31b.

[0068] The device body 32b has a function of calculating position information indicating the relative positional relationship between a plurality of measurement target locations where the tip portion 31b is arranged. The device body 32b also has a function of calculating relative position information between the reference marker 33 and the measurement target location where the tip portion 31b is arranged. The device body 32b may have a function of calculating relative position information between the device body 32b and the measurement target location where the tip portion 31b is arranged.

[0069] Furthermore, the device body 32b has a function of calculating the position information of the tip side part 25 and the base side part 26 from the information on the management jig 20 such as L1, L2, and L3 input in advance and the position information of each of the first mark part 23 and the second mark part 24 calculated by arranging the tip part 31b. The device body 32b also has a function of calculating the position information on the axis (irradiation axis S) passing through the tip side part 25 and the base side part 26 from the position information of each of the first mark part 23 and the second mark part 24 calculated by arranging the tip part 31b. That is, it has a function of calculating the direction of the irradiation axis S from the position information of each of the first mark part 23 and the second mark part 24.

[0070] The three-dimensional measuring device 30 is a general-purpose measuring device, and its functions and principles are similar to those commonly used, so detailed explanations thereof will be omitted.

[0071] 4. Explanation of quality control procedures Next, the quality control operation of the radiotherapy apparatus 1 using the management system 10 will be described.

[0072] 4-1 Installation of management fixture Hereinafter, the state in which the gantry 2 has rotated so that the head unit 3 is located at the uppermost position is also referred to as the reference state. That is, the state of the gantry 2 in which the head unit 3 is located at the uppermost position farthest from the treatment bed 6 so that the irradiation axis S is perpendicular to the floor surface U is also referred to as the reference state. In addition, the position of the head unit 3 in the reference state is also referred to as the reference position.

[0073] First, with the head unit 3 placed at the reference position, the management jig 20 is connected to the irradiation side surface 3A of the head unit 3. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, the connection part 21 is inserted into the slots 5a, 5b of the irradiation side surface 3A and slid toward the back side. In other words, the connection part 21 is inserted into the opening on the front side of the slots 5a, 5b of the irradiation side surface 3A and slid toward the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, when the connection part 21 is inserted to the back side of the slots 5a, 5b, the management jig 20 is fixed to the head unit 3.

[0074] 4-2 Isocenter confirmation work Next, the isocenter confirmation operation using the management system 10 of the present disclosure will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

[0075] In the reference state, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 is used to obtain position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24. Specifically, when the operator performs a predetermined operation with the tip portion 31b of the probe 31 fitted into the first mark portion 23, the measuring device 32 calculates position information of the first mark portion 23. Also, when the operator performs a predetermined operation with the tip portion 31b of the probe 31 fitted into the second mark portion 24, the measuring device 32 calculates position information of the second mark portion 24. Furthermore, the measuring device 32 calculates position information of the tip portion 25 from the calculated position information of the first mark portion 23 and the position information of the second mark portion 24. The measuring device 32 further obtains position information of each of the reference markers 33a, 33b, and 33c, and calculates position information of the tip portion 25 relative to the reference markers 33a, 33b, and 33c.

[0076] Next, the gantry 2 is rotated by a predetermined angle to place the head unit 3 at a desired position, and then, similarly to the above, the position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 is acquired. Then, based on the acquired position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24, the position information of the tip side unit 25 is calculated.

[0077] Thereafter, the gantry 2 is rotated by a predetermined angle in sequence to change the position of the head unit 3, and position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 at each position is obtained. Similarly to the above, position information of the tip side unit 25 at each position of the head unit 3 is calculated from the position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 (see FIG. 11).

[0078] As described above, the length between the tip side portion 25 and the base side portion 26 of the management jig 20 is determined so that the tip side portion 25 is located at the position of the isocenter ISO when the management jig 20 is connected to the irradiation side surface 3A. Therefore, if there is no problem with the performance of the radiotherapy device 1, the tip side portion 25 is always located at the isocenter ISO regardless of the position of the head portion 3 (see FIG. 11). Furthermore, regardless of the position of the head portion 3, the position information of the tip side portion 25 calculated by the measuring device 32 is always the same. Furthermore, the calculated position information of the tip side portion 25 coincides with the position information of the isocenter ISO. On the other hand, if there is a problem with the performance of the radiotherapy device 1, the tip side portion 25 may be located at a position different from the isocenter ISO depending on the position of the head portion 3. That is, when the head portion 3 is located at a predetermined position, the position information of the tip side portion 25 calculated by the measuring device 32 may differ from the position information of the tip side portion 25 when the head portion 3 is located at another position.

[0079] For example, when the gantry 2 rotates at an inclination with respect to the axis G due to the influence of its own weight due to a problem with the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1, the tip side part 25 may be located at a position different from the isocenter ISO depending on the position of the head part 3. That is, the position information of the tip side part 25 calculated based on the measurement result by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may differ from the position information of the isocenter ISO. Alternatively, the position information of the tip side part 25 calculated based on the measurement result by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may differ depending on the position of the head part 3. Alternatively, even if the center of rotation of the gantry 2 shifts to a position different from the axis G due to the influence of its own weight, etc., the tip side part 25 may be located at a position different from the isocenter ISO depending on the position of the head part 3. That is, the position information of the tip side part 25 calculated based on the measurement result by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may differ from the position information of the isocenter ISO. Alternatively, depending on the arrangement position of the head portion 3, the position information of the tip portion 25 calculated based on the measurement result by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may differ.

[0080] That is, the operator can confirm the performance of the radiotherapy device 1 without irradiating radiation by acquiring the position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 while rotating the position of the head portion 3. For example, it can be confirmed whether there is a problem in mechanical performance of the gantry 2, etc. Alternatively, it can be confirmed that the performance of the radiotherapy device 1 changes over time by comparing the position information of the tip portion 25, etc. calculated based on the measurement results by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 with the position information of the corresponding portion calculated based on the measurement results obtained by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 at the time of installation.

[0081] Moreover, the performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be confirmed by visually checking the position of the tip side part 25. For example, by visually checking the relationship between the position of the tip side part 25 and the position of the light irradiated from the positioning laser marker, it can be confirmed whether or not a mechanical performance problem has occurred in the gantry 2, etc. Specifically, it can be confirmed whether or not a mechanical performance problem has occurred in the gantry 2, etc. by visually checking the distance between the tip side part 25 and the light irradiated from the laser marker, or by visually checking the change in the distance between the tip side part 25 and the light from the positioning laser marker when the position of the head part 3 is changed.

[0082] 4-3 Checking the rotation of the collimator Next, mainly with reference to FIG. 12, an operation for checking the rotational operation of the collimator 4 using the management system 10 of the present disclosure will be described.

[0083] First, in a reference state, position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 is obtained using the three-dimensional measuring device 30. Next, while still in the reference state, the irradiation side surface 3A of the head unit 3 is rotated by a predetermined angle around the rotation axis B, and the position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 is obtained again.

[0084] As described above, when the irradiation side surface 3A is rotated by a predetermined angle, the collimator 4 similarly rotates about the rotation axis B. The irradiation side surface 3A is further rotated by a predetermined angle, and position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 is obtained again. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated to obtain position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 at each rotation position of the collimator 4 (see FIG. 12).

[0085] Next, the gantry 2 is rotated by a predetermined angle to place the head unit 3 at a desired position. Then, at that position, the irradiation side surface 3A is rotated by a predetermined angle around the rotation axis B, and the position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 at each rotation position of the collimator 4 is obtained (see FIG. 12).

[0086] Thereafter, in the same manner, the gantry 2 is rotated to sequentially position the head unit 3 at different positions, and at each position, the irradiation side 3A is rotated a predetermined angle around the rotation axis B, and the positional information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 at each rotational position of the collimator 4 is sequentially obtained (see Figure 12).

[0087] As described above, the head unit 3 is configured so that the rotation axis B coincides with the irradiation axis S. Therefore, as long as there is no problem with the performance of the gantry 2 and the head unit 3, the tip side unit 25 is always located at the isocenter ISO even if the position of the head unit 3 is changed or the irradiation side 3A is rotated around the rotation axis B. In other words, even if the head unit 3 is placed at an arbitrary position and the collimator 4 is rotated around the rotation axis B at each position, the position information of the tip side unit 25 is always the same. In other words, in any case, the position information of the tip side unit 25 is the same as the position information of the isocenter ISO (see FIG. 12).

[0088] However, when a problem occurs in the performance of the radiotherapy device 1, the tip side part 25 may be located at a position different from the isocenter ISO depending on the arrangement position of the head part 3 and the rotation position of the collimator 4. For example, when the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 is problematic and the rotation axis B is shifted from the irradiation axis S, when the irradiation side surface 3A (collimator 4) is rotated, the tip side part 25 may be located at a position different from the isocenter ISO. For example, when the head part 3 is arranged at a position different from the reference position, the rotation axis B may be shifted from the irradiation axis S due to the influence of the weight of the collimator 4, and the tip side part 25 may be located at a position different from the isocenter ISO. That is, depending on the arrangement position of the head part 3 and the angle (rotation position) at which the collimator 4 is rotated, the calculated position information of the tip side part 25 may differ from the position information of the isocenter ISO. Alternatively, depending on the arrangement position of the head part 3 and the angle (rotation position) at which the collimator 4 is rotated, the calculated position information of the tip side part 25 may change.

[0089] The worker performs the above-mentioned work and obtains the position information of the first mark section 23 and the second mark section 24 at each position by the three-dimensional measuring device 30, thereby making it possible to check the performance of the radiotherapy device 1 without irradiating radiation. Specifically, by checking the position information of the tip section 25 calculated based on the position information of the first mark section 23 and the second mark section 24 obtained by the three-dimensional measuring device 30, it is possible to check, for example, whether there is a problem with mechanical performance in the gantry 2, the head section 3, etc. Alternatively, by comparing the position information of the tip section 25, etc. calculated based on the position information of the first mark section 23 and the second mark section 24 obtained by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 with the position information of the corresponding part such as the tip section 25 calculated based on the measurement result by the three-dimensional measuring device 30 when the radiotherapy device 1 is installed, it is possible to check the change in performance over time without irradiating radiation.

[0090] The performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can also be confirmed by visually checking the position of the tip side part 25. For example, by visually checking the distance between the position of the tip side part 25 and the light irradiated from the positioning laser marker when the position of the head part 3 or the rotation angle of the collimator 4 is changed, it is possible to check whether there is a problem in mechanical performance of the gantry 2 or the like.

[0091] 5.Explanation of the effect According to the management tool 20 configured as above, when the management tool 20 is connected to the irradiation side surface 3A of the head unit 3, the tip side part 25 is disposed on the irradiation axis S. Therefore, it is possible to visually confirm a position on the irradiation axis S that is a predetermined distance away from the irradiation unit 5 without actually irradiating radiation. That is, it is possible to visually confirm a predetermined position in the area to be irradiated with radiation without actually irradiating radiation. Therefore, it is easy to grasp the positional relationship between the area to be irradiated with radiation and other areas during treatment without actually irradiating radiation. For example, it is easy to grasp the positional relationship between the treatment bed 6 and the area to be irradiated with radiation.

[0092] In addition, the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 are provided at predetermined positions between the tip side portion 25 and the base side portion 26 of the main body portion 22. Therefore, the position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 can be acquired using a measurement device such as a three-dimensional measurement device 30. Then, based on the acquired position information of the first mark portion 23 and the position information of the second mark portion 24, the position information of the tip side portion 25, the base side portion 26, etc. can be calculated. In addition, based on the acquired position information of the first mark portion 23 and the position information of the second mark portion 24, information on the irradiation axis S and the position information of the portion corresponding to the isocenter ISO on the irradiation axis S can be calculated.

[0093] That is, the position information of the position at a predetermined distance from the irradiation unit 5 on the irradiation axis S can be calculated without actually irradiating radiation. Therefore, the performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be easily confirmed without irradiating radiation. For example, while sequentially changing the position of the head unit 3 and the rotational position of the collimator 4, information on the tip side unit 25 and the irradiation axis S at each position and position information of the part corresponding to the isocenter ISO on the irradiation axis S are calculated based on the measurement results obtained from a measurement device such as the three-dimensional measurement device 30, so that the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be accurately evaluated without irradiating radiation. That is, by confirming that the calculated position information of the part corresponding to the isocenter ISO on the irradiation axis S does not change depending on the position of the head unit 3 and the rotational position of the collimator 4, the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be evaluated. In other words, the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be evaluated by evaluating the influence of the change in the position of the head unit 3 and the rotational position of the collimator 4 on the calculated position information of the part corresponding to the isocenter ISO on the irradiation axis S. Alternatively, by comparing with position information of the tip side part 25, the irradiation axis S, etc. calculated at the time of installation, it is possible to easily check, for example, changes over time in the performance of the radiotherapy device 1. In other words, quality control work of the radiotherapy device 1 can be easily performed without actually irradiating radiation.

[0094] When the position information of the tip side part 25 is directly obtained using the three-dimensional measuring device 30, it is necessary to arrange the tip part 31b of the probe 31 at the tip side part 25. However, since the tip side part 25 is the tip part of the main body part 22, it is difficult to arrange the tip part 31b at the tip side part 25 accurately with good reproducibility. That is, it is difficult to obtain accurate position information of the tip side part 25 with good reproducibility. On the other hand, in the management jig 20 of the present disclosure, the first mark part 23 and the second mark part 24 are provided at predetermined positions between the tip side part 25 and the base side part 26. Therefore, the tip part 31b of the probe 31 can be easily arranged at each position with good reproducibility. That is, accurate position information of the first mark part 23 and the second mark part 24 can be obtained with good reproducibility.

[0095] Moreover, the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 are provided at predetermined positions of the main body portion 22. Therefore, even if the irradiation side surface 3A (collimator 4) is rotated, the position information of the first mark portion 23 and the position information of the second mark portion 24 can be easily obtained using a measurement device such as a three-dimensional measurement device 30.

[0096] In addition, the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 are disposed at positions close to the isocenter ISO. Therefore, compared to the conventional technology in which the markers are provided on the head unit 3 of the gantry 2, the effect of errors is less likely to be felt. In addition, even if the head unit 3 is disposed on the lower side, the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 are not hidden by the shadow of the treatment bed 6. That is, the position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 can be obtained without being affected by the position of the head unit 3. In other words, the position information of the tip side unit 25 and the information on the irradiation axis S can be calculated without being affected by the position of the head unit 3.

[0097] When the management jig 20 is connected to the head unit 3, the base side part 26 is configured to be disposed on the irradiation axis S. Therefore, by checking the positions of the tip side part 25 and the base side part 26, it is easy to grasp the direction in which the irradiation axis S extends. That is, it is easy to grasp the direction in which radiation is irradiated from the irradiation unit 5. Furthermore, by calculating the position information of the tip side part 25 and the position information of the base side part 26 based on the position information of the first mark part 23 and the second mark part 24, information on the irradiation axis S can be calculated more accurately. Furthermore, the position information of the part on the irradiation axis S corresponding to the isocenter ISO can also be calculated more accurately.

[0098] The management jig 20 is configured such that the tip side portion 25 is disposed at the isocenter ISO when connected to the head portion 3. Therefore, the position information of the isocenter ISO can be calculated by calculating the position information of the tip side portion 25 based on the position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24. That is, the position information of the isocenter ISO can be calculated by only acquiring the position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 without actually irradiating radiation.

[0099] Moreover, the operator can visually confirm the position of the isocenter ISO without irradiating radiation. Therefore, for example, it is easy to visually grasp in what direction the radiation is irradiated with respect to the treatment bed 6, and visually confirm the positional relationship between the treatment bed 6 and the isocenter ISO. In addition, the relationship with the axis T, which is the rotation center of the treatment bed 6, is also easy to grasp. Furthermore, by rotating the gantry 2 to sequentially change the position of the head unit 3 and rotating the collimator 4, the mechanical performance related to the isocenter of the gantry 2 and the head unit 3 can be evaluated without irradiating radiation by confirming that the position information of the front side unit 25 calculated based on the measurement results by a measuring device such as the three-dimensional measuring device 30 does not change depending on the position of the head unit 3 or the rotational position of the collimator 4, the mechanical performance related to the isocenter of the radiation therapy device 1 can be accurately evaluated. In other words, by evaluating the effect of changes in the position of the head part 3 and the rotational position of the collimator 4 on the calculated position information of the tip side part 25, the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be evaluated.

[0100] Alternatively, the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be evaluated by visually checking the position of the tip part 25 when the position of the head part 3 or the rotational position of the collimator 4 is changed. For example, the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be evaluated by visually checking that the relationship between the position of the light from the positioning laser marker and the position of the tip part 25 does not change depending on the position of the head part 3 or the rotational position of the collimator 4.

[0101] The main body 22 of the management jig 20 has a columnar shape extending along the irradiation axis S when connected to the irradiation side surface 3A. This makes it possible to obtain information about the irradiation axis S and information about the isocenter ISO more accurately and easily. Also, the direction in which the irradiation axis S extends can be easily confirmed by visual inspection. That is, the direction in which radiation is irradiated can be intuitively grasped by visual inspection without irradiating radiation.

[0102] Furthermore, in the management system 10, position information of the management jig 20 is acquired by the three-dimensional measuring device 30. Therefore, accurate position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 can be easily acquired. Then, based on the acquired position information of the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24, position information of the tip portion 25 can be easily calculated. That is, accurate quality control work can be easily performed without irradiating radiation.

[0103] The management system 10 according to the present embodiment may have further functions and configurations in addition to those described above. For example, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may have a function of storing position information of a radiation isocenter acquired by a method of actually irradiating radiation, such as star shot (or spoke shot). The three-dimensional measuring device 30 may also have a function of storing position information of the tip side part 25 calculated from position information acquired using the probe 31 at the time of installation as information on the geometric isocenter. The three-dimensional measuring device 30 may also have a function of correcting the calculated position information of the tip side part 25 based on the position information of the radiation isocenter acquired by a method such as star shot and the position information of the tip side part 25 (position information of the geometric isocenter) calculated at the time of installation.

[0104] For example, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 stores position information of the radiation isocenter obtained by a method of actually irradiating radiation, such as a star shot (or spoke shot), at the time of installation of the radiotherapy device 1. The three-dimensional measuring device 30 also stores position information of the tip side part 25 calculated using the management system 10 as information on the geometric isocenter at the time of installation of the radiotherapy device 1. When the stored position information of the radiation isocenter at the time of installation differs from the calculated position information of the tip side part 25, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 stores information on the difference as error information between the radiation isocenter and the geometric isocenter at the time of installation. Then, when calculating the position information of the tip side part 25 using the management system 10 thereafter, the calculated position information of the tip side part 25 is corrected using the error information. That is, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may have a function of correcting the position information of the isocenter ISO calculated in consideration of the error between the radiation isocenter and the geometric isocenter at the time of installation.

[0105] If the three-dimensional measuring device 30 has the above-mentioned functions, it is possible to obtain more accurate position information of the tip side part 25 and information on the irradiation axis S based on position information of the radiation isocenter obtained by a method of actually irradiating radiation. In other words, it is possible to perform more accurate quality control work.

[0106] In addition to the procedure described in the above embodiment, an operation may be further performed to confirm that the management jig 20 is properly attached to the head unit 3. For example, an operation may be performed in which the position information of the first mark unit 23 and the position information of the second mark unit 24 are obtained using the three-dimensional measuring device 30, and the position information of a predetermined location on the head unit 3 is also obtained. In order to obtain the position information of the predetermined location on the head unit 3, a mark unit similar to the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24 may be provided on the head unit 3.

[0107] Then, an operation may be performed to confirm that the management jig 20 is properly attached to the head unit 3 based on the position information of the predetermined portion of the head unit 3 and the position information of the first mark unit 23 and the second mark unit 24. In this way, it is possible to confirm that the management jig 20 is properly attached to the head unit 3, thereby enabling more accurate quality control operations to be performed.

[0108] Also, the three-dimensional measuring device 30 may be configured to perform a process to confirm that the management jig 20 is properly attached to the head unit 3, and to notify the operator of the result. In this way, it is possible to more easily confirm that the management jig 20 is properly attached to the head unit 3, and to easily perform more accurate quality control work.

[0109] Also, a mark portion similar to the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 may be further provided on the base side portion 26 of the main body portion 22. In this way, more accurate position information of the tip side portion 25 and information on the irradiation axis S can be obtained. In other words, more accurate quality control work can be performed. Also, based on the position information of the mark portion provided on the base side portion 26 of the main body portion 22 and the position information of a predetermined location of the head portion 3, it can be easily confirmed that the management jig 20 is properly attached to the head portion 3.

[0110] The length between the tip side part 25 and the connection part 21 may be a length different from L1. For example, the length between the tip side part 25 and the connection part 21 may be longer than L1. Furthermore, a visible mark may be provided at a position corresponding to the isocenter ISO that is L1 away from the base side part 26 of the main body part 22. In this way, for example, a positioning laser marker arranged in a radiotherapy room can be used to evaluate the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1. Specifically, the mechanical performance of the radiotherapy device 1 can be evaluated by checking the position of the light from the positioning laser marker irradiated on the main body part 22 while changing the position of the head part 3 and the rotational position of the collimator 4.

[0111] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference mainly to FIGS. 13(a) to 13(c).

[0112] The management tool 20A according to this embodiment has a different shape from the above-mentioned embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0113] The main body 22A of the management jig 20A according to this embodiment is configured by combining four triangular plate materials 28a to 28d. Hereinafter, the plate materials 28a to 28d are also collectively referred to as plate material 28. That is, as shown in Figs. 13(a) to 13(c), the main body 22A is configured by the plate materials 28a to 28d being arranged at right angles and fixed. One side of the main body 22A is fixed to the connection portion 21. That is, the bottom portions 29a to 29d, which are the bottom sides of the plate materials 28a to 28d, are each fixed to the connection portion 21. The bottom portions 29a to 29d are an example of base side portions. Hereinafter, the bottom portions 29a to 29d are also collectively referred to as bottom portion 29.

[0114] The intersection of the base portions 29a to 29d is the center 26A of the base portion. The center 26A of the base portion is configured to be located at the center 5c of the irradiation section 5 when the management jig 20A is connected to the irradiation side surface 3A. The tip portion 25A, which is the end portion opposite the connection portion 21 of the main body portion 22A, is configured to be located on the irradiation axis S when the management jig 20A is connected to the irradiation side surface 3A. That is, the management jig 20A is configured so that the tip portion 25A and the center 26A of the base portion are located on the irradiation axis S when the management jig 20A is connected to the irradiation side surface 3A.

[0115] The plate material 28b is provided with the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A. That is, the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A are provided on the oblique side of the plate material 28b. The first mark portion 23A is disposed at a position spaced apart from the center 26A of the base side by a distance L3. The second mark portion 24A is disposed at a position spaced apart from the center 26A of the base side by a distance L4. That is, the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A are disposed at a predetermined position between the tip side portion 25A and the bottom portion 29 (base side) of the main body portion 22A. The first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A are hemispherical depressions having a size corresponding to the shape of the tip portion 31b of the probe 31, similar to the first mark portion 23 and the second mark portion 24 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5(a) described above. The first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A may be provided on another plate member 28, respectively.

[0116] The main body 22A of the management jig 20A according to this embodiment is configured by combining four triangular plate materials 28. Therefore, for example, when the head unit 3 is placed at an arbitrary position, it is unlikely to bend or deform due to its own weight. Therefore, the tip side portion 25A is always placed at the same position with respect to the irradiation side surface 3A.

[0117] That is, accurate position information of the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A can be easily obtained without being affected by the arrangement position of the head portion 3. In other words, accurate position information of the tip portion 25A can be easily calculated without being affected by the arrangement position of the head portion 3.

[0118] The configuration of the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A is not limited to the above. For example, the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A may be the inner part of a ring-shaped member 27d similar to the member 27a shown in FIG. 5(b) in the first embodiment, which is fixed to the plate material 28b and has a recess or a cylindrical space corresponding to the shape of the tip portion 31b (see FIG. 14(a)). Alternatively, the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A may be the inner part of a semicircular notch 27e provided on the slope of the plate material 28b and corresponding to the shape of the tip portion 31b (see FIG. 14(b)). In addition, the first mark portion 23A and the second mark portion 24A may be provided in other parts of the plate material 28 (parts other than the slope) as long as they are located within the area between the tip side portion 25A and the bottom portion 29 (original side portion) a predetermined distance away from the center 26A of the original side portion.

[0119] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described mainly with reference to FIG. In the following description, differences from the above embodiment will be mainly described, and the same configurations will be given the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0120] The management jig 20B of this embodiment is used in a radiotherapy device 100 having a head unit 300 at the tip of a robot arm 110 that is provided with a plurality of arms 120 and a plurality of joints 130 that rotatably connect the arms 120. This radiotherapy device 100 is a device that is mainly used for stereotactic radiotherapy and the like.

[0121] The connection part 21B of the management jig 20B has a configuration that allows it to be attached to the irradiation part 500 of the head part 300. The management jig 20B is configured such that the tip part 25 is disposed on the irradiation axis S when connected to the head part 300.

[0122] When the management jig 20B is connected to the head unit 300, the main body unit 22 is disposed along the direction in which the irradiation axis S extends, and the tip side unit 25 is disposed on the irradiation axis S. This makes it easy for an operator to grasp the irradiation direction of the radiation irradiated from the irradiation unit 500. That is, when the robot arm 110 is operated to change the position of the head unit 300, it is easy to grasp the irradiation direction of the radiation irradiated from the irradiation unit 500. In addition, for example, it is easy to grasp the positional relationship between the reference position (generally also called an isopost, etc.) when checking or adjusting the isocenter of the radiation therapy device 100 and the head unit 300. This makes it easy to perform quality control work on the radiation therapy device 100.

[0123] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments as long as it is consistent with the gist of the disclosure described in the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, the present disclosure may be a configuration in which at least two of the above-mentioned embodiments are combined, or a configuration in which any of the components illustrated or the components described with reference numerals in the above-mentioned embodiments are eliminated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 1,100…Radiation therapy device 2…Gantry 3,300…Head unit 3A…Irradiation side 4…Collimator 5,500…Irradiation section 5a,5b…Slot 5c…Center 6...Treatment bed 6a...Tabletop 6b...Turntable 6c...Base column 10... Management system 20, 20A, 20B... Management tool 21, 21B... Connection portion 22, 22A... Main body portion 23, 23A... First mark portion 24, 24A... second mark portion 25, 25A... tip side portion 26... base side portion 26A: Center of original side portion 27a: Member 27b: Cylindrical portion 27c: Magnet portion 28, 28a to 28d, 28b... Plate material 29a to 29d... Bottom part 30... Three-dimensional measuring device 31... Probe 31a... Rod portion 31b: tip portion 31c: probe body 32: Measuring device 32a: Detection unit 32b: Device body 33a, 33b, 33c...Reference markers 110... robot arm 120... arm 130... joint B…Rotation axis G,T…Axis ISO…Isocenter S…Irradiation axis

Claims

1. A management tool used for quality management of a radiotherapy device in which a head unit having an irradiation unit for irradiating radiation in a predetermined direction moves around a patient and irradiates the patient with the radiation from an arbitrary direction, A main body portion, A connection part that is detachably connected to the head part; Equipped with The main body portion is A base side portion that is disposed on the side of the head portion during use; A tip side portion that is disposed on the opposite side to the base side portion during use; A first mark portion disposed between the base portion and the tip portion; A second mark portion disposed at a position different from the first mark portion between the base side portion and the tip side portion; Equipped with The base portion is fixed to a predetermined portion of the connection portion, the tip side portion is configured to be disposed at a position a predetermined distance away from the connection portion on an irradiation axis line extending from the irradiation portion toward the irradiation direction of the radiation when the connection portion is connected to the head portion. Management tool.

2. The base side portion is configured such that, when the connection portion is connected to the head portion, the center of the base side portion is disposed on the irradiation axis. The management tool according to claim 1 .

3. The tip portion is configured to be disposed at the isocenter of the radiation therapy device when the connection portion is connected to the head portion. The management tool according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The main body has a columnar shape extending along the irradiation axis. The management tool according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The management tool according to claim 1 ; A position information acquisition device that acquires at least position information regarding the positions of the first mark portion and the second mark portion; Equipped with A management system used for quality control of the radiation therapy device.

Images