Radiation Irradiation System

Abstract

The present invention provides a radiation irradiation system including a radiation generating device and a mounting table, and irradiating an object placed on the mounting table with a beam generated by the radiation generating device. The radiation irradiation system further includes a mounting table positioning device supporting the mounting table and including a positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism including a linear axis, and the mounting table positioning device is capable of translational movement along the linear axis, the extension direction of the linear axis being parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam generated by the radiation generating device. In the radiation irradiation system of the present invention, during the process of positioning the mounting table, the entire mounting table positioning device translates along a direction parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam generated by the radiation generating device, and a majority of the mounting table positioning device is located in the space between the linear axis and the beam exit, thereby reducing radioactivity generated by each component of the mounting table positioning device due to radiation irradiation and reducing any shortening of the service life caused thereby.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a radiation delivery system. [Background technology]

[0002] With the development of atomic science, radiation therapy using cobalt-60, linear accelerators, electron beams, etc. has become one of the main methods of cancer treatment. However, conventional photon or electron therapy kills tumor cells due to the physical limitations of the radiation itself, while damaging many normal tissues along the beam path. In addition, tumor cells have different levels of sensitivity to radiation, and conventional radiation therapy is not very effective against radiation-resistant malignant tumors (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme and melanoma).

[0003] To reduce radiation damage to normal tissues surrounding tumors, targeted chemotherapy is used in radiation therapy. Furthermore, radiation sources with high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) are currently being actively developed for targeting tumor cells with high radiation resistance (e.g., proton therapy, heavy ion therapy, and neutron capture therapy). Neutron capture therapy combines the two concepts mentioned above. For example, in boron neutron capture therapy, boron-containing drugs specifically concentrate in tumor cells. This, combined with precise neutron beam control, offers a better cancer treatment option than conventional radiation.

[0004] In radiation therapy, the treatment couch positioning device aligns the beam with the tumor cells in the patient's body on the treatment couch, allowing for highly accurate treatment while minimizing radiation damage to the normal tissue surrounding the tumor cells. In neutron capture therapy, the treatment couch positioning device is located in a mixed radiation field of neutrons and gamma rays, making it more likely to be activated by neutrons and generate secondary radiation, and reducing its service life due to radiation damage.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new technical means to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a radiation irradiation system including a radiation generating device and a mounting table, and irradiating an irradiation target placed on the mounting table with a beam generated by the radiation generating device. The system further includes a mounting table positioning device supporting the mounting table and including a positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism including a linear axis, and the mounting table positioning device being movable in parallel along the linear axis, the extension direction of the linear axis being parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam generated by the radiation generating device. During the mounting table positioning process, the entire mounting table positioning device moves in parallel along a direction parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam generated by the radiation generating device, and most of the mounting table positioning device is located in the space between the linear axis and the beam exit, thereby suppressing radioactivity generated by irradiation of each component of the mounting table positioning device and reducing any shortening of the service life caused by the irradiation.

[0007] Preferably, the positioning mechanism further includes a robot arm that is installed between the linear axis and the mounting table, connects the mounting table to the linear axis, and moves the mounting table parallel to the linear axis together with the robot arm.

[0008] The radiation irradiation system further includes an irradiation chamber, the linear axis is attached to the ceiling of the irradiation chamber, and the entire robot arm extends toward the floor of the irradiation chamber. The linear axis is directly fixed to the ceiling, eliminating the need for a separate linear axis fixing mechanism, such as a steel gantry, thereby reducing the amount of steel used in the irradiation chamber and avoiding secondary radiation caused by irradiation of the fixing mechanism.

[0009] Furthermore, the linear axis includes a fixed slide rail and a bracket connected to the robot arm, the bracket sliding along the slide rail, and the distance from a sliding surface between the slide rail and the bracket to a center of a beam exit of the radiation generating device in a direction perpendicular to the sliding surface is less than 2 meters, providing a sufficient operating space for a stage positioning device to position the stage at a desired position relative to the beam exit. Furthermore, the robot arm includes a first arm fixedly connected to the bracket, a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm and defining a first pivot axis, a third arm pivotally connected to the second arm and defining a second pivot axis, a fourth arm pivotally connected to the third arm and defining a third pivot axis, a fifth arm pivotally connected to the fourth arm and defining a fourth pivot axis, a sixth arm pivotally connected to the fifth arm and defining a fifth pivot axis, and a seventh arm pivotally connected to the sixth arm and defining a sixth pivot axis. Furthermore, the seventh arm is fixedly connected to the mounting table, and the second, third, and fifth pivot axes are parallel to the sliding surface, the fourth pivot axis is perpendicular to the third pivot axis, and the first and sixth pivot axes are perpendicular to the sliding surface.

[0010] Furthermore, the radiation irradiation system further includes a control device that controls the stage positioning device and includes a user interface, a system control module, and a positioning control module, the user interface being connected to the system control module, and the system control module being connected to the positioning control module.

[0011] Furthermore, the system control module may receive a command from the user interface and then transmit the command to the positioning control module to control movement of the positioning mechanism, the positioning control module may receive position information of the positioning mechanism and transmit it to the system control module, the system control module may control the user interface to indicate the position information of the positioning mechanism, the stage positioning device may further include a drive mechanism for driving movement of the linear axis and the robot arm, the positioning control module may be connected to and control the drive mechanism, the operating status or data of the drive mechanism may be fed back to the system control module by the positioning control module, the system control module or the positioning control module may control the drive mechanism based on the operating status or data of the drive mechanism, and the system control module may transmit the operating status or data of the drive mechanism to the user interface to indicate the status.

[0012] Furthermore, the stage or the stage positioning device is provided with a sensor connected to the system control module, and the system control module receives a signal from the sensor and then sends a command to the positioning control module to control the movement of the stage positioning device, and transmits the signal from the sensor to the user interface to provide a status indication. The sensor is a collision prevention sensor, and the collision prevention sensor is provided on the stage or the robot arm and may be a mechanical sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a laser range finder, etc.

[0013] Preferably, the radiation irradiation system is a neutron capture therapy system, the radiation generating device includes a neutron generating device and a beam shaper, the beam shaper is capable of adjusting the neutron beam generated by the neutron generating device to a predetermined beam quality, and the neutron beam generated by the neutron generating device is irradiated onto the irradiated object on the mounting table by the beam shaper.

[0014] Furthermore, the neutron generator includes an accelerator and a target, and the charged particle beam accelerated and generated by the accelerator interacts with the target to generate a neutron beam.

[0015] Furthermore, the beam shaper includes a reflector, a moderator, a thermal neutron absorber, a radiation shield, and a beam outlet, the moderator moderating neutrons generated in the target to an epithermal neutron energy region, the reflector surrounding the moderator and guiding stray neutrons to the moderator to improve the intensity of the epithermal neutron beam, the thermal neutron absorber absorbing thermal neutrons to avoid excessive dose to superficial normal tissue during treatment, and the radiation shielding blocking neutrons and photons leaking out from portions other than the beam outlet.

[0016] In the radiation irradiation system of the present invention, during the process of positioning the mounting table, the entire mounting table positioning device moves parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam generated by the radiation generating device, and most of the mounting table positioning device is located in the space between the linear axis and the beam outlet, thereby suppressing the radioactivity generated by each component of the mounting table positioning device due to radiation irradiation and the resulting shortening of its service life. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a treatment table positioning device of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of FIG. 2 as seen from another direction. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a module of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of a user interface of a fixed controller of a control device of a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a user interface of a handheld controller of a control device for a neutron capture therapy system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can implement the invention by referring to the specification.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the radiation irradiation system in this embodiment is preferably a boron neutron capture therapy system 100, which includes a neutron generator 10, a beam shaper 20, a collimator 30, and a treatment table 40. The neutron generator 10 includes an accelerator 11 and a target T. The accelerator 11 accelerates charged particles (e.g., protons, deuterium nuclei, etc.) to generate a charged particle beam P such as a proton beam, and the charged particle beam P is irradiated onto the target T and interacts with the target T to generate a neutron beam (neutron beam) N, which is preferably a metal target. An appropriate nuclear reaction is selected depending on the required neutron yield and energy, the energy and current magnitude of the accelerated charged particles that can be provided, the physicochemical properties of the metal target, etc. The nuclear reaction always discussed is 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be and 9 Be(p,n) 9B, both of which are endothermic reactions. The energy thresholds for these two nuclear reactions are 1.881 MeV and 2.055 MeV, respectively. Since the ideal neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy is epithermal neutrons at the keV energy level, theoretically, bombarding a metallic lithium target with protons slightly above the threshold energy would produce relatively low-energy neutrons that could be used clinically without the need for additional moderation. However, because the cross section of interaction between the two targets, lithium metal (Li) and beryllium metal (Be), and protons at the threshold energy are not large, nuclear reactions are generally induced with protons of relatively high energy to ensure sufficient neutron flux. An ideal target should have a high neutron yield, a neutron energy distribution close to the epithermal neutron energy region (described in detail below), no excessively strong penetrating radiation, and be safe, inexpensive, easy to operate, and resistant to high temperatures. However, in practice, it has not been possible to find a nuclear reaction that meets all of these requirements. Therefore, in this embodiment of the present invention, a target made of lithium metal is used. However, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the material of the target T may be made of metal materials other than lithium and beryllium, such as tantalum (Ta) or tungsten (W). The target T may be disk-shaped or have other solid shapes, or may be made of a liquid material (liquid metal). The accelerator 11 may be a linear accelerator, cyclotron, synchrotron, or synchrocyclotron, and the neutron generator 10 may be a nuclear reactor without an accelerator or target. Although the neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy originates from the nuclear reaction between charged particles and the target in a nuclear reactor or accelerator, the radiation generated is actually a mixed radiation field, i.e., the beam contains neutrons and photons ranging from low to high energy. For boron neutron capture therapy of deep-seated tumors, the greater the content of other radiation, excluding epithermal neutrons, the greater the proportion of non-selective dose deposition in normal tissues. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce these radiations that cause unnecessary doses as much as possible. It is also important to avoid excessive exposure of various types of radiation to the normal tissues of the irradiated subject, which would also cause unnecessary dose deposition.

[0020] The neutron beam N generated by the neutron generator 10 passes through a beam shaper 20 and a collimator 30, and is then irradiated onto the subject 200 on the treatment couch 40. The beam shaper 20 adjusts the beam quality of the neutron beam N generated by the neutron generator 10, and the collimator 30 focuses the neutron beam N, allowing the neutron beam N to have high targetability during the treatment process. The beam can be aligned with tumor cells M inside the subject 200 by adjusting the positions of the treatment couch 40 and the subject 200, and these adjustments can be performed manually or automatically by a series of control mechanisms (described in detail below). As can be understood, the present invention does not require a collimator, and the beam can be directly irradiated onto the subject 200 on the treatment couch 40 after exiting the beam shaper 20.

[0021] The beam shaper 20 further includes a reflector 21, a moderator 22, a thermal neutron absorber 23, a radiation shield 24, and a beam outlet 25. Since the energy spectrum of the neutrons generated by the neutron generator 10 is wide, it is necessary to reduce the content of other types of neutrons and photons as much as possible, in addition to epithermal neutrons that meet the needs of treatment, to avoid causing injury to the operator or the irradiated body. Therefore, the neutrons emitted from the neutron generator 10 pass through the moderator 22 to adjust the energy of fast neutrons (>40 keV) to the epithermal neutron energy range (0.5 eV to 40 keV), and reduce the thermal neutrons (<0.5 eV) as much as possible. The moderator 22 is made of a material that has a large cross section with fast neutrons and a small cross section with epithermal neutrons. In a preferred embodiment, the moderator 22 is made of D2O, AlF3, Fluental TMThe reflector 21 is made of at least one of CaF2, Li2CO3, MgF2 and Al2O3, and surrounds the moderator 22, and reflects neutrons that have passed through the moderator 22 and diffused to the surrounding area into a neutron beam N, improving the utilization rate of neutrons. The reflector 21 is made of a material with high neutron reflectivity, and in a preferred embodiment, the reflector 21 is made of at least one of Pb and Ni, and the moderator 22 has a thermal neutron absorber 23 at the rear, and is made of a material with a large cross section that interacts with thermal neutrons. In a preferred embodiment, the thermal neutron absorber 23 is made of Li-6, and reflects neutrons that have passed through the moderator 22 and diffused to the surrounding area into a neutron beam N, improving the utilization rate of neutrons. The thermal neutron absorber absorbs the thermal neutrons emitted from the neutron beam N, reducing the content of thermal neutrons in the neutron beam N and avoiding excessive doses to superficial normal tissue during treatment. As can be understood, the thermal neutron absorber may be integrated with the moderator, and the moderator's material includes Li-6. The radiation shielding body 24 blocks neutrons and photons leaking from portions other than the beam exit 25. The material of the radiation shielding body 24 includes at least one of a photon-shielding material and a neutron-shielding material. In a preferred embodiment, the material of the radiation shielding body 24 includes lead (Pb), which is a photon-shielding material, and polyethylene (PE), which is a neutron-shielding material. A collimator 30 is installed behind the beam exit 25. The epithermal neutron beam emitted from the collimator 30 is irradiated onto the irradiated body 200, passes through the superficial normal tissue, and is then slowed down to thermal neutrons before reaching the tumor cells M. As can be appreciated, the beam shaper 20 may have other structures as long as it obtains the epithermal neutron beam required for treatment, and for ease of explanation, when a collimator 30 is installed, the exit of the collimator 30 may also be considered as the beam exit 25 described below.

[0022] After the irradiated body 200 takes or is injected with a boron (B-10)-containing drug, the boron-containing drug is selectively collected in tumor cells M, and then, utilizing the property that the boron (B-10)-containing drug has a high capture cross section for thermal neutrons, 10 B(n,α) 7 Li neutron capture and fission reactions 4 He and 7The two charged particles have an average energy of approximately 2.33 MeV and are characterized by a high linear energy transfer (LET) and a short range. The linear energy transfer and range of the alpha particles are 150 keV / μm and 8 μm, respectively. 7 The Li heavy charged particles have a range of 175 keV / μm and 5 μm, and the total range of the two particles is equivalent to the size of a single cell. This limits radiation damage to the living body to the cellular level, achieving the goal of locally killing tumor cells without causing excessive damage to normal tissues.

[0023] In this embodiment, a radiation shielding device 50 is further installed between the irradiated object 200 and the beam outlet 25 to block radiation of the beam exiting from the beam outlet 25 from reaching normal tissue of the irradiated object, but as can be understood, the radiation shielding device 50 does not have to be installed. The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 is entirely housed in a concrete building, and specifically, the boron neutron capture therapy system 100 further includes an irradiation chamber 101 and a charged particle beam generation chamber 102, the irradiated object 200 on the treatment couch 40 is treated by neutron beam N irradiation in the irradiation chamber 101, the charged particle beam generation chamber 102 at least partially houses the accelerator 11, and the beam shaper 20 is at least partially housed in a partition 103 between the irradiation chamber 101 and the charged particle beam generation chamber 102. As can be understood, the partition wall 103 may completely separate the irradiation chamber 101 and the charged particle beam generation chamber 102, or may partially separate the irradiation chamber 101 and the charged particle beam generation chamber 102, so that the irradiation chamber 101 and the charged particle beam generation chamber 102 are in communication with each other. There may be one or more targets T, and the charged particle beam P preferably acts selectively on one or some of the targets T, or on multiple targets T simultaneously, to generate one or more therapeutic neutron beams N. Depending on the number of targets T, there may also be one or more beam shapers 20, collimators 30, and treatment tables 40, and multiple treatment tables may be installed in the same irradiation chamber, or a separate irradiation chamber may be installed for each treatment table. The irradiation chamber 101 and the charged particle beam generation chamber 102 are spaces surrounded by concrete walls W (including partitions 103), and the concrete structure can block neutrons and other radiation leaked during the operation of the boron neutron capture therapy system 100. The boron neutron capture therapy system 100 may further include a preparation room, a control room, and other treatment support spaces (not shown), and one preparation room may be provided for each irradiation chamber, where preparation work such as fixing the irradiated subject to a treatment table, injecting boron drugs, and simulating the treatment plan is carried out before the irradiation treatment is performed. A connecting passage is provided between the preparation room and the irradiation chamber, and after the preparation work is completed, the irradiated subject can be pushed directly into the irradiation chamber or automatically entered into the irradiation chamber via a control mechanism via a rail.The control room controls the accelerator, beam transport unit, treatment table positioning device, etc., and controls and manages the entire irradiation process. The manager can monitor multiple irradiation rooms simultaneously from within the control room.

[0024] The position adjustment of the treatment table 40 and the object to be irradiated 200 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0025] The neutron capture therapy system 100 further includes a treatment couch positioning device 60 and a control device 70, where the treatment couch 40 is supported by the treatment couch positioning device 60 and the control device 70 controls the treatment couch positioning device 60. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 , in one embodiment, the treatment couch positioning device 60 includes a positioning mechanism 61, where the positioning mechanism 61 includes a linear shaft 611 and a robot arm 612, where the robot arm 612 is installed between the linear shaft 611 and the treatment couch 40, connects the treatment couch 40 to the linear shaft 611, and allows both the treatment couch 40 and the robot arm 612 to move in parallel along the linear shaft 611. In this embodiment, the linear axis 611 is attached to the ceiling 1011 of the irradiation chamber 101, and the entire robot arm 612 extends toward the floor 1012 of the irradiation chamber 101. As can be understood, the linear axis 611 may be attached to other surfaces, such as a wall or floor, and the structure of the linear axis 611 is a slide rail 6111 fixed to the ceiling 1011 and a bracket 6112 connected to the robot arm 612, and the bracket 6112 slides along the slide rail 6111. As can be understood, other structures may also be used. The linear axis is fixed directly to the ceiling 1011, and no separate linear axis fixing mechanism, such as a steel gantry, is required, which reduces the amount of steel used in the irradiation chamber and avoids secondary radiation caused by neutrons activating the fixing mechanism. The robot arm 612 is a multi-axis robot arm that connects the bracket 6112 and the treatment table 40, and in this embodiment, includes a first arm 6121 fixedly connected to the bracket 6112, a second arm 6122 pivotally connected to the first arm 6121 and defining a first pivot axis L1, a third arm 6123 pivotally connected to the second arm 6122 and defining a second pivot axis L2, and a third arm 6124 pivotally connected to the third arm 6123. and a fourth arm 6124 pivotally connected to the fourth arm 6124 and defining a third pivot axis L3, a fifth arm 6125 pivotally connected to the fourth arm 6124 and defining a fourth pivot axis L4, a sixth arm 6126 pivotally connected to the fifth arm 6125 and defining a fifth pivot axis L5, and a seventh arm 6127 pivotally connected to the sixth arm 6126 and defining a sixth pivot axis L6, the seventh arm 6127 being fixedly connected to the treatment couch 40.The treatment couch positioning device 60 further includes a drive mechanism 62 that drives the movement of the linear shaft 611 and the robot arm 612, and the control device 70 controls the drive mechanism 62. The drive mechanism 62, for example, a motor, drives the second arm 6122 to the seventh arm 6127 to pivot about the pivot axes L1 to L6, and the bracket 6112 and the first arm 6121 fixedly connected to the bracket 6112 move parallel along the slide rail 6111, thereby positioning the treatment couch 40 at a desired position. The extension direction 6113 of the linear axis 611 is parallel to the direction of the neutron beam N emitted from the beam exit 25 and irradiated onto the treatment couch 40. Thus, during the treatment couch positioning process, the entire robot arm 612 translates along a direction parallel to the direction of the neutron beam N, with most of the robot arm being located in the space between the slide rail and the neutron beam exit, thereby reducing the radioactivity generated by the activation of each component of the robot arm by neutrons and the resulting shortening of its service life. The distance H from the sliding surface S between the slide rail 6111 and the bracket 6112 to the center of the beam exit 25 in the direction perpendicular to the sliding surface S is less than 2 meters, providing sufficient operating space for the treatment couch positioning device 60 to position the treatment couch 40 at a desired position relative to the beam exit 25. In this embodiment, the sliding surface S is parallel to the plane on which the ceiling is located, the second pivot axis L2, the third pivot axis L3, and the fifth pivot axis L5 are parallel to the sliding surface S, the fourth pivot axis L4 is perpendicular to the third pivot axis L3, and the first pivot axis L1 and the sixth pivot axis L6 are perpendicular to the sliding surface S, so that the treatment table 40 always remains parallel to the ceiling 1011 or the floor 1012, and as can be understood, other installation forms may also be used. The fifth arm 6125, the sixth arm 6126, and the seventh arm 6127 form the wrist of the robot arm 612 and adjust the tilt angle of the treatment table 40 around the fifth pivot axis L5 and the rotation angle around the fourth pivot axis L4 and the sixth pivot axis L6, while the first arm 6121 to the fourth arm 6124 and the linear axis 611 adjust the spatial coordinate position of the entire treatment table 40.As can be appreciated, the couch positioning device 60 may also have other configurations, for example not including a linear axis 611, or including more or fewer robotic arms 612.

[0026] A sensor 80 may be installed on the treatment couch 40 or the treatment couch positioning device 60. As shown in FIG. 4 , the sensor 80 is installed on the positioning mechanism 61 and the treatment couch 40. In one embodiment, the sensor 80 is an anti-collision sensor installed on the treatment couch 40 and the robot arm 612. When the edge of the treatment couch or the robot arm comes into contact with another object or when another object reaches the sensor's set range, the sensor is triggered to send a signal to the control device 70. The control device 70 controls the driving mechanism 62 to stop driving the positioning mechanism 61, i.e., to stop the movement of the treatment couch 40. The anti-collision sensor may be a mechanical sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a laser range finder, etc. It can be understood that the anti-collision sensor can also send a human detection signal, and the operator can manually control the driving mechanism to stop driving based on the detected signal. Instead of controlling the treatment couch to stop, other safety operations may be performed, such as reversing the movement before the collision. More specifically, mechanical sensors may be installed on the outer periphery of the treatment table 40 and on the housings of the third arm 6123 and the fourth arm 6124 of the robot arm 612, for example, elastic protective covers may be installed at corresponding positions, and electronic switch devices may be installed inside the protective covers, so that when the protective covers collide during movement, the electronic switch device is triggered to send a signal; alternatively, a laser radar sensor may be installed on the back of the treatment table 40, which sets the radar scanning range and sends a signal when it detects that another object has reached the specified range. As can be understood, the anti-collision sensor may be installed at other positions.

[0027] The control device 70 includes at least one user interface 71 that allows an operator to participate in controlling the treatment couch positioning device 60. The control device 70 further includes a system control module 72 and a positioning control module 73. The user interface 71 is connected to the system control module 72, which is connected to the positioning control module 73, which is connected to the driving mechanism 62 and controls the driving mechanism 62. After receiving a command from the user interface 71, the system control module 72 transmits the command to the positioning control module 73, which automatically controls the movement of the positioning mechanism 61, and feeds back position information of the positioning mechanism 61 to the system control module 72 and transmits it to the user interface 71 to provide status instructions. The operating status or data of the driving mechanism 62 is also fed back to the system control module 72 by the positioning control module 73, and the system control module 72 or the positioning control module 73 controls the driving mechanism 62 based on this information, and the system control module 72 can also transmit this information to the user interface 71 to provide status instructions. The sensor 80 is also connected to the system control module 72, which, after receiving the signal from the sensor 80, sends an instruction to the positioning control module 73 to control the movement of the treatment table positioning device 60, and transmits the signal from the sensor 80 to the user interface 71 for status indication. As can be understood, the system control module 72 and the positioning control module 73 may be integrated together or may have other hardware configurations.

[0028] In one embodiment, the user interface 71 includes a fixed controller 711, a handheld controller 712, and a human-computer interaction control interface 713, which control the movement of the treatment couch positioning device 60 and the treatment couch 40 inside and outside the irradiation chamber. The fixed controller 711 is fixed to the wall or other position of the irradiation chamber 101, and as shown in Fig. 5, the fixed controller 711 is provided with seven predetermined position buttons for controlling the treatment couch 40 to automatically move to predetermined positions where the irradiation target region of the simulated irradiated body faces the beam exit 25. These buttons are called predetermined position A (left face, the left face faces the beam exit, i.e., the left face is perpendicular to the direction of the neutron beam N) button 7111a, predetermined Prescribed position B (right face, the right face faces the beam exit, i.e., the right face is perpendicular to the direction of the neutron beam N) button 7111b, prescribed position C (30° left, the angle between the left face and the direction of the neutron beam N is 60°) button 7111c, prescribed position D (60° left, the angle between the left face and the direction of the neutron beam N is 30°) button 7111d, prescribed position E (top of the head faces the beam exit, i.e., the left and right faces are parallel to the direction of the neutron beam N) button 7111 e, a predetermined position F (30° to the right, the angle between the right face and the direction of the neutron beam N is 60°) button 7111f, and a predetermined position G (60° to the right, the angle between the right face and the direction of the neutron beam N is 30°) button 7111g. The predetermined position button may be equipped with an indicator lamp, and when the treatment table 40 moves to the predetermined position, the position information of the positioning mechanism 61 (the reference point coordinates preset on the treatment table 40) is fed back to the positioning control module 73, and the positioning control module 73 sends the information to the system control module 72, and the system control module 72 controls the corresponding predetermined position button to light up and present it, thereby preventing the operator from mistakenly thinking that the treatment table has reached the predetermined position and affecting the positioning accuracy, and making it easy to understand. Further, other predetermined position buttons may be installed as necessary, or the predetermined position button whose position has been set in the control device may be reset. The fixed controller 711 is further provided with the following buttons 7112, 7113, 7116, 7118, 7119 and indicator lights 7114, 7115, 7117. The reset button 7112 isThe treatment couch 40 is controlled to automatically move to the initial position where the irradiated subject 200 is lifted onto the treatment couch 40. The treatment couch movement speed switching button 7113 sets the operating speed range of the treatment couch 40. The positioning control module 73 automatically controls the operating speed of the driving mechanism 62 based on the range. As for the treatment couch collision sensor trigger indicator lamp 7114 and the robot arm collision sensor trigger indicator lamp 7115, after the treatment couch 40 or the robot arm 611 collides, the sensor 80 is triggered to send a signal. After receiving the signal, the system control module 72 sends a command to the positioning control module 73 to control the treatment couch positioning device 60 to stop moving or move in the reverse direction before the collision and then stop. The corresponding indicator lamp is controlled to light up to indicate the status. In this case, the operator cannot control the control device to continue moving the treatment couch. As for the continue operation after collision trigger is resolved button 7116, after the treatment couch collision sensor trigger indicator lamp 7114 or the robot arm collision sensor trigger indicator lamp 7115 is lit and the treatment couch positioning device 60 stops moving, In this case, by pressing the continue operation button 7116, the treatment table positioning device 60 continues to move to a predetermined position or to the initial position, or the operator can continue to control the movement of the treatment table via another user interface. Regarding the stroke limit exceeded indicator lamp 7117, the control device 70 simulates the operating range of the treatment table 40 and the treatment table positioning device 60 in the irradiation room 101, for example, simulating a safe operating space using the walls, ceiling, floor, and outer contour of the collimator of the irradiation room. However, in the manual mode (described in detail below), when manually controlling the movement of the treatment couch, if the reference point coordinates preset on the treatment couch 40 exceed the simulated operating range, the information is fed back to the positioning control module 73, which then transmits the information to the system control module 72, which then controls the stroke limit exceeding indicator lamp 7117 to light up as an alarm, allowing the operator to immediately stop the current movement, and the manual / automatic switch button 7118 selects the control method for the movement of the treatment couch 40.In automatic mode, the treatment couch 40 and the treatment couch positioning device 60 can be controlled to move automatically within a simulated operating range by pressing the predetermined position button 7111a, and the positioning control module 73 automatically calculates the movement trajectory of the linear axis 611 and the robot arm 612. In manual mode, the treatment couch can be manually controlled to move with a set degree of freedom. In this embodiment, the manual control button is only installed on the handheld controller 712. As for the emergency stop button 7119, if an unexpected event occurs during the treatment couch movement, such as the irradiated object moving, the emergency stop button 7119 can be pressed to stop the operation of the treatment couch 40 and the treatment couch positioning device 60. After the unexpected event is resolved, the emergency stop button 7119 can be released and the operation can be continued to move the treatment couch. It can be understood that the buttons and switch buttons can be replaced with other shapes or have other function settings, different indicator lights can have different colors, and the indicator lights can be replaced with other warning indications such as a buzzer sound.

[0029] The handheld controller 712 allows the operator to easily observe the movement of the treatment couch 40 within the irradiation chamber. While moving and observing within the irradiation chamber, the operator can simultaneously operate the buttons on the controller 712 to make adjustments. Predetermined positions A through G are preset based on a simulated patient model, without taking into account individual patient differences. Therefore, the position of the treatment couch 40 can be further fine-tuned after reaching the predetermined position. As shown in FIG. 6 , the handheld controller 712 has five sets of axial movement buttons, designated axial movement buttons 7121a through 7121e. The axial movement buttons 7121a, 7121b, and 7121c respectively control the movement of the preset reference point on the treatment couch 40 along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The axial movement button 7121d controls the rotation of the treatment couch 40 around the sixth pivot axis L6. The axial movement button 7121e controls the movement of the treatment couch 40 and the entire treatment couch positioning device 60 along the linear axis 611 (the seventh axis). The motion coordinate system XYZ of the treatment couch and treatment couch positioning device has its coordinate origin at a reference point in the irradiation room that is a certain distance away from the center of the beam exit 25 along the direction of the neutron beam N. The handheld controller 712 may further be equipped with the same operation buttons or status indicator lights as the fixed controller 711, and in this embodiment, due to space limitations for easily holding the handheld controller, three predetermined position buttons, namely, predetermined position A (left face) button 7122a, predetermined position B (right face) button 7122b, and predetermined position C (30° left) button 7122c, a reset button 7123, and an emergency stop button 7124 are installed. An interlock button 7125 is further provided on the handheld controller 712 to prevent erroneous operation. Only when the interlock button 7125 is pressed (unlocked) can other buttons on the handheld controller 712 function, preventing erroneous operation when the handheld controller 712 is held. When the handheld controller 712 is not in use, the interlock button 7125 is locked, and in this case, other buttons on the handheld controller 712 do not function.

[0030] The human-computer interaction control interface 713 (not shown) may be a general computer software program interface, which is installed outside the irradiation room, for example, in a control room, and can perform remote control. It includes controls for performing each operation on the fixed controller 711 and the handheld controller 712, such as a predetermined position button, a manual axis movement button, a reset button, a speed switching button, a manual / automatic switching button, a stroke limit exceeding alarm, a collision sensor trigger alarm, a continuous operation button, an emergency stop button, etc. It may also include controls for starting and stopping the device, displaying a fault or fault resolution, a fault reset button, parameter settings such as speed settings for each range, functional shielding for the collision prevention system of the robot arm or the treatment table to continue positioning and treatment when the collision prevention facility fails, or for an operator to debug the system, and status display of I / O points, and may also include beam control, radiation detection, etc.

[0031] A laser positioning device (not shown) is also installed in the irradiation room 101, which determines the beam irradiation position and operates the treatment couch positioning device 60 to match the beam irradiation position with a mark created when performing simulated positioning on the irradiated object 200 in the preparation room. A camera (not shown) or the like may also be installed to collect images of the position of the treatment couch 40 and the irradiated object 200 in real time, transmit the data to the system control module 72, compare it with information such as a treatment plan, and make real-time adjustments or perform other treatment control based on the results. The system control module 72 may also receive other data information, such as neutron generator data, treatment plan data, and irradiated object information, and control other devices such as a neutron generator.

[0032] In this embodiment, the concrete wall is a boron-containing barite concrete wall with a thickness of 1 m or more and a density of 3 g / cc. Boron-containing concrete has better neutron absorption properties, which not only improves the radiation shielding effect of the concrete but also reduces the neutron exposure of metal materials in the concrete. It is understood that other thicknesses or densities or other materials may be used, and the thickness, density, or material of different parts of the concrete wall may be different. It is understood that the present invention can also be applied to other types of neutron irradiation systems, including other radiation irradiation systems such as proton therapy systems and heavy ion therapy systems. In this case, the neutron generator may be replaced with another radiation generator, the concrete material may be replaced as needed, and the treatment table may be a different table for irradiated subjects.

[0033] The above describes exemplary specific embodiments of the present invention to facilitate understanding of the present invention by those skilled in the art. However, it is clear that the present invention is not limited to the scope of the specific embodiments. Various changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art, provided that they fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined and determined by the appended claims, and all of these changes fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A radiation irradiation system including a radiation generating device and a mounting table positioning device, which irradiates a beam generated by the radiation generating device to an irradiation target on the mounting table, the mounting table positioning device includes a mounting table and a positioning mechanism for supporting the mounting table; the mounting table positioning device is movable parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam generated by the radiation generation device, the positioning mechanism includes a linear movement mechanism attached to a ceiling and movable along the ceiling in parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam, and a robot arm having one end connected to the linear movement mechanism and the other end connected to the mounting table; The robot arm has three or more arms connected in sequence and two or more pivot shafts that rotatably connect adjacent arms, A radiation irradiation system characterized in that the positioning mechanism supports the stage from below to ensure that the stage is horizontal, and can adjust the position of the stage without the beam irradiated to the object to be irradiated on the stage being directly irradiated onto the robot arm.

2. The radiation irradiation system of claim 1 , further comprising an irradiation chamber, wherein the linear movement mechanism is attached to a ceiling of the irradiation chamber.

3. The radiation irradiation system described in Claim 2, characterized in that the linear movement mechanism has a bracket that can move parallel to the irradiation direction of the beam along a slide rail fixed to the ceiling, the robot arm is slidably attached to the bracket, and the distance from the sliding surface of the bracket to the center of the beam exit of the radiation generating device in a direction perpendicular to the sliding surface is less than 2 meters.

4. 4. The radiation delivery system of claim 3, wherein the robotic arm includes a first arm connected to the bracket, a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm and defining a first pivot axis, a third arm pivotally connected to the second arm and defining a second pivot axis, a fourth arm pivotally connected to the third arm and defining a third pivot axis, a fifth arm pivotally connected to the fourth arm and defining a fourth pivot axis, a sixth arm pivotally connected to the fifth arm and defining a fifth pivot axis, and a seventh arm pivotally connected to the sixth arm and defining a sixth pivot axis.

5. The radiation irradiation system described in Claim 4, characterized in that the seventh arm is connected to the mounting table, the first pivot axis is perpendicular to the sliding surface, the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis are parallel to the sliding surface, the fourth pivot axis is perpendicular to the third pivot axis and the fifth pivot axis, and the sixth pivot axis is perpendicular to the sliding surface.

6. The radiation irradiation system described in claim 1, further comprising a control device that controls the mounting table positioning device and includes a user interface, a system control module, and a positioning control module, wherein the user interface is connected to the system control module, and the system control module is connected to the positioning control module.

7. 7. The radiation irradiation system of claim 6, wherein the system control module transmits an instruction to the positioning control module after receiving an instruction from the user interface, and the positioning control module controls movement of the positioning mechanism.

8. 7. The radiation irradiation system of claim 6, wherein the positioning control module receives and transmits position information of the positioning mechanism to the system control module, and the system control module controls the user interface to indicate the position information of the positioning mechanism.

9. 7. The radiation irradiation system of claim 6, wherein the mounting table positioning device further includes a drive mechanism that drives the movement of the linear movement mechanism and the robot arm, and the positioning control module is connected to the drive mechanism and controls the drive mechanism.

10. 10. The radiation irradiation system of claim 9, wherein the operating status or data of the drive mechanism is fed back to the system control module by the positioning control module, the system control module or the positioning control module controls the drive mechanism based on the operating status or data of the drive mechanism, and the system control module transmits the operating status or data of the drive mechanism to the user interface to provide a status instruction presenting the operating status of the drive mechanism.

11. 7. The radiation irradiation system of claim 6, wherein the mounting table positioning device is provided with a sensor connected to the system control module, and the system control module, after receiving a signal from the sensor, sends a command to the positioning control module to control movement of the mounting table positioning device, and transmits a signal from the sensor to the user interface to provide a status instruction indicating the status of movement of the mounting table positioning device.

12. a neutron capture therapy system, the radiation generating device including a neutron generating device and a beam shaper, the beam shaper being capable of adjusting the neutron beam generated by the neutron generating device to a predetermined beam quality from fast neutron energy (>40 keV) to an epithermal neutron energy range (0.5 eV to 40 keV), the neutron beam generated by the neutron generating device being irradiated onto an irradiation object placed on the stage by the beam shaper, 7. The radiation irradiation system according to claim 6, wherein the system control module receives data from the neutron generator and controls the neutron generator.

13. 13. The radiation irradiation system according to claim 12, wherein the neutron generator includes an accelerator and a target, and the charged particle beam accelerated and generated by the accelerator interacts with the target to generate a neutron beam.

14. 14. The radiation irradiation system of claim 13, wherein the beam shaper includes a reflector, a moderator, a thermal neutron absorber, a radiation shield, and a beam outlet, wherein the moderator moderates neutrons generated in the target to an epithermal neutron energy region, the reflector surrounds the moderator and guides stray neutrons to the moderator to improve intensity of the epithermal neutron beam, the thermal neutron absorber absorbs thermal neutrons to avoid excessive dose to superficial normal tissue during treatment, and the radiation shield blocks neutrons and photons leaking from portions other than the beam outlet.

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