Multi-room transport apparatus, transport method, and related device for radiotherapy

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of particle radiotherapy and provides a multi-room transport apparatus, a transport method, and a related device for radiotherapy. The apparatus comprises: a transport track, a sitting and lying device, a plurality of positioning rooms, and a treatment room. Each of the positioning rooms comprises one or a plurality of sitting and lying devices, each of the sitting and lying devices is arranged on the transport track, and the transport track runs through the plurality of positioning rooms and the treatment room. The method comprises: obtaining a treatment plan; on the basis of a first treatment plan, adjusting the position and angle of a sitting and lying device of a first patient; by means of the transport track, moving the adjusted sitting and lying device to a treatment position of the treatment room; and based on a treatment duration of the first treatment plan, a preset positioning duration of a second treatment plan, and a movement duration of a sitting and lying device on the transport track, determining a positioning time of a sitting and lying device of a second patient. Flexible switching between the plurality of positioning rooms and the treatment room is achieved, thereby greatly improving the treatment efficiency and reducing the overall cost, and making the particle radiotherapy system more compact.

Description

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

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411240069.1, filed on September 5, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the field of particle radiotherapy, for example, to a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy, a transport method and related equipment. BACKGROUND

[0003] In the field of tumor treatment, radiotherapy as an important treatment method, its continuous progress in technology has important significance for improving the treatment effect and reducing side effects. Although traditional photon radiotherapy has achieved a certain degree of killing of tumor cells, due to the limitation of its dose distribution and penetration ability, it is often difficult to achieve precise attack on tumor tissue, and may cause unnecessary damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

[0004] With the rapid development of medical physics and engineering technology, particle radiotherapy as an advanced radiotherapy technology has gradually emerged. Particle radiotherapy, especially proton and heavy ion radiotherapy, with its unique physical characteristics and precise dose distribution advantage, has become a research hotspot in the current field of tumor treatment. Particle radiotherapy can more accurately control the dose and range of radiotherapy, achieve precise attack on tumor cells, and minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

[0005] However, the complexity and relatively high cost of particle radiotherapy equipment restrict its wide application. Traditional single-chamber treatment system can only treat one patient at a time, and the treatment efficiency needs to be improved, which affects the utilization rate of core components such as particle accelerators. Multi-chamber treatment system usually sets up multiple treatment rooms for treating patients, but multi-chamber treatment system often accompanies complex particle beam transport lines and magnet systems, which not only increases the cost of equipment, but also reduces the flexibility and convenience of the system.

[0006] Therefore, how to design a particle therapy device that can improve treatment efficiency, reduce cost and improve equipment flexibility has become a problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0007] Based on the above problems, the present application provides a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy, a transport method and related equipment, which realizes flexible switching between multiple positioning rooms and treatment rooms by setting positioning rooms, movable treatment chairs or treatment beds, and transport tracks, thereby greatly improving treatment efficiency and reducing overall cost.

[0008] In one aspect, the present application provides a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy, comprising:

[0009] a transport track, a lying / sitting device, a plurality of positioning chambers, a treatment chamber and a movable shielding door;

[0010] each of the positioning chambers comprises an entrance and one or more lying / sitting devices;

[0011] each of the lying / sitting devices is arranged on the transport track, the transport track extends through the plurality of positioning chambers and the treatment chamber; the treatment chamber has an isocenter;

[0012] the positioning chambers comprise at least a first positioning chamber and a second positioning chamber, the first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber are respectively located on two sides of the treatment chamber and are separated from or communicated with the treatment chamber by the movable shielding door;

[0013] the transport track comprises a first track, the first track comprises a first section extending from the first positioning chamber to a treatment position of the treatment chamber and a second section extending from the second positioning chamber to the treatment position of the treatment chamber; the first section is used only for the lying / sitting device of the first positioning chamber to move between the first positioning chamber and the treatment chamber, and the second section is used only for the lying / sitting device of the second positioning chamber to move between the second positioning chamber and the treatment chamber; the lying / sitting device of the first positioning chamber and the lying / sitting device of the second positioning chamber are not simultaneously located in the treatment chamber;

[0014] each of the positioning chambers is provided with a virtual isocenter and an imaging device;

[0015] the virtual isocenter is used to simulate a treatment point of a treatment beam in the treatment chamber; lines connecting the virtual isocenters are parallel to the first track, and the isocenter of the treatment chamber is located on the lines;

[0016] the imaging device has a shooting range covering a treatment target region, and is used to determine a position and a posture of the treatment target region of a patient.

[0017] In one possible implementation, when the treatment chamber has one lying / sitting device, the first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber each have one lying / sitting device or the first positioning chamber has two lying / sitting devices and the second positioning chamber has no lying / sitting device.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber are symmetrically arranged relative to the isocenter.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the transport track further comprises a second track; the second track is located in the positioning chamber;

[0020] The second track is connected with the first track, and a sitting and lying device is arranged on the second track; the sitting and lying device on the second track is arranged to be transferred from the second track to the first track.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the device further comprises a positioning assembly;

[0022] The positioning assembly comprises a first positioning module and a second positioning module;

[0023] The first positioning module comprises an encoder arranged on a servo motor of a master control system;

[0024] The second positioning module comprises a sensor, a potentiometer and a limit switch; the second positioning module is arranged on the transfer track.

[0025] In a possible implementation, the sitting and lying device comprises a driving module, a sitting and lying pad and a supporting module;

[0026] The sitting and lying pad is movably connected to the supporting module, and the supporting module is rotatably installed on the transfer track;

[0027] One side of an output end of the driving module is drivingly connected to the supporting module;

[0028] The other side of the output end of the driving module is drivingly connected to the sitting and lying pad.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the device further comprises a calibration device installed on each of the positioning rooms, and used for calibrating the virtual isocenter.

[0030] In a second aspect, the present application provides a multi-room transfer method for radiotherapy, which is realized by any of the devices of the present application, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0031] Obtaining a first treatment plan for a first patient and a second treatment plan for a second patient;

[0032] Adjusting the position and angle of the sitting and lying device of the first patient at a positioning point according to the first treatment plan; the positioning point is located in a positioning room;

[0033] Moving the adjusted sitting and lying device to a treatment position of a treatment room through a transfer track, and treating the first patient according to the first treatment plan;

[0034] Determining the positioning time of the sitting and lying device of the second patient according to the treatment time length of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time length of the second treatment plan and the moving time length of the sitting and lying device on the transfer track.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the initial positions of the patient lying devices of the first patient and the second patient are located in the same positioning room or different positioning rooms.

[0036] In a possible implementation, the positioning point is a virtual isocenter of the positioning room; and the position and the angle of the patient lying device of the first patient are adjusted at the positioning point according to the first treatment plan, and the adjusting includes:

[0037] The image data of the first patient is acquired.

[0038] The adjusting parameters of the patient lying device are determined through image registration according to the first treatment plan and the image data of the first patient, the adjusting parameters including the adjusting position and the adjusting angle; and the patient lying device is adjusted by applying the adjusting parameters, so that the to-be-treated part of the first patient coincides with the virtual isocenter.

[0039] In a possible implementation, the patient lying device is positioned and adjusted by cooperation of the first positioning module and the second positioning module; the first positioning module is connected to the patient lying device, and the second positioning module is located on the transfer track.

[0040] In a possible implementation, the positioning time of the patient lying device of the second patient is determined by the treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, and the moving duration of the patient lying device on the transfer track, and the determining includes:

[0041] The preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan is obtained through the first treatment plan.

[0042] The preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan is obtained through the second treatment plan based on the machine learning model.

[0043] The first duration for the patient lying device of the first patient to move out of the treatment room and the second duration for the patient lying device of the second patient to move from the positioning point to the treatment position in the treatment room are obtained by the moving speed and the moving distance of the patient lying device.

[0044] The positioning time of the patient lying device of the second patient is obtained by the preset treatment duration of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning duration of the second treatment plan, the first duration, and the second duration.

[0045] In a possible implementation, the input of the machine learning model includes:

[0046] The biological characteristics, the disease type and stage, the historical treatment record, the image examination data, and the historical positioning duration of the patient.

[0047] In a third aspect, the present application provides a particle therapy system, which includes any multi-room transfer device of the present application.

[0048] In a fourth aspect, the present application provides an electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to realize the function of any of the multi-chamber transport devices of the present application or perform the steps of any of the methods of the present application.

[0049] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a computer readable storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores computer instructions, and when a computer reads the computer instructions, the computer realizes the function of any of the multi-chamber transport devices of the present application or performs the steps of any of the methods of the present application.

[0050] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present application include: the multi-positioning chamber and positioning device particle therapy equipment of the present application adopts high-precision guide rail and servo motor control technology to realize the accurate movement and positioning of the treatment chair or treatment bed. At the same time, each positioning chamber is equipped with an independent imaging system to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of patient positioning. In addition, the accelerator is placed in a strongly shielded space and is isolated from the treatment chamber by a heavy shielding door, effectively protecting the safety of medical personnel and the surrounding environment; the multi-chamber design of one treatment chamber corresponding to multiple positioning chambers allows simultaneous or staggered patient positioning and treatment, significantly reducing patient waiting time, improving overall treatment process efficiency and smoothness, and making the particle radiotherapy system more compact, which is beneficial to proton radiotherapy for more patients. By accurately calculating and scheduling the movement time of the sitting and lying equipment, the idle time of the treatment equipment can be maximized, and the equipment utilization rate can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0051] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0052] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a positioning point of a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a transport track of a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a multi-chamber transport method for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0056] In the drawings: 11, first track; 12, second track; 2, sitting and lying equipment; 3, positioning chamber; 31, virtual isocenter; 32, imaging equipment; 4, treatment chamber; 41, isocenter of the treatment chamber; 5, shielding door; 6, accelerator; 7, operation room; 8, equipment room. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] Example implementations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example implementations can be implemented in any

[0058] Referring to FIG. 1: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Some embodiments of the present application provide a multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy, comprising:

[0060] a transport track, a plurality of sitting and lying devices 2, a plurality of positioning chambers 3, a treatment chamber 4, and a movable shielding door 5;

[0061] Each of the positioning chambers 3 comprises one or more sitting and lying devices 2;

[0062] Each of the sitting and lying devices 2 is arranged on the transport track, which extends through the plurality of positioning chambers 3 and the treatment chamber 4, i.e. from the positioning chambers 3 to the treatment chamber 4; the treatment chamber 4 has an isocenter 41;

[0063] The sitting and lying devices 2 are used to support patients, and can be treatment beds or treatment chairs, for example. Patients can sit or lie on the sitting and lying devices 2.

[0064] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows: the transport track extends through the plurality of positioning chambers and the treatment chamber, i.e. from the plurality of positioning chambers to the treatment chamber, thereby providing an accurate path for the movement of the sitting and lying devices; the plurality of positioning chambers share one fixed radiotherapy chamber (treatment chamber), which makes the overall structure more compact and the space utilization more reasonable; the sitting and lying devices are provided below a set of movable driving tracks, which enable the sitting and lying devices to move in parallel along the tracks; the sitting and lying devices are designed to be freely movable along the transport track to meet the needs of patients in different treatment stages; the flexible transport system enables the rapid transfer of patients between different treatment stages; the device technology increases the use rate of particle radiotherapy equipment by adding movable sitting and lying devices; when one sitting and lying device is being treated or before treatment, another positioning device can be used for positioning; the different positioning devices are designed to meet the needs of different patients, and medical staff can select the use of different positioning devices according to the treatment plan of patients; after treatment, the sitting and lying devices are moved out of the treatment chamber along the tracks without the need to be removed from the tracks.

[0065] The moving process is fully automatic, the track is a high-precision guide rail, and the precision can reach 0.05 mm; through the moving track and accurate positioning of the stop position, the patient can be accurately positioned, and the effect of radiotherapy is guaranteed; after moving to the treatment room, no secondary alignment is needed; on this premise, medical personnel do not need to enter the area with the strongest radiation, and the positioning of the patient can be performed in the positioning room, which can maximize the safety of medical personnel.

[0066] The accelerator body is located in the equipment room 8, and a concrete wall about two meters thick is poured around to effectively prevent the penetration of rays. The front end of the treatment head is provided with a particle irradiation wall, and a three-meter-thick concrete wall is used to minimize the impact of radiation on the external environment.

[0067] Generally, medical personnel do not need to enter the treatment area, but only need to operate in the positioning room. After positioning is completed, the patient is moved to the treatment room through the track for treatment.

[0068] Compared with a radiotherapy system in which the positioning room and the treatment room are shared, i.e., the positioning device is directly arranged in the treatment room, the device of the embodiment can improve the use efficiency of the accelerator by 2-3 times.

[0069] Compared with a traditional multi-chamber treatment system, the movable sitting and lying equipment can move the patient to a position close to the accelerator. In this way, the radiotherapy system does not have a dipole magnet or a quadrupole magnet, and does not have a beam transport line.

[0070] Compared with a mobile accelerator, the sitting and lying equipment is light, and the moving of the sitting and lying equipment is more convenient, fast, and cost-saving.

[0071] Exemplarily, the sitting and lying equipment includes a treatment bed and / or a treatment chair; the positioning room can be provided with a positioning chair; or the positioning room can be provided with a positioning bed, which can be flexibly selected according to the actual situation of the hospital.

[0072] Exemplarily, the multi-chamber transfer device is provided with a virtual isocenter 31 and an imaging device 32 in each positioning room; the virtual isocenter 31 is used to simulate the treatment point of the actual treatment beam (particle beam) in the treatment room.

[0073] The imaging device 32 covers the treatment target area in the shooting (scanning) range, and is used to determine the position and posture of the treatment target area (such as a tumor site) of the patient.

[0074] The principle and effect of the above technical solution are that the virtual isocenter points are arranged in the positioning rooms to simulate the actual treatment points; and the independent imaging devices are arranged to obtain the anatomical structure images of the patients, help the medical professionals to determine the positions and postures of the target regions, and register and verify the treatment plans. The independent imaging devices include, but are not limited to, X-ray, CT and other imaging devices, and can respectively realize the accurate positioning of the positions of the patients and do not affect each other.

[0075] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a multi-room transfer device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application; FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a positioning point of the multi-room transfer device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application; and FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a transfer track of the multi-room transfer device for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0076] Exemplarily, two positioning rooms 3 are arranged, and the two positioning rooms 3 are respectively arranged on the two sides of the treatment room 4 and are separated from or communicated with the treatment room 4 through the movable shielding door 5; the first positioning room and the second positioning room are symmetrically arranged relative to the isocenter point 41.

[0077] The transfer track includes a first track 11; the first track 11 includes a first section extending from the first positioning room to the treatment position of the treatment room and a second section extending from the second positioning room to the treatment position of the treatment room; the first section is only used for the seating and lying device of the first positioning room to move between the first positioning room and the treatment room, and the second section is only used for the seating and lying device of the second positioning room to move between the second positioning room and the treatment room; the seating and lying device of the first positioning room and the seating and lying device of the second positioning room are not simultaneously located in the treatment room; when there is one seating and lying device in the treatment room, the first positioning room and the second positioning room also respectively have one seating and lying device or the first positioning room has two seating and lying devices and the second positioning room has no seating and lying device.

[0078] The connecting line of each virtual isocenter point 31 is parallel to the first track 11, and the isocenter point 41 of the treatment room 4 is located on the connecting line.

[0079] The principle and effect of the above technical solution are: the treatment room and the positioning room are separated by a heavy shielding door and a safety area is demarcated. The coordinate directions of the virtual coordinate system are consistent in the three-dimensional space. After positioning is completed, the treatment bed and / or the treatment chair on the first track 11 only need to be moved to the accurate position along the extension direction of the first track, which more efficiently positions the patient at the accurate treatment position. In addition, the design of an axis (linear motion axis in the horizontal direction) for the treatment chair or treatment bed body (which is the part of the treatment chair or treatment bed that directly supports and contacts the patient) can be saved, which simplifies the structure of the treatment chair or treatment bed and thus reduces the product cost. The actual isocenter of the treatment room and the virtual isocenter of the positioning room are on the same straight line, and the straight line coincides with or is parallel to the extension direction of the first track.

[0080] The transfer track system is designed to be modular, particularly by different segments (first segment and second segment) of the first track 11 serving two different positioning rooms (first positioning room and second positioning room). This design allows each positioning room to independently transport its internal seating and lying equipment (such as a patient bed, a treatment chair, etc.) to the shared treatment room, thereby achieving flexible deployment of resources. By stipulating that the seating and lying equipment of the first positioning room and the seating and lying equipment of the second positioning room cannot be in the treatment room at the same time, it is ensured that the treatment room will not be affected in efficiency due to equipment conflicts when in use. This time-sharing sharing strategy optimizes the utilization rate of the treatment room and reduces waiting time. Considering that different patients or treatment needs may require different types of seating and lying equipment, the system allows the first positioning room and the second positioning room to be configured with different seating and lying equipment. This diversity ensures the targeting and individualization of treatment, while also improving the utilization rate and adaptability of equipment. In certain situations (such as when there is already a seating and lying equipment in the treatment room), the system also allows the first positioning room and the second positioning room to maintain a certain number of seating and lying equipment as redundancy, or the first positioning room to have additional equipment to cope with high demand periods. This design enhances the flexibility and response speed of the system.

[0081] The first positioning room and the second positioning room are symmetrically arranged relative to the isocenter; this makes the treatment process smoother; whether the patient is transferred from the first positioning room or the second positioning room, they will follow a similar path to the treatment room, and the preparation and process of treatment in the treatment room will also be more standardized and unified.

[0082] By way of example, the transfer track further includes a second track 12; the second track is located in the positioning room 3;

[0083] The second track 12 is connected with the first track 11, and seating and lying equipment 2 is also arranged on the second track 12; the seating and lying equipment 2 on the second track 12 is arranged to be able to flow from the second track 12 to the first track 11.

[0084] By increasing the second track, a lying device is also arranged on the second track as a transfer position; one is to provide sufficient positioning and pretreatment time for the next patient, avoiding conflicts with operations in the treatment room; two is to reduce delays that may occur due to equipment adjustment in the treatment room through pre-positioning and pretreatment, and improve treatment efficiency.

[0085] When the lying device on the first track is performing radiotherapy in the treatment room, the lying device on the second track 12 can be moved to the leftmost positioning point on the first track 11 to perform positioning and positioning of the patient in the positioning room 3; in this way, the lying devices on the two tracks can alternately perform treatment and positioning, greatly improving the overall treatment efficiency.

[0086] The double-track design makes the entire treatment process more flexible. In addition, in an emergency, if a lying device fails or needs special maintenance, the lying device on the other track can be quickly used to replace it to ensure that the treatment process is not affected.

[0087] By reasonably planning the layout of the first track and the second track, a more efficient treatment process can be achieved in a limited space; although the introduction of the second track mainly affects treatment efficiency and equipment utilization, it also indirectly promotes the improvement of treatment accuracy; because a more efficient treatment process means that medical professionals can focus more on each treatment stage, reducing negligence or errors caused by time pressure.

[0088] Exemplarily, the device further comprises a positioning assembly; the positioning assembly comprises a first positioning module and a second positioning module, the first positioning module comprises an encoder; the second positioning module comprises a sensor, a potentiometer and a limit switch; the encoder is arranged on the servo motor of the main control system, and the second positioning module is arranged on the transfer track.

[0089] Exemplarily, the lying device 2 comprises a driving module, a lying pad and a support module;

[0090] The lying pad is movably connected to the support module, and the support module is rotatably installed on the transfer track;

[0091] One side of the output end of the driving module is drivingly connected to the support module;

[0092] The other side of the output end of the driving module is drivingly connected to the lying pad.

[0093] The support module bottom is provided with a rotating wheel, so that the driving module drives the support module to rotate, thereby driving the sitting and lying pad to rotate, and a sliding mechanism is arranged between the sitting and lying pad and the support module, which includes XYZ-axis direction sliding rails, so that the driving module drives the sitting and lying pad to move along the XYZ-axis direction; or the sliding mechanism includes YZ-axis direction sliding rails, so that the driving module drives the sitting and lying pad to move along the YZ-axis direction.

[0094] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows: the movement of the sitting and lying equipment (treatment chair or treatment bed) is controlled by a servo motor, the motor is attached with an encoder, and the position information of the treatment chair or treatment bed thereon can be accurately sensed; meanwhile, a position sensor, a potentiometer and a limit switch are arranged on the track, serving as double position confirmation of the position of the treatment chair or treatment bed, so that the stopping position can be accurately adjusted; in the treatment room interval, the track can be matched with the treatment chair to realize accurate positioning of the position in the left-right direction, so as to cooperate with treatment at different positions; this way can save one shaft (a shaft required for linear motion in the horizontal direction) in the design of the treatment chair or treatment bed body; for example, if positioning in the left-right direction is required after the treatment chair is moved to the treatment room, the treatment chair body (i.e. the part of the treatment chair directly supporting and contacting the patient) does not need to be moved; the left-right position of the treatment chair on the transfer track can be adjusted to realize positioning in the left-right direction, because the irradiation position is not necessarily directly in front of the treatment chair, but can be left or right.

[0095] The sitting and lying equipment (treatment bed or treatment chair) has electric or mechanical driving and can be translated, rotated and lifted in multiple axes (for example: X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis) to realize accurate position adjustment; it can also be translated only in the Y-axis and Z-axis, and the X-axis position is adjusted by controlling the transfer track, thereby saving one axis design; the treatment chair (bed) has an adjustable seat (bed body) and a support device to provide comfortable and stable patient positioning.

[0096] Exemplarily, the device further comprises a calibration device installed in each of the positioning room 3 and the treatment room 4, for calibrating the virtual isocenter point 31 and the isocenter point 41.

[0097] The treatment room and each positioning room are provided with a mounting interface of the calibration device, and the isocenter point of the treatment room, the virtual isocenter point of the positioning room, the treatment bed or treatment chair and the imaging device are calibrated regularly, so as to ensure the accurate position of the treatment bed or treatment chair, the imaging device relative to the isocenter point. The calibration device can be fixed through the mounting interface, and two positioning rooms and the treatment room can share a set of calibration devices.

[0098] The device used in the embodiment is a compact device, the treatment room, the positioning room and the device are on the same floor, and the area is about 14m*14m, and the height is less than 4m; wherein 1m underground is used to pre-bury the guide rail device and the sunken accelerator. And from the overall layout, the space between each device is properly arranged, and the activity line is simple and convenient; after the medical staff completes the positioning of a patient, they can quickly go to another positioning room to perform the next positioning work, and the positioning room is provided with a monitoring display screen, so that the medical staff can check the treatment of the patient at any time.

[0099] Referring to FIG. 4, which is a schematic diagram of a multi-room transfer method for radiotherapy according to an embodiment of the present application. The embodiment of the present application provides a multi-room transfer method for radiotherapy, which is realized by the multi-room transfer device for radiotherapy according to the embodiment of the present application. The method comprises the following steps:

[0100] obtaining a first treatment plan for a first patient and a second treatment plan for a second patient;

[0101] adjusting the position and angle of the sitting and lying device of the first patient at a positioning point according to the first treatment plan; the positioning point is located in a positioning room;

[0102] moving the adjusted sitting and lying device to a treatment position of a treatment room through a transfer track, and treating the first patient according to the first treatment plan;

[0103] determining the positioning time of the sitting and lying device of the second patient according to the treatment time length of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time length of the second treatment plan, and the moving time length of the sitting and lying device on the transfer track.

[0104] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows: first, the individualized treatment plan for each patient is obtained, such as the first treatment plan for the first patient and the second treatment plan for the second patient. These treatment plans contain key information such as the treatment needs, treatment site, treatment dose, treatment time length and the like of the patient; the treatment plan is loaded into the device control software and is parsed into machine settings.

[0105] According to the first treatment plan, the medical staff adjusts the position and angle of the sitting and lying device of the first patient in the positioning room; this step ensures the accurate positioning of the patient and the treatment device during treatment, which is the key to the success of radiotherapy.

[0106] After the adjustment is completed, the shielding door on the side of the positioning room where the first patient is located is opened, and then the transfer track is started, the adjusted sitting and lying device is moved to the specific treatment position of the treatment room; and then the shielding door is closed.

[0107] In the treatment room, the first patient is treated according to the first treatment plan; during the process, the sitting and lying device and the treatment device need to be stably connected and accurately synchronized to ensure the accurate release of the treatment dose; when the first treatment plan reaches the set dose, the accelerator stops the beam; the dose is controlled to ensure that the set treatment dose is reached, and the accelerator stops the beam.

[0108] While the first patient is being treated, the positioning time of the sitting and lying device of the second patient is dynamically determined according to the treatment time of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan, and the moving time of the sitting and lying device on the transfer track; the treatment of the next patient can be prepared in advance under the premise of ensuring that the current treatment is not affected.

[0109] Specifically, the availability of each window period, the moving speed and stability of the sitting and lying device are comprehensively considered to calculate the optimal positioning time. Within this time window, the sitting and lying device of the second patient will be moved to the positioning room for positioning adjustment, so as to immediately enter the treatment process after the first patient treatment ends.

[0110] Through the above-mentioned time management and positioning scheduling mechanism, the method of the present application can realize seamless connection and continuous treatment between multiple patients; not only improves the treatment efficiency, but also optimizes the utilization of medical resources, reduces the waiting time of patients and the operating cost of the hospital.

[0111] During the entire treatment process, the state information of the sitting and lying device, the treatment device and the patient is also monitored in real time to ensure the safety and stability of the treatment process. Once an abnormal situation occurs, an alarm mechanism will be triggered immediately and corresponding emergency measures will be taken.

[0112] In summary, the multi-room transfer method for radiotherapy provided by the embodiments of the present application realizes orderly treatment between multiple patients and optimal utilization of resources through efficient time management and resource scheduling mechanism. Not only the treatment efficiency and patient satisfaction are improved, but also the hospital operating cost and risk are reduced.

[0113] In a possible implementation manner, the positioning point is a virtual isocenter point of the positioning room; the position and angle of the sitting and lying device of the first patient are adjusted at the positioning point according to the first treatment plan; and the method comprises:

[0114] Obtaining image data of the first patient;

[0115] According to the first treatment plan and the image data of the first patient, the adjustment parameters of the sitting and lying device are determined through image registration, the adjustment parameters comprising adjustment position and angle; and the sitting and lying device is adjusted by applying the adjustment parameters, so that the treatment part of the first patient coincides with the virtual isocenter point.

[0116] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows: first, the image data of the first patient is acquired by a medical imaging device (such as a CT); these data provide a detailed view of the internal structure of the patient's body and are the basis for developing a treatment plan and performing accurate positioning.

[0117] According to the treatment plan of the first patient, the target region defined in the treatment plan (i.e., the treatment site) is registered with the image data of the patient; this process usually involves complex image processing algorithms to ensure that the target region in the treatment plan corresponds accurately to the actual anatomy of the patient.

[0118] Through image registration, the system can calculate the specific parameters that need to be adjusted for the sitting and lying device, including adjustment position and angle. These parameters are determined to make the patient's treatment site coincide with the virtual center of positioning (VCP) in the positioning room. The virtual center of positioning is a reference point defined in the treatment plan to ensure that the particle beam of the treatment device (such as a particle accelerator) can accurately irradiate the target region.

[0119] With the adjustment parameters, the sitting and lying device is accurately adjusted through an electric or mechanical driving system; this process may involve translation, rotation and lifting operations in multiple axes to ensure that the patient on the sitting and lying device can be placed according to the predetermined position and angle.

[0120] After adjustment, medical personnel can verify whether the patient's treatment site indeed coincides with the virtual center of positioning through additional imaging means (such as X-ray). If fine tuning is needed, the system will adjust the parameters of the sitting and lying device again until satisfactory accuracy is achieved.

[0121] Once the sitting and lying device is adjusted and verified, the device can be moved to the treatment position in the treatment room through the transfer track. In the treatment room, the treatment device will perform radiation therapy on the patient's treatment site according to the treatment plan.

[0122] In summary, through image data acquisition, treatment plan and image registration, determination of adjustment parameters, adjustment of the sitting and lying device, and verification and fine tuning, the transfer method for radiotherapy provided by the embodiment of the present application can ensure accurate position and angle adjustment of the patient in the positioning room, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent treatment process.

[0123] In one possible implementation, the sitting and lying device is positioned and adjusted through cooperation of a first positioning module and a second positioning module; the first positioning module is connected to the sitting and lying device, and the second positioning module is located on the transfer track.

[0124] The working principle and effects of the above technical solution are as follows:

[0125] The first positioning module is directly connected to the sitting and lying device and is a direct actuator for adjusting the position and angle of the sitting and lying device. Through a precise mechanical or electric drive system, the first positioning module can achieve translation, rotation, and lifting operations of the sitting and lying device in multiple axial directions.

[0126] Specifically:

[0127] Firstly, the first positioning module receives instructions from the control system, which usually includes specific parameters (such as position coordinates, angles, etc.) that the sitting and lying device needs to adjust.

[0128] After receiving the instructions, the drive system of the first positioning module starts working, pushing the sitting and lying device to adjust according to the predetermined parameters through mechanical or electric devices. After the adjustment is completed, the first positioning module will feedback the current position and angle information to the control system for verification and confirmation.

[0129] The second positioning module is installed on the transfer track and is used to determine and calibrate the movement and positioning of the sitting and lying device on the track.

[0130] By providing accurate reference points and calibration mechanisms, the second positioning module can ensure the stability and accuracy of the sitting and lying device during movement.

[0131] The first and second positioning modules work collaboratively through the control system. The control system calculates the position and angle parameters that the sitting and lying device needs to adjust according to the treatment plan and patient image data, and sends them to the first and second positioning modules respectively; adjusts the sitting and lying device accurately according to the received parameters; for example, after the treatment chair moves into the treatment room, if positioning in the left-right direction is needed, the treatment chair body does not need to move, and the left-right position of the treatment chair on the track can be adjusted to achieve left-right positioning, because the irradiation position may be left or right of the front of the treatment chair.

[0132] In one possible implementation, the positioning time of the sitting and lying device of the second patient is determined based on the treatment time of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan, and the movement time of the sitting and lying device on the transfer track, and includes:

[0133] The preset treatment time of the first treatment plan is obtained through the first treatment plan;

[0134] The preset positioning time of the second treatment plan is obtained based on a machine learning model through the second treatment plan;

[0135] The first length of time for the patient support apparatus of the first patient to move out of the treatment room and the second length of time for the patient support apparatus of the second patient to move from the positioning point to the treatment position in the treatment room are obtained through the moving speed and the moving distance of the patient support apparatus.

[0136] The positioning time of the patient support apparatus of the second patient is obtained through the preset treatment length of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning length of the second treatment plan, the first length of time and the second length of time.

[0137] The positioning time of the patient support apparatus of the second patient is:

[0138] Ts=Tc-(T2b+T2)+T1z+T1+Tr

[0139] Wherein, Ts is the positioning start time of the patient support apparatus of the second patient; T1z is the treatment length of the first treatment plan; T2b is the preset positioning length of the second treatment plan, T1 is the first length of time, T2 is the second length of time, Tc is the estimated first treatment plan start time point, and Tr is the length of time redundancy.

[0140] The input of the machine learning model includes:

[0141] The biological characteristics of the patient, the type and stage of the disease, the historical treatment record, the imaging examination data and the historical positioning length.

[0142] The working principle of the above technical solution is: according to the fixed value obtained directly from the first treatment plan, the time required for the first patient to receive treatment is represented.

[0143] The preset positioning length of the second treatment plan is predicted based on the relevant information of the second treatment plan through the machine learning model. The model considers multiple factors such as the biological characteristics of the patient (such as age, weight, etc.), the type and stage of the disease, the historical treatment record, the imaging examination data and the historical positioning length, to provide more personalized and accurate prediction.

[0144] If the patient support apparatus needs to return to a different positioning room after treating the first patient, the first length of time represents the time for the patient support apparatus of the first patient to move out of the treatment room and reach the shielding door between the treatment room and the positioning room of the second patient; if the patient support apparatus needs to return to the same positioning room after treating the first patient, the first length of time represents the time for the patient support apparatus of the first patient to move out of the treatment room and leave the first track; which is calculated through the moving speed and the distance to be moved. The moving speed can be the historical average moving speed.

[0145] The second length of time represents the time for the patient support apparatus of the second patient to move from the positioning point to the treatment position in the treatment room; which is also calculated based on the moving speed and the distance.

[0146] The calculation formula for positioning time (Ts) takes into account all the above-mentioned time parameters and introduces a time redundancy (Tr) to deal with possible delays or uncertainties; T1z is the treatment time of the first patient, and T1 is the time for the patient positioning device to move out of the treatment room. Adding these two times together gives the total time from the start of Tc to the end of the first patient's treatment and the positioning device moving out of the treatment room; after this point, the treatment room for the first patient is empty and can be prepared for the second patient.

[0147] Finally, Tr (time redundancy) is subtracted from the above result, which is to ensure that there is a safe time buffer before the positioning device of the second patient starts to position, to deal with any possible delays.

[0148] In summary, this formula accurately calculates the length of each time period and takes into account possible delays and uncertainties, ensuring that the positioning device of the second patient can start positioning at the right time, maximizing treatment efficiency and reducing patient waiting time, thereby improving the efficiency of the entire radiotherapy process.

[0149] The working principle of the machine learning model is as follows:

[0150] The input data includes the patient's biological characteristics, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, imaging data, and historical positioning time, etc. These data provide rich information for the model to learn the variation rules of positioning time under different patient and disease conditions.

[0151] Using a large amount of historical data to train the machine learning model, it can identify the key factors affecting the positioning time and predict the positioning time of new patients. For a given second treatment plan, the model outputs a predicted preset positioning time T2b, which will be used for subsequent time management and positioning scheduling.

[0152] The effect of the above technical solution is: by accurately calculating the length of each time period, including treatment time, positioning time and equipment moving time, it can ensure the continuity and efficiency of the treatment process. Provide accurate positioning time for the second patient, avoid unnecessary waiting, and improve the patient turnover rate of the entire radiotherapy center.

[0153] Patients can more accurately know their treatment time, reducing anxiety and uncertainty caused by waiting.

[0154] By optimizing the process, it reduces the inconvenience and delay of patients during treatment, and improves the overall treatment experience.

[0155] Using machine learning models to predict positioning time can take into account individual differences and disease characteristics of patients, providing more personalized and accurate prediction results.

[0156] The time length redundancy (Tr) is introduced to deal with possible delays or uncertainties, ensuring the flexibility and robustness of the treatment process; by reserving a time buffer, the delay of the first treatment plan treatment caused by unexpected situations is reduced, and the level of risk management is improved.

[0157] Through accurate time planning, the utilization rate of treatment equipment and sitting and lying equipment can be maximized, and idle time can be reduced.

[0158] Medical staff can arrange work according to the accurate time schedule, reduce invalid waiting and repetitive labor, and improve work efficiency.

[0159] In summary, the technical solution improves the efficiency of the radiotherapy process, improves patient satisfaction and treatment experience, and provides strong support for hospital management, promoting the rational use of medical resources and the optimization of the process.

[0160] In one possible implementation, the method for determining the time length redundancy comprises:

[0161] Collecting execution data of all treatment plans within a preset time, including actual start time, end time, planned duration, actual duration, delay situation, etc.

[0162] Analyzing the execution data to obtain statistical indicators, wherein the statistical indicators include average treatment delay time and delay frequency;

[0163] Setting the time length redundancy according to the statistical indicators;

[0164] For example, Tr = (1-1 / (f+1))*Ta

[0165] Where f is the delay frequency; Ta is the average treatment delay time.

[0166] The working principle and effect of the above technical solution are as follows: Collect the execution data of all treatment plans within a preset time, which includes but is not limited to the actual start time, end time, planned duration, actual duration, and delay situation of the treatment plan.

[0167] The collected execution data is analyzed to obtain key statistical indicators. These indicators usually include the average treatment delay time (Ta) and the delay frequency (f, i.e. the ratio of the number of delays to the total number of treatment plans).

[0168] According to the statistical indicators, the time length redundancy (Tr) is set.

[0169] The example formula given here is Tr = (1 - 1 / (f + 1.1)) * Ta.

[0170] When the frequency (f) of the delay occurrence increases, the time length redundancy (Tr) indeed increases accordingly to better cope with potential delays. But in the case of f = 0, although Tr is theoretically 0, a minimum time redundancy value can be set in actual operation to ensure the flexibility and fault tolerance of the process.

[0171] In summary, by accurately calculating the length of each time period and reasonably setting the time length redundancy, it can be ensured that the patient positioning device of the second patient can start positioning at the correct time, thereby optimizing the radiotherapy process and improving the treatment efficiency.

[0172] The embodiment of the present application provides a particle radiotherapy system, the system comprises any multi-chamber transfer device in the embodiment of the present application; the particle can be a proton or a heavy ion.

[0173] The embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device, the electronic device comprises a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the steps of the method or the functions of the device when executing the computer program.

[0174] The embodiment of the present application further provides a computer readable storage medium for storing a computer program, the computer program is executed to implement the steps of the method or the functions of the device as described in any of the embodiments of the present application, and the specific implementation manners and the achieved technical effects are the same as those described in the embodiment of the method, and some contents will not be described herein.

[0175] In the present application, the readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program, which can be used or combined with an instruction execution system, device or instrument. The program product can adopt any combination of one or more readable media. The readable medium can be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. The readable storage medium can be, but is not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or instrument, or any combination of the above. More specific examples (non-exhaustive list) of the readable storage medium include: electrical connection with one or more conductive wires, portable disk, hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the above.

[0176] A computer readable storage medium can include a non-transitory storage medium (i.e., a medium that does not rely on propagated data signals) to exclude propagated data signals per se. The computer readable storage medium can include data signals transitory outside of a specific apparatus such as between computing devices. The computer readable storage medium can also include data that a specific apparatus changes from one specific state into another. A computer readable storage medium can also be described as a processor readable medium. A computer readable storage medium can be any available medium or device that is accessible by a processor to provide or store information applicable to the employment of, or working of, one or more embodiments. By way of example, and not limitation, a computer readable storage medium can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer readable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or any other wired or wireless transmission or connection, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or any other wired or wireless transmission or connection is properly termed a computer readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber transport device for radiotherapy, comprising: a transport track, a plurality of lying devices (2), a plurality of positioning chambers (3), a treatment chamber (4) and a movable shielding door (5); each of the positioning chambers (3) comprises an entrance and one or more lying devices (2); each of the lying devices (2) is arranged on the transport track, the transport track extends through the plurality of positioning chambers (3) and the treatment chamber (4); the treatment chamber (4) has an isocenter (41); the positioning chambers (3) comprise at least a first positioning chamber and a second positioning chamber, the first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber are respectively located on two sides of the treatment chamber (4) and are separated from or communicated with the treatment chamber (4) by the movable shielding door (5); the transport track comprises a first track (11), the first track (11) comprises a first section extending from the first positioning chamber to a treatment position of the treatment chamber and a second section extending from the second positioning chamber to the treatment position of the treatment chamber; the first section is used only for the lying device of the first positioning chamber to move between the first positioning chamber and the treatment chamber, and the second section is used only for the lying device of the second positioning chamber to move between the second positioning chamber and the treatment chamber; the lying device of the first positioning chamber and the lying device of the second positioning chamber are not simultaneously located in the treatment chamber; each of the positioning chambers is provided with a virtual isocenter (31) and an imaging device (32); the virtual isocenter (31) is used for simulating a treatment point of a treatment beam in the treatment chamber, lines of the virtual isocenters (31) are parallel to the first track (11), and the isocenter (41) of the treatment chamber (4) is located on the lines; the imaging device (32) has a shooting range covering a treatment target region, and is used for determining a position of the treatment target region of a patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, When there is one lying device in the treatment chamber, the first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber further respectively have one lying device or the first positioning chamber has two lying devices and the second positioning chamber has no lying device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The first positioning chamber and the second positioning chamber are symmetrically arranged relative to the isocenter (41).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The transport track further comprises a second track (12); the second track is located in the positioning chamber (3); the second track (12) is connected with the first track (11), the second track (12) is provided with a lying device (2); the lying device (2) on the second track (12) is arranged to be capable of transferring from the second track (12) to the first track (11).

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The device further comprises a positioning assembly; the positioning assembly comprises a first positioning module and a second positioning module; the first positioning module comprises an encoder, the encoder is arranged on a servo motor of a master control system; the second positioning module comprises a sensor, a potentiometer and a limit switch; the second positioning module is arranged on the transport track.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The lying device comprises a driving module, a lying pad and a supporting module; the lying pad is movably connected with the supporting module, the supporting module is rotatably installed on the transport track; one side of an output end of the driving module is drivingly connected with the supporting module; the other side of the output end of the driving module is drivingly connected with the lying pad.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The device further comprises a calibration device installed in each of the positioning rooms (3) for calibrating the virtual isocenter (31).

8. A multi-room transportation method for radiotherapy, the method is implemented by the device of any one of claims 1-7, and the method comprises: obtaining a first treatment plan for a first patient and a second treatment plan for a second patient; adjusting the position and angle of the patient support device according to the first treatment plan at a positioning point in a positioning room; moving the adjusted patient support device to a treatment position in a treatment room through a transportation track; determining the positioning time of the patient support device for the second patient according to the treatment time of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan, and the moving time of the patient support device on the transportation track.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The initial positions of the patient support device for the first patient and the patient support device for the second patient are located in the same positioning room or different positioning rooms.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, The positioning point is a virtual isocenter of the positioning room; and the adjusting the position and angle of the patient support device according to the first treatment plan at the positioning point comprises: obtaining image data of the first patient; determining the adjustment parameters of the patient support device through image registration according to the first treatment plan and the image data of the first patient, the adjustment parameters comprising adjustment position and angle; adjusting the patient support device by applying the adjustment parameters so that the treatment part of the first patient coincides with the virtual isocenter.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, The patient support device is positioned and adjusted through cooperation of a first positioning module and a second positioning module; the first positioning module is connected to the patient support device, and the second positioning module is located on the transportation track.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein, The determining the positioning time of the patient support device for the second patient according to the treatment time of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan, and the moving time of the patient support device on the transportation track comprises: obtaining the preset treatment time of the first treatment plan through the first treatment plan; obtaining the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan based on a machine learning model through the second treatment plan; obtaining the first time length for the patient support device for the first patient to move out of the treatment room and the second time length for the patient support device for the second patient to reach the treatment position in the treatment room from the positioning point through the moving speed and moving distance of the patient support device; obtaining the positioning time of the patient support device for the second patient through the preset treatment time of the first treatment plan, the preset positioning time of the second treatment plan, the first time length, and the second time length.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, The input of the machine learning model comprises: biological characteristics of the patient, disease type and stage, historical treatment records, image examination data, and historical positioning time.

14. A particle therapy system, the system comprising the multi-room transportation device of any one of claims 1-7.

15. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor implementing the functions of the multi-room transportation device of any one of claims 1-7 or implementing the steps of the method of any one of claims 8-13 when executing the computer program.

16. A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions which, when read by a computer, cause the computer to implement the functionality of the multi-chamber transfer device of any one of claims 1-7 or perform the steps of the method of any one of claims 8-13.

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