Drug supply device and neutron capture therapy system

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention relates to a drug supply device for a neutron capture therapy system, comprising a drug passage member for supplying a drug to an irradiated object, and a containment mechanism for containing the drug passage member, which includes a first containment member provided in a partition wall. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a neutron capture therapy system including the drug supply device described above. By designing the containment mechanism, the drug passage member can enter the irradiation chamber directly from outside the shielding door, bypassing the shielding door, eliminating the need to stop drug supply during the movement of the irradiated object from the drug control room to the irradiation chamber, thus achieving the objective of continuous drug delivery to the irradiated object. By providing the containment mechanism, exposure of the drug passage member to the neutron irradiation environment in the irradiation chamber is reduced, the occurrence of boron neutron capture reactions between the drug in the drug passage member and neutrons in the environment is effectively prevented, a decrease in the effective boron drug content in the drug passage member is avoided, and the efficiency of drug supply during treatment is improved.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to the field of medicine, and more particularly to a drug supply device. Another aspect of the present invention relates to the field of radiation irradiation, and more particularly to a neutron capture therapy system. [Background technology]

[0002] With advancements in atomic science, radiation therapy using methods such as cobalt-60, linear accelerators, and electron beams has become one of the main methods of cancer treatment. However, conventional photon and electron beam therapy are limited by the physical conditions of the radiation itself, and while they kill tumor cells, they also damage a large amount of normal tissue in the beam path. Furthermore, because tumor cells have different sensitivities to radiation, conventional radiation therapy is often ineffective against malignant tumors with a certain degree of radiation resistance (for example, glioblastoma multiforme and malignant melanoma).

[0003] To mitigate radiation damage to surrounding normal tissue, the concept of targeted therapy within chemotherapy is applied to radiotherapy. For highly radiation-resistant tumor cells, active development of radiation sources with high relative biological effectiveness (RBE), such as proton therapy, heavy ion therapy, and neutron capture therapy, is currently underway. Among these, neutron capture therapy combines the two concepts mentioned above. For example, boron neutron capture therapy, through precise control of the neutron beam and the specific accumulation of boron-containing drugs in tumor cells, offers a better cancer treatment option than conventional radiation.

[0004] Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) offers a superior cancer treatment option compared to conventional radiotherapy through precisely controlled neutron irradiation and the specific accumulation of boron-containing drugs in human tumor cells. In BNCT, a boron-containing drug with very high affinity for tumor cells and selective accumulation within them is first injected into the patient, followed by irradiating the tumor site with neutrons. 10 When captured by B, nuclear fission occurs, producing alpha particles and 7 Li particles are generated, emitting highly lethal radiation with an extremely short range, only the length of a single tumor cell, thus precisely killing tumor cells while minimizing damage to surrounding normal cells. Considering that the concentration of boron-containing drugs in the patient's body decreases with neutron irradiation during treatment, it is desirable to continuously inject the patient with boron-containing drugs before and during treatment to maintain an appropriate therapeutic boron concentration in the patient's body and improve treatment efficiency. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0005] In view of this, in order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a drug supply device for a neutron capture therapy system, which includes a drug passage member for supplying a drug to an irradiated object, and a containment mechanism for containing the drug passage member, which includes a first containment member provided in a partition wall. By designing the containment mechanism, the drug passage member can enter the irradiation chamber directly from outside the shielding door, bypassing the shielding door, without affecting the normal closing of the shielding door, and there is no need to stop the drug supply while the irradiated object is moving from the drug control room to the irradiation chamber, thereby achieving the objective of continuous drug delivery to the irradiated object.

[0006] In one embodiment, the partition wall includes a first wall and a second wall in which a groove is formed, and the first and second walls are not in the same plane. The containment mechanism is provided on different walls, and the containment mechanism is provided according to the shape of the wall, which facilitates the containment and retention of the drug passage member.

[0007] In one embodiment, the first wall includes a first wall portion, the second wall includes a second wall portion in which a first groove is formed, the first wall portion is connected to the second wall portion, and the first housing member includes a first housing portion provided in the first wall portion and a second housing portion provided in the first groove, with one end of the first housing portion connected to one end of the second housing portion. When at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall, by providing the housing portion, the drug passage member can enter the irradiation chamber from outside the shielding door, bypassing the shielding door, thereby enabling a continuous supply of the drug.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second wall further includes a third wall portion having a second groove and a fourth wall portion having a third groove, and the second wall portion, the third wall portion and the fourth wall portion are connected to form a U-shaped structure, and the first housing member further includes a third housing portion provided in the second groove and a fourth housing portion provided in the third groove, and the other end of the second housing portion is connected to one end of the third housing portion, and the other end of the third housing portion is connected to one end of the fourth housing portion. When at least a part of the shielding door is housed in a partition wall, by providing the housing portion, the drug passage member can enter the irradiation chamber from outside the shielding door, bypassing the shielding door, and a continuous supply of the drug is realized.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first containment member further includes a stopper portion that allows the drug passage member to be inserted and prevents the drug passage member from separating from the first containment member without external force. By providing the stopper portion, the drug passage member is held within the first containment member, preventing the drug passage member from being pressed against the shielding door during drug supply, and ensuring the efficiency of drug supply.

[0010] In one embodiment, the stopper portion is provided in correspondence with the corresponding housing portion, and at least a part of the stopper portion extends in a direction from one edge of the housing portion toward the other edge. By providing the stopper portion at the edge of the groove and outside the housing mechanism beyond the drug passage member, the drug passage member can be easily provided inside the housing mechanism, thereby achieving the objective of continuous drug delivery to the irradiated object.

[0011] In one embodiment, the containment mechanism includes a second containment member provided in the floor. By providing the second containment member, exposure of the drug passage member to the neutron irradiation environment in the irradiation chamber is reduced, the occurrence of boron neutron capture reactions between the drug in the drug passage member and neutrons in the environment is effectively prevented, the loss of effective boron drug content during drug transport is reduced, and the drug supply efficiency during treatment is improved.

[0012] In one embodiment, the second housing member includes a linear housing section and a linear shielding section for shielding the linear housing section. By providing the housing section and the shielding section, the drug passage member can be easily placed, and the exposure of the drug passage member to the neutron irradiation environment in the irradiation chamber is reduced, improving the efficiency of drug supply during treatment.

[0013] In one embodiment, the second housing member further includes a curved housing section connected to a straight housing section, and the second housing member further includes a curved shielding section for shielding the curved housing section. By providing the curved housing section, the applicability of the second housing member is improved, and it becomes easier to house drug-passing members in irradiation chambers with different layouts.

[0014] In one embodiment, neutron shielding material is used in the straight shielding section and the curved shielding section. The neutron shielding material prevents the occurrence of boron neutron capture reactions between the drug in the drug passage member and neutrons in the environment, thereby avoiding a decrease in the effective boron drug content in the drug passage member.

[0015] In one embodiment, the drug supply device further includes a drug control member that acts on a drug passage member to control the supply of drug to the irradiated object, and a drug storage member connected to the drug passage member and storing the drug required for the irradiated object, wherein the drug control member and the drug storage member are physically spatially isolated from the second containment member. By physically spatially isolating the drug control member and the drug storage member from the second containment member, it is prevented that neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber will affect the drug storage member and the drug control member, such as by preventing electronic components in the drug control member from malfunctioning or reacting with the drug stored in the drug storage member.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention provides a neutron capture therapy system comprising: a charged particle beam generation unit for generating charged particle beams; a neutron beam generation unit for generating therapeutic neutron beams; a beam transmission unit for transmitting charged particle beams to the neutron beam generation unit; an irradiation chamber for performing neutron beam irradiation therapy on a target; a drug control chamber for controlling the supply of drug to the target; and the drug supply device described above for supplying drug to the target. In this neutron capture therapy system, the provision of a drug supply device enables continuous supply of drug to the target before and during neutron irradiation therapy, maintaining an appropriate therapeutic boron concentration within the target's body and improving the treatment efficiency during therapy. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the planar layout design of a neutron capture therapy system in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the positions of a partition wall and a shielding door in one embodiment of the present invention, where at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the positions of a partition wall and a shielding door in one embodiment of the present invention, where at least a portion of the shielding door is housed within the partition wall. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the position of the housing mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention, where at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the position of the housing mechanism when at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in a partition wall in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first and second walls in one embodiment of the present invention, where at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first and second walls in one embodiment of the present invention, where at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in a partition wall. [Figure 8]An isometric view of the first housing member when at least a part of the shielding door in an embodiment of the present invention is provided on one side of the partition wall. [Figure 9] A plan view of the first housing member when at least a part of the shielding door in an embodiment of the present invention is provided on one side of the partition wall. [Figure 10] An isometric view of the first housing member when at least a part of the shielding door in an embodiment of the present invention is accommodated in the partition wall. [Figure 11] A plan view of the first housing member when at least a part of the shielding door in an embodiment of the present invention is accommodated in the partition wall. [Figure 12] A front view of the first housing member when at least a part of the shielding door in an embodiment of the present invention is accommodated in the partition wall. [Figure 13] A plan view of the second housing member in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] A cross-sectional view of the second housing member in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] A plan view of the linear housing portion of the second housing member in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] An isometric view of the linear housing portion of the second housing member in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] A plan view of the curved housing portion of the second housing member in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] An isometric view of the curved housing portion of the second housing member in an embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] To further clarify and facilitate understanding of the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description includes many specific details to ensure a full understanding of the invention. However, the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below, as it can be implemented in many other forms not described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0019] In describing the present invention, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "vertical direction," "horizontal direction," "length," "width," "thickness," "top," "bottom," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are merely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of the present invention. They do not indicate or suggest that the shown devices or elements have a specific direction or must be configured and operated in a specific direction, and should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0020] Furthermore, the terms “first” and “second” are merely descriptive and should not be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance or implicitly representing the number of technical features being shown. Therefore, features limited by “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In this description, “multiple” means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited.

[0021] In this invention, unless otherwise specifically defined or limited, terms such as “attach,” “connect,” “connect,” and “fix” should be understood in a broad sense. Unless otherwise specifically defined, for example, a fixed connection may be a detachable connection or an integrated connection; a mechanical connection may be an electrical connection; a direct connection may be an indirect connection via an intermediate medium; or an internal communication between two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements. A person skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention depending on the specific situation.

[0022] In the present invention, unless otherwise specifically defined or limited, "above" or "below" the second feature of the first feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that they are indirectly in contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "above," and "above" the second feature of the first feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is greater than that of the second feature. "Below," "below," and "below" the second feature of the first feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0023] It should be explained that when an element is described as being "fixed" or "attached" to another element, that element may be directly located to the other element, or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, that element may be directly connected to the other element, or there may be an intervening element. The terms “vertical,” “horizontal,” “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right” and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not indicate that they represent only one embodiment.

[0024] It should be noted that while the structure of elements differs slightly in different embodiments, for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are used for components that have the same or similar function in different embodiments. In this specification, the same reference numerals are not used to indicate exactly the same structure. For example, the partition wall W2 shown below and in the drawings differs slightly in structure in Figures 2 and 3, but for convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are used in Figures 2 and 3.

[0025] Neutron capture therapy has been widely applied in recent years as one of the effective means of treating cancer, and among them, boron neutron capture therapy is the most common. Neutrons for boron neutron capture therapy can be supplied by a nuclear reactor or accelerator. In the embodiments of this invention, boron neutron capture therapy using an accelerator is given as an example. The basic components of boron neutron capture therapy using an accelerator usually include an accelerator for accelerating charged particles (e.g., protons, deuterons, etc.), a target material, a heat removal system, and a beam shaping body, and neutrons are generated when the accelerated charged particles act on the metal target material. An appropriate nuclear reaction is selected based on characteristics such as the required neutron yield and energy, the energy and current magnitude of the accelerating charged particles that can be supplied, and the physicochemical properties of the metal target material. Commonly discussed nuclear reactions include: 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be and 9 Be(p,n) 9 There is B, and both of these reactions are endothermic. The energy thresholds for these two nuclear reactions are 1.881 MeV and 2.055 MeV, respectively. Since the neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy is preferably epithermal neutrons at the keV energy level, theoretically, by colliding a metallic lithium target material with protons having energy slightly above the threshold, relatively low-energy neutrons can be generated and clinically used without much moderation. However, since the reaction cross-section for protons at the threshold energy is not large for the two target materials, metallic lithium (Li) and metallic beryllium (Be), high-energy protons are usually used to initiate the nuclear reaction in order to generate a sufficiently large neutron flux.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the planar layout design of a neutron capture therapy system in an embodiment of the present invention. The neutron capture therapy system in this embodiment is preferably a boron neutron capture therapy system 100. In the process of boron neutron capture therapy, a neutron beam is irradiated onto an irradiated object 200 injected with an agent such as a boron (B-10) - containing drug. The boron (B-10) - containing drug has a very strong affinity for tumor cells and selectively accumulates in tumor cells. Due to the characteristic that the capture cross - section of the boron (B-10) - containing drug for thermal neutrons is large, when neutrons are captured by 10 B within the tumor cells, nuclear fission occurs, generating α - particles and 7 Li - particles. These two particles have an average energy of about 2.33 MeV, high linear energy transfer, and short ranges. The linear energy transfer and range of the α - particle are 150 keV / μm and 8 μm respectively, 7 and the linear energy transfer and range of the Li - particle are 175 keV / μm and 5 μm respectively. The sum of the ranges of these two particles is approximately equivalent to the size of one cell. Since the radiation damage to the living body is limited to the cell level, tumor cells can be accurately killed while minimizing damage to surrounding normal cells.

[0027] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 includes a beam generator 10 and a (first) treatment table 20. The beam generator 10 includes a charged particle beam generation unit 11, a beam transmission unit 12, and a (first) neutron beam generation unit 13. The charged particle beam generation unit 11 generates a charged particle beam P such as a proton beam. The beam transmission unit 12 transmits the charged particle beam P to the neutron beam generation unit 13. The neutron beam generation unit 13 generates a therapeutic neutron beam N and irradiates the irradiated object 200 on the treatment table 20. The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 further includes auxiliary equipment 14, and the auxiliary equipment 14 may include any auxiliary equipment for providing the prerequisite conditions for the operations of the charged particle beam generation unit 11, the beam transmission unit 12, and the neutron beam generation unit 13.

[0028] Referring again to Figure 1, the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 is housed in a building that is entirely made of concrete. Specifically, the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 includes a (first) irradiation room 101, an accelerator room 102, and a beam transmission room 103. The irradiated body 200 on the treatment table 20 is treated by irradiation with a neutron beam N in the irradiation room 101. At least a portion of the accelerator room 102 houses a charged particle beam generation unit 11, which includes an ion source 111 and an accelerator 112. The ion source 111 is for generating charged particles such as H-, protons, and deuterons, and the accelerator 112 accelerates the charged particles generated in the ion source 111 to obtain a charged particle beam P, such as a proton beam, with the required energy. The accelerator 112 may be a linear accelerator, a cyclotron, a synchrotron, or a synchrocyclotron. At least a portion of the beam transmission chamber 103 houses the beam transmission unit 12, at least a portion of the neutron beam generation unit 13 is housed within the partition W1 between the irradiation chamber 101 and the beam transmission chamber 103, and at least a portion of the auxiliary equipment 14 is provided in the accelerator chamber 102 or the beam transmission chamber 103.

[0029] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may further include a second irradiation chamber 101', the beam generator 10 further includes a second neutron beam generation unit 13' corresponding to the second irradiation chamber 101', and the beam transmission unit 12 includes a beam direction switching assembly 121, which allows the beam transmission unit 12 to selectively transmit the charged particle beam P generated in the charged particle beam generation unit 11 to the first neutron beam generation unit 13 or the second neutron beam generation unit 13', thereby radiating the beam into the first irradiation chamber 101 or the second irradiation chamber 101'. It should be understood that the neutron beam N irradiated into the second irradiation chamber 101' may be used for treatment of another irradiated object on the second treatment table 20' in the second irradiation chamber 101' by irradiation with neutron beam N, or it may be used for sample detection, etc., and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0030] It should be understood that the beam generator 10 may have other structures. If there is a third irradiation chamber, a third neutron beam generation unit can be added corresponding to the third irradiation chamber, and the number of neutron beam generation units corresponds to the number of irradiation chambers, and in embodiments of the present invention, the number of neutron beam generation units is not specifically limited. By providing one charged particle beam generation unit and transmitting to each neutron beam generation unit, the cost of the system can be effectively reduced. The beam generator may include multiple charged particle beam generation units, thereby transmitting to each neutron beam generation unit, and it is understood that multiple neutron beams can be generated and irradiated simultaneously in multiple irradiation chambers.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the beam direction switching assembly 121 includes a deflection magnet (not shown) for deflecting the direction of the charged particle beam P. For example, when the deflection magnet corresponding to the first irradiation chamber 101 is turned on, the beam is guided to the first irradiation chamber 101, and this is not specifically limited in the present invention. The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may further include a beam dump 30 for collecting the beam when the beam is not needed or for checking the output of the charged particle beam P before treatment, and the beam direction switching assembly 121 can deviate the charged particle beam P from its normal trajectory and guide it to the beam dump.

[0032] The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may further include a preparation room (not shown), a control room 104, and other auxiliary treatment spaces (not shown). Each irradiation room may have one preparation room for performing preparatory work such as fixing the irradiated body to the treatment table before irradiation, simulating the positioning of the irradiated body, and simulating the treatment plan. The control room 104 controls the accelerator, beam transmission unit, treatment table, etc., and controls and manages the entire irradiation process, and the administrator can also monitor multiple irradiation rooms simultaneously from within the control room. Although only one configuration of the control room is shown in the figure, it should be understood that other configurations of the control room are possible.

[0033] Because continuous drug administration is required during the boron neutron capture therapy process, the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 further includes a drug control room (in this embodiment, a control room 104) and a drug supply device 40. The drug supply device 40 is for supplying boron (B-10)-containing drug to the irradiated body 200 before and during neutron irradiation therapy. In the neutron capture therapy system 100, the provision of the drug supply device 40 enables continuous supply of drug to the irradiated body 200 before and during neutron irradiation therapy, maintaining an appropriate therapeutic boron concentration value within the body of the irradiated body 200 and improving the treatment efficiency during treatment. The drug supply device 40 includes a drug storage member 41, a drug control member 42, and a drug passage member 43. The drug storage member 41 is for storing the drug necessary for the irradiated body 200, the drug control member 42 is for controlling the supply of the drug to the irradiated body 200, and the drug passage member 43 is for supplying the drug to the irradiated body 200. The drug storage member 41 and the drug control member 42 are installed in the drug control chamber 104, and by controlling the supply of boron (B-10)-containing drug to the irradiated body 200 within the drug control chamber 104, it is avoided that neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 will affect the drug storage member 41 and the drug control member 42, such as causing electronic components in the drug control member 42 to malfunction or react with the boron (B-10)-containing drug stored in the drug storage member 41. The drug passage member 43 is connected to the drug storage member 41 and supplies the boron (B-10)-containing drug into the irradiated body 200 by the drug control member 42. An infusion bag or infusion bottle may be used as the drug storage member 41. The drug control member 42 can control the flow of the boron (B-10)-containing drug in the drug passage member 43 by providing power for the drug (boron (B-10)-containing drug) to flow using an infusion pump, and can also control the flow rate of the drug and may have functions such as detection and alarm. The drug passage member 43 may be a disposable infusion tube including, for example, a needle inserted into the irradiated body 200, a needle protective cover, a hose, and a connector connected to the drug containment member 41.The drug passage member 43 may have at least a portion, such as the needle or the hose portion exposed to the irradiation chamber 101, made of neutron shielding material. This reduces the effect of neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 on the boron (B-10)-containing drug in the drug passage member 43. Although the figure only shows a device for supplying boron-containing drug to the irradiated body 200 in the first irradiation chamber 101, it is understood that a similar drug supply device 40 can be used to supply boron-containing drug to irradiated bodies in other irradiation chambers.

[0034] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, which show schematic diagrams of the positions of a partition wall and a shielding door in one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 2, at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall, for example, at least a portion of the shielding door is located on the side of the partition wall away from the irradiation chamber. In Figure 3, at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in the partition wall, for example, when the shielding door is closed, at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in the space formed by the partition wall. Referring also to Figure 1, a partition wall W2 and a shielding door D1 separating the irradiation chamber 101 from the drug control room 104 are provided between the drug control room 104 and the irradiation chamber 101, and it is possible to enter and exit the irradiation chamber 101 through the shielding door D1. The partition wall W2 and the shielding door D1 work together to shield neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 during neutron irradiation. The shielding door D1 is equipped with a radiation shielding member such as a lead plate, a drive mechanism and a guide mechanism. When the shielding door D1 is closed, the cooperation of the shielding door D1 and the partition wall W2 ensures complete sealing of the irradiation chamber 101, preventing neutron radiation from irradiating outside the irradiation chamber 101. It is understood that other positional relationships between the shielding door D1 and the partition wall W2 are possible, depending on the structural characteristics of the shielding door D1, as long as they can serve to shield the neutron radiation inside the irradiation chamber 101.

[0035] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, which show schematic diagrams of the location of the housing mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention where at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall, and in another embodiment where at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in the partition wall. Referring also to Figure 1, the drug supply device 40 is provided between the drug control chamber 104 and the irradiation chamber 101 and within the irradiation chamber 101, and further includes a housing mechanism 44 for housing a drug passage member 43, thereby allowing the drug passage member 43, which supplies boron (B-10)-containing drug, to enter the irradiation chamber 101 directly from outside the shielding door D1, bypassing the shielding door D1. Furthermore, the housing mechanism 44 includes a first housing member 441 provided in the partition wall W2. By designing the first containment member 441, the drug passage member 43 can enter the irradiation chamber 101 directly from outside the shielding door W2, bypassing the shielding door D1, without affecting the normal closing of the shielding door D1, and without having to stop the drug supply during the movement of the irradiated body 200 from the drug control room 104 to the irradiation chamber 101, thereby achieving the objective of continuous drug delivery to the irradiated body 200. In one possible embodiment, the containment mechanism 44 further includes a second containment member 442 provided in the floor W3. By providing the second containment member 442, the exposure of the drug passage member 43 to the neutron irradiation environment in the irradiation chamber 101 is reduced, the occurrence of boron neutron capture reactions between the drug in the drug passage member 43 and neutrons in the environment is effectively prevented, the loss of effective boron drug content during drug transport is reduced, and the drug supply efficiency during treatment is improved. Referring also to Figure 1, the drug control member 42 and the drug storage member 41 are physically spatially isolated from the second containment member 441, thereby preventing neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 from affecting the drug storage member 41 and the drug control member 42. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, Figures 6 and 7 show schematic diagrams of the structure of the first wall in one embodiment of the present invention where at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall, and in another embodiment where at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in the partition wall. The partition wall W2 includes a first wall W21 and a second wall W22 in which a groove is formed, and the first wall W21 and the second wall W22 are connected but not in the same plane.In this embodiment, the second wall W22 is closer to the shielding door D1 than the first wall W21, and the second wall W22 and the shielding door D1 are in close contact, thus ensuring the shielding effect of the shielding door D1. Referring to Figures 2 and 6, when at least a portion of the shielding door D1 is provided on one side of the partition wall W2, the first wall W21 includes the first wall portion W211, and the second wall W22 includes the second wall portion W221 in which the first groove G1 is formed, and the first wall portion W211 and the second wall portion W221 are not in the same plane. In this embodiment, the first wall portion W211 is perpendicular to the second wall portion W221. Referring to Figures 2 and 7, when at least a portion of the shielding door D1 is housed in the partition wall W2, the second wall W22, which surrounds the edge of the shielding door D1, further includes a third wall portion W222 with a second groove G2 formed therein and a fourth wall portion W223 with a third groove G3 formed therein, and the second wall portion W221, the third wall portion W222, and the fourth wall portion W223 are connected to form a U-shaped structure. Accordingly, the first groove G1, the second groove G2, and the third groove G3 are also connected to form a U-shaped structure. In this embodiment, the second wall W221 is parallel to the fourth wall W223, the third wall W222 is parallel to the first wall W211, and the third wall W222 is perpendicular to the second wall W221 and the fourth wall W223, respectively, and the second wall W221, the third wall W222 and the fourth wall W223 are connected to form a housing cavity capable of partially housing the shielding door D1. In one possible embodiment, the first wall W21 further includes a fifth wall W212 connected to the fourth wall W223, and the fourth wall W223 and the fifth wall W212 are not in the same plane. In this embodiment, the fourth wall W223 is perpendicular to the fifth wall W212, and the fifth wall W212 is parallel to the first wall W211. If the combination of partition wall W2 and shielding door D1 can be realized, then partition wall W2 can also be configured in other ways, and the positional relationship between each wall section is not limited.

[0036] Referring to Figures 8 to 12, schematic diagrams of the first housing member are shown for cases in one embodiment of the present invention where at least a portion of the shielding door is provided on one side of the partition wall, and for another embodiment where at least a portion of the shielding door is housed in the partition wall. Referring to Figures 8 and 9 along with Figures 2 to 7, when at least a portion of the shielding door D1 is provided on one side of the partition wall W2, the first housing member 441 is used to house and hold the drug passage member 43. The first housing member 441 includes a first housing portion 4411 provided in the first wall portion W211 and a second housing portion 4412 provided in the first groove G1, with one end of the first housing portion 4411 and one end of the second housing portion 4412 connected. If the first housing section 4411 is connected to the second housing section 4412 and does not affect the operation of the shielding door D1, then it is understood that the direction of extension of the first housing section 4411 is not limited, and it is preferable that it extends toward the second housing member 442. The drug passage member 43 is made of a flexible material and, depending on the structural design of the first housing section 4411 and the second housing section 4412, a curved or deformed portion is formed to match the structural design, or it takes on a shape to match the structural design. For example, if a deformed portion is formed where the first housing section 4411 and the second housing section 4412 are connected, the drug passage member 43 will also have a deformed portion formed at the connection point, but the drug can still pass through. Also, for example, if the first housing section 4411 and the second housing section 4412 are combined in an L-shape, the drug passage member 43 will also be formed in an L-shape or nearly L-shape to match its shape, but the drug can still pass through. Referring to Figures 10 to 12 along with Figures 2 to 7, when at least a portion of the shielding door D1 is housed in the partition wall W2, the first housing member 441 further includes a third housing section 4413 provided in the second groove G2 and a fourth housing section 4414 provided in the third groove G3, with one end of the second housing section 4412 connected to one end of the third housing section 4413, and the other end of the third housing section 4413 connected to one end of the fourth housing section 4414.In one possible embodiment, the first housing member 441 further includes a fifth housing section 4415 provided in the first wall section W211 and a sixth housing section 4416 provided in the fifth wall section W212, wherein the fifth housing section 4415 extends toward the second housing member 442, one end of the fifth housing section 4415 is connected to the other end of the first housing section 4411, and the other end of the fourth housing section 4414 is connected to one end of the sixth housing section 4416. As described above, the drug passage member 43 is formed with curved or deformed sections to match the structural design of each housing section, or is shaped to match the structural design, and is capable of passing through the drug. Furthermore, when the shielding door D1 is closed, the first housing member 441 that supports and houses the drug passage member 43 is located at a predetermined distance from the shielding door D1, for example, by being partially located within the partition wall W2. Therefore, it does not interfere with the operation of the shielding door D1, and the drug passage member 43 is not pressed against the shielding door D1, thus preventing the drug passage from being blocked.

[0037] Referring again to Figures 10 to 12, in this embodiment, the first wall section W211, the third wall section W222, and the fifth wall section W212 are parallel to the thickness direction of the shielding door D1, and the second wall section W221 and the fourth wall section W223 are perpendicular to the thickness direction of the shielding door D1. The outside surfaces of the second housing section 4412, the third housing section 4413, and the fourth housing section 4414 are flush with the surfaces of the second wall section W221, the third wall section W222, and the fourth wall section W223, respectively. The first housing section 4411 and the fifth housing section 4415 protrude from the surface of the first wall section W211, and the sixth housing section 4416 protrudes from the surface of the fifth wall section W212. The first housing section 4414, the fifth housing section 4415, and the sixth housing section 4416 are fixed to the first wall section W211 and the fifth wall section W212 by adhesive bonding. Any connection method is acceptable as long as the first housing section 4411, the fifth housing section 4415, and the sixth housing section 4416 can be fixed to the first wall section W211 and the fifth wall section W212, whether it be a movable connection such as a press-fit fastener, screw connection, bolt connection, snap connection, or hinge connection, or a rigid connection. It is also understood that grooves for housing the first housing section 4414, the fifth housing section 4415, and the sixth housing section 4416 may be provided in the first wall section W211 and the fifth wall section W212, respectively. In this embodiment, the first housing section 4411 and the sixth housing section 4416 are parallel and extend in opposite directions. The fifth housing section 4415 is perpendicular to the first housing section 4411 and extends toward the second housing member 442. The overall height of the first housing member 441 is determined by the fifth housing section 4415, and is preferably less than or equal to the height of the drug storage member 41 in order to facilitate drug supply. It is understood that the fifth housing section 4415 may be in any direction as long as it does not affect the operation of the shielding door D1. By adding the fifth housing section 4415 provided in the irradiation chamber 101 and the sixth housing section 4416 provided in the drug control chamber 104, it is more preferable to realize that the drug passage member 43 enters the irradiation chamber 101 from the control chamber 104, bypassing the shielding door D1, and also to more preferable to protect the drug passage member 43.

[0038] Referring again to Figures 10 to 12, in this embodiment, one side of the second housing section 4412, the third housing section 4413, and the fourth housing section 4414 of the first housing member 441 is used to house the drug passage member 43, and the other side is used to fit with the first groove G1, the second groove G2, and the third groove G3, respectively, so that the second housing section 4412, the third housing section 4413, and the fourth housing section 4414 are partially mounted within the first groove G1, the second groove G2, and the third groove G3. On the side used to house the drug passage member 43, the second housing section 4412, the third housing section 4413, and the fourth housing section 4414 are further provided with straight upper and lower edges. These upper and lower edges are used to further fixate fitting with the first groove G1, the second groove G2, and the third groove G3 so that the first housing member 441 is more suitably fixed within the first wall W2. The upper and lower edges are planar in structure so as not to affect the normal operation of the shielding door D1. The first housing section 4411 and the sixth housing section 4416 include inclined upper and lower edges to facilitate the overall design of the first housing member 441. The upper side of the third housing section 4413 further includes a flange section 4413a provided inside the fourth wall section W223 and extending in the height direction of the fourth wall section W223. Unlike the upper edge of the third housing section 4413, this flange section 4413a is used for further fixing and fitting between the first housing section 441 and the partition wall W2. It is understood that the first housing member 441 does not need to have the above-mentioned edges if it can be fixed to the first wall (partition wall W2). To more suitably accommodate the drug passage member 43, the inner diameter of the first housing member 441 needs to be larger than the outer diameter of the drug passage member 43. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the housing cavity of the first housing member 441 is rectangular. It is understood that the cross-sectional shape of the housing cavity of the first housing member 441 may be circular, triangular, or the like, as long as it can accommodate the drug passage member 43. The installation of the entire first housing member 441 is completed when the first housing member 441 is inserted along the operating direction of the shielding door D1 until the corresponding part of the third housing section 4413 abuts against the second groove G2.

[0039] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, after the irradiated body 200 is moved from the drug control room 104 to the irradiation room 101 by the first containment member 441, the drug passage member 43 is sequentially placed into the second containment section 4412 and the first containment section 4411. Referring to Figures 10 to 12, after the irradiated body 200 is moved from the drug control room 104 to the irradiation room 101 by the first containment member 441, the drug passage member 43 is sequentially placed into the sixth containment section 4416, the fourth containment section 4414, the third containment section 4413, the second containment section 4412, the first containment section 4411 and the fifth containment section 4415. The drug passage member 43 can reach the treatment room 100 from the drug control room 104, bypassing the shielding door D1, and there is no need to stop the supply of drug to the irradiated body 200, enabling continuous drug delivery during treatment of the irradiated body 200 and improving treatment efficiency. The first housing member 441 can also support the chemical passage member 43, thus facilitating the passage of the chemical passage member 43, while separating it from the concrete wall to prevent contamination of the chemical passage member 43 by dust and other debris. The first housing member 441 is provided along the shielding door D1, but as long as the chemical passage member 43 can pass through and the shielding door D1 can operate normally, the number of housing sections of the first housing member 441 in the irradiation chamber and / or control chamber may be increased or decreased accordingly, and it is understood that the number of housing sections and their relative positions are not limited.

[0040] Furthermore, the first housing member 441 further includes a stopper portion 4417 that allows the drug passage member 43 to be inserted and prevents the drug passage member 43 from separating from the first housing member 441 without external force. The stopper portion 4417 is provided in correspondence with the corresponding housing, and at least a portion of the stopper portion 4417 extends in a direction from one edge of the housing to the other edge. In this embodiment, the stopper portion 4417 has a rectangular structure and is distributed alternately vertically as a whole, with a portion extending in a direction from one edge of the housing to the other edge, and other portions extending in a direction from the other edge of the housing to the one edge. In one possible embodiment, the stopper portion 4417 is provided on one side of the housing and all extend in a direction from one edge of the housing to the other edge. By providing the stopper portion 4417, the drug passage member 43 is placed inside the first containment member 441, and it is possible to prevent the drug passage member 43 from sliding down without being subjected to external force during drug supply, pressing against the shielding door D1, and obstructing the transport of the drug. When the shielding door D1 is in the open or closed state, the supply state of the drug in the drug passage member 43 can be clearly observed through the opening between the stopper portions 4417 of the first containment member 441. It is understood that the stopper portion 4417 can be of various shapes such as triangles, polygons, or circles, as long as it allows the drug passage member 43 to be placed inside and prevents it from sliding down, and that the spacing between the stopper portions 4417 is not limited.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material of the first containment member 441 is PVC, which reduces the amount of secondary radiation generated because the products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive or have extremely low specific activity. It is understood that other materials can also be used, such as those that produce non-radioactive products after neutron irradiation, have low specific activity, or have short half-lives of radioactive isotopes generated after neutron irradiation.

[0042] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, which are a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a second housing member in one embodiment of the present invention, respectively. The second housing member 442 is provided in the floor W3 of the irradiation chamber 101. Referring also to Figures 15 to 18, the second housing member 442 includes a straight housing section 4421 and a curved housing section 4422 connected to the straight housing section 4421. The second housing member 442 further includes a straight shielding section 4423 and a curved shielding section 4424 for shielding the straight housing section 4421 and the curved housing section 4422, respectively. At least a portion of the first housing member 441 is physically spatially isolated from the second housing member 442, and one side of the second housing member 442 is closer to the irradiated object 200 than the first housing member 441. In this embodiment, the second housing member 442 is provided inside the irradiation chamber 101, and the sixth housing section 4416 of the first housing member 441 is provided inside the drug control chamber 104, thus achieving physical spatial isolation. One end of the second housing member 442 is close to one end of the first housing member 441, and the other end is close to the treatment table 20 and closer to the irradiated body 200 than the first housing member 441. The length and layout of the second housing member 442 are determined by the path from one end of the first housing member 441 inside the irradiation chamber 101 to the treatment table 20. It is understood that, as long as it is possible to reach the treatment table 20, the second housing member 442 may have only a straight housing section 4421 and a straight shielding section 4423, or only a curved housing section 4422 and a curved shielding section 4424.

[0043] Referring to Figures 13 and 15-18, the linear shielding section 4423 and the curved shielding section 4424 each have at least two through-holes to facilitate insertion and removal of the linear shielding section 4423 and the curved shielding section 4424, and to allow observation of the supply state of the drug in the drug passage member 43. The linear shielding section 4423 is designed in segments to facilitate use and replacement of the linear shielding section 4423. To reduce the effect of neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 on the boron (B-10)-containing drug during neutron irradiation, the fitting gap between the linear shielding sections 4423 is made as small as possible. Accordingly, the fitting gap between the linear shielding section 4423 and the curved shielding section 4424 also needs to be made as small as possible. It is understood that the linear shielding section 4423 may be a separate, integrated structure, and the linear shielding section 4423 and the curved shielding section 4424 may be a continuous, integrated structure.

[0044] Referring to Figure 14, in this embodiment, the straight shielding portion 4423 and the curved shielding portion 4424 are provided with bosses 4425 that are narrower than the width of the housing cavities of the straight housing portion 4421 and the curved housing portion 4422, thereby facilitating combination with the straight housing portion 4421 and the curved housing portion 4422, and allowing them to perform their shielding role more effectively during drug supply. To ensure the safe movement of the irradiated object 200 and the operator within the irradiation chamber 101, and the safe entry and exit from the irradiation chamber 101, it is preferable that the surface of the second housing member 442 is free of obvious protrusions and is as flush as possible with the floor portion W3. It is understood that the cross-sectional shape of the housing cavity of the second housing member 442 may be circular, square, or V-shaped, as long as it can accommodate the drug passage member 43. The second containment member 442 minimizes exposure of the drug passage member 43 within the irradiation chamber 101, reducing the effect of neutron radiation in the irradiation chamber 101 on the boron (B-10)-containing drug in the drug passage member 43 during neutron irradiation, and improving drug supply efficiency.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material of the second housing member 442 is an aluminum alloy. It is understood that other materials may also be used, such as carbon fiber composite materials or glass fiber composite materials, which have a certain degree of strength and whose products after neutron irradiation are non-radioactive, or whose products after neutron irradiation have low specific activity, or whose radioactive isotopes generated after neutron irradiation have a short half-life.

[0046] The process for supplying boron (B-10)-containing drugs before and after irradiation therapy is as follows: Before starting irradiation therapy, an appropriate drug passage member 43 is selected and connected to the drug storage member 41 and the drug control member 42. Once the treatment plan for the irradiated body 200 is determined, an operator in the drug control room opens the drug control member 42, and a physician removes the needle protective cover and inserts the needle into the irradiated body 200. When the concentration of boron (B-10)-containing drug in the body of the irradiated body 200 reaches a certain value, the irradiated body 200 is transferred from the drug control room 104 to the irradiation room 101, and when the irradiated body 200 is transferred to the treatment position, the drug passage member 43 is sequentially fitted into the first housing member 441 and the second housing member 442 of the housing mechanism 44. Once the irradiated object 200 has been positioned within the irradiation chamber 101 and the physician has left the irradiation chamber 101, the operator controls the irradiation of the neutron beam N onto the irradiated object 200 and continues to control the supply of the boron (B-10)-containing drug. It is understood that the drug supply device 40 can be applied to other types of neutron capture therapy systems, and the boron (B-10)-containing drug may be replaced with other drugs. During the transfer of the irradiated object 200 from the drug control chamber 104 to the irradiation chamber 101, the drug passage member 43 is not cut, enabling continuous supply of the drug during treatment, simplifying the treatment process and improving treatment efficiency.

[0047] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described, but these combinations of technical features should be considered to fall within the scope described herein, provided they are not contradictory.

[0048] The above examples describe only a few embodiments of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be understood as limiting the scope of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should note that some modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of patent protection for the present invention shall be based on the appended claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 100 Neutron Capture Therapy Systems 101 (1st) Irradiation room 101' 2nd irradiation room 102 Accelerator room 103 Beam Transmission Room 104 (Pharmacy) Control Room 10 Beam Generator 11 Charged Particle Beam Generation Unit 111 Ion source 112 Accelerator 12 Beam transmission section 121 Beam Direction Switching Assembly 13 (1st) Neutron beam generation section 13' Second neutron beam generation section 14 Auxiliary equipment 20 (1st) Treatment table 20' 2nd treatment table 30 Beam Dump 40. Drug supply device 41 Drug storage component 42 Drug control member 43 Drug passage member 44 Containment Mechanism 441 First housing member 4411 First Detention Unit 4412 Second Detention Unit 4413 Third Detention Unit 4413a Flange section 4414 Fourth Detention Unit 4415 Fifth Detention Unit 4416 6th Detention Unit 4417 Stopper part 442 Second housing member 4421 Straight storage section 4422 Curved housing section 4423 Straight shield section 4424 Curved shielding section 200 Irradiated object W1 Bulkhead W2 Bulkhead W21 Wall 1 W211 1st wall section W212 Fifth Wall Section W22 2nd Wall W221 Second Wall Section W222 Third Wall Section W223 Fourth Wall Section W3 floor G1 1st groove G2 2nd groove G3 3rd groove D1 Shielding Door 4425 Boss

Claims

1. A drug passage member for supplying the drug to the irradiated object, A drug supply device for a neutron capture therapy system, characterized by including a first containment member provided in a partition wall, and a containment mechanism for containing the drug passage member.

2. The drug supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition wall includes a first wall and a second wall on which a groove is formed, and the first wall and the second wall are not in the same plane.

3. The drug supply device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first wall includes a first wall portion, the second wall includes a second wall portion in which a first groove is formed, the first wall portion is connected to the second wall portion, and the first housing member includes a first housing portion provided in the first wall portion and a second housing portion provided in the first groove, with one end of the first housing portion connected to one end of the second housing portion.

4. The drug supply device according to claim 3, wherein the second wall further includes a third wall portion having a second groove and a fourth wall portion having a third groove, and the second wall portion, the third wall portion and the fourth wall portion are connected to form a U-shaped structure, and the first housing member further includes a third housing portion provided in the second groove and a fourth housing portion provided in the third groove, the other end of the second housing portion is connected to one end of the third housing portion, and the other end of the third housing portion is connected to one end of the fourth housing portion.

5. The drug supply device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first wall further includes a fifth wall connected to the fourth wall, the fourth wall and the fifth wall are not in the same plane, the first housing member further includes a fifth housing provided in the first wall and a sixth housing provided in the fifth wall, the fifth housing extends in a direction toward the second housing member, one end of the fifth housing is connected to the other end of the first housing, and the other end of the fourth housing is connected to one end of the sixth housing.

6. The drug supply device according to claim 4, further comprising a flange portion provided on the inside of the fourth wall portion and extending in the height direction of the fourth wall portion, above the third housing portion.

7. The drug supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first housing member further includes a stopper portion that allows the drug passage member to be inserted and prevents the drug passage member from separating from the first housing member without external force.

8. The drug supply device according to claim 7, characterized in that the stopper portion is provided in correspondence with the corresponding housing portion, and at least a part of the stopper portion extends in a direction from one edge to the other edge of the housing portion.

9. The drug supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the storage mechanism includes a second storage member provided in the floor.

10. The drug supply device according to claim 9, characterized in that the second housing member includes a linear housing portion and a linear shielding portion for shielding the linear housing portion.

11. The drug supply device according to claim 10, wherein the second housing member further includes a curved housing portion connected to the straight housing portion, and the second housing member further includes a curved shielding portion for shielding the curved housing portion.

12. The drug supply device according to claim 11, characterized in that the linear shielding portion and the curved shielding portion each have at least two through holes.

13. The drug supply device according to claim 11, characterized in that the linear shielding portion and the curved shielding portion are provided with bosses having a width narrower than the width of the housing cavity of the linear housing portion and the curved housing portion.

14. The drug supply device according to claim 11, characterized in that a neutron shielding material is used in the linear shielding portion and the curved shielding portion.

15. The drug supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a drug control member that acts on the drug passage member to control the supply of drug to the irradiated object, and a drug storage member connected to the drug passage member for storing the drug required for the irradiated object, wherein the drug control member and the drug storage member are physically spatially isolated from the second containment member.

16. A charged particle beam generation unit for generating charged particle beams, A neutron beam generation unit for generating therapeutic neutron beams, A beam transmission unit for transmitting the charged particle beam to the neutron beam generation unit, An irradiation room for administering neutron beam irradiation therapy to the target body, A drug control room for controlling the supply of drugs to the irradiated object, A drug supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 15 for supplying a drug to an irradiated object, A neutron capture therapy system characterized by including [the following].

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