Radiation shielding apparatus and neutron capture therapy system

Abstract

The present invention provides a radiation shielding apparatus and a neutron capture therapy system. The radiation shielding apparatus of the present invention comprises a shielding body, a base, and a driving apparatus; the shielding body is movably arranged on the base; the shielding body is provided with a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position where the shielding body blocks a beam exit, and the second position is a position where the shielding body at least partially does not block the beam exit; the driving apparatus is connected to the shielding body; and the shielding body is switchable between the first position and the second position by means of the driving apparatus. By means of the technical solution, after a patient completes irradiation and before personnel enters a treatment room for a subsequent operation process, the position of the shielding body can be regulated to block the beam exit, thereby preventing the patient and the personnel from being radiated, preventing the activation of other devices in the treatment room, and ensuring the personal safety of the patient and the personnel and the normal operation of the devices.

Description

Radiation shielding devices and neutron capture therapy systems Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of neutron capture therapy, and specifically provides a radiation shielding device and a neutron capture therapy system. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of atomic science, radiation therapy, such as cobalt-60, linear accelerators, and electron beams, has become one of the main methods of cancer treatment. However, traditional photon or electron therapy is limited by the physical conditions of radiation itself. While killing tumor cells, it also damages a large amount of normal tissue along the beam path. In addition, due to the different sensitivities of tumor cells to radiation, traditional radiation therapy is often ineffective for more radiation-resistant malignant tumors (such as glioblastoma multiforme and melanoma).

[0003] To reduce radiation damage to surrounding normal tissues, the concept of targeted therapy in chemotherapy has been applied to radiotherapy. Furthermore, for highly radiation-resistant tumor cells, radiation sources with high relative biological effectiveness (RBE) are being actively developed, such as proton therapy, heavy ion therapy, and neutron capture therapy. Neutron capture therapy combines these two concepts; for example, boron neutron capture therapy utilizes the specific accumulation of boron-containing drugs on tumor cells, combined with precise neutron beam modulation, to provide a better cancer treatment option than traditional radiation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] After neutron capture therapy is completed, staff need to enter the treatment room in a timely manner to carry out subsequent procedures. However, there is still a certain risk of radiation dose (mainly photons) in the treatment room at this time, especially at the exit point of the beam shaper or collimator. Since the patient is still in the treatment room at this time, not only will the patient and staff be exposed to a radiation hazard environment, but it will also activate other equipment in the treatment room, thus making it impossible to guarantee the safety of the patient and staff and the normal operation of the equipment in the treatment room.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides a radiation shielding device. The radiation shielding device of the present invention includes a shielding body, a base, and a driving device; the shielding body is movably disposed on the base; the shielding body is provided with a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position where the shielding body completely blocks the beam exit, and the second position is a position where the shielding body at least partially does not block the beam exit; the driving device is connected to the shielding body, and the shielding body can be switched between the first position and the second position via the driving device.

[0006] The radiation shielding device of this invention includes a shielding body and a driving device. The driving device drives the shielding body, eliminating the need for operators to manually move it and reducing their exposure to radiation. The shielding body can be positioned in two locations: a first position and a second position. The first position is when the shielding body completely blocks the beam exit. When the shielding body is in the first position, the neutron capture therapy system is in a non-operating state, but residual radiation still exists at the beam exit. Therefore, by completely blocking the beam exit, the shielding body effectively reduces the radiation impact of residual radiation on the equipment, patients, and medical staff in the treatment room, thereby effectively protecting the safety of the equipment and the personal safety of patients and medical staff. The second position is where the shielding body at least partially does not obstruct the beam exit. When the shielding body is in the second position, the neutron capture therapy system is in operation, and there are two states: the first state is that there is no shielding body obstructing the beam exit, and the neutron beam exits to irradiate the patient; the second state is that the beam exit is partially obstructed by the shielding body. This can be applied to different application scenarios, and the specific solution and setting for complete or partial obstruction needs to be determined according to the targeted treatment plan formulated by medical personnel for the patient. The radiation shielding device also includes a base, on which the shielding body is movably disposed. Thus, when the shielding body is driven by the driving device, the base can remain stable and provide support for the shielding body, allowing the radiation shielding device of the present invention to be fixed in a suitable position in the treatment room via the base.

[0007] In the preferred embodiment of the above-described radiation shielding device, in the first position, the projection of the shield onto the plane where the beam exit is located is a first projection plane; in the second position, the projection of the shield onto the plane where the beam exit is located is a second projection plane, and the first projection plane and the second projection plane do not coincide. Through this arrangement, the shield completely blocks the beam exit in the first position, and does not block or partially blocks the beam exit in the second position.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the radiation shielding device described above, the driving device includes a first moving component, which is disposed on the base and can drive the shield to move horizontally. Through this configuration, the shield can be directly driven by the first moving component, thereby moving horizontally and switching between a first position and a second position.

[0009] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned radiation shielding device, the first moving component includes a first motor and a first transmission unit. The first motor can drive the shield to move horizontally via the first transmission unit. By using the first motor, the horizontal movement distance of the shield can be converted into rotational control of the motor, facilitating precise positioning of the shield and effectively blocking the beam exit.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned radiation shielding device, the first transmission unit includes a first lead screw, a slider, and a first guide rail. The shielding body is connected to the slider, the first lead screw is driven by the first motor, the first guide rail extends horizontally and is fixedly connected to the base, and the slider is slidably connected to the first lead screw and can move along the first guide rail under the drive of the first lead screw. Through the above configuration, the lead screw-based transmission unit improves the positioning accuracy of the shielding body, thus ensuring the radiation shielding effect. The first guide rail ensures the stability of the shielding body's horizontal movement, preventing deviation from the horizontal direction.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the aforementioned radiation shielding device, the driving device further includes a second moving component disposed on the base. The first and second moving components are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the shielding body and can synchronously drive the shielding body to move horizontally. Through this arrangement, the first and second moving components drive the shielding body from both sides respectively, ensuring smooth operation of the driving device and further improving the reliability of the shielding body in shielding radiation.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned radiation shielding device, the driving device further includes a third moving component, which can drive the shielding body to move vertically. Through this configuration, the displacement of the shielding body switching between the first and second positions can be decomposed into horizontal and vertical movements, which are then controlled separately by the first and third moving components, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the shielding body and ensuring the radiation shielding effect.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned radiation shielding device, the third moving component includes a second motor and a second transmission unit. The second motor is connected to the second transmission unit, and the second transmission unit is connected to the shielding body. The second motor can drive the shielding body to move vertically through the second transmission unit. By using the second motor, the movement distance of the shielding body in the second direction can be converted into rotational control of the motor, facilitating precise positioning of the shielding body and effectively blocking the beam exit.

[0014] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned radiation shielding device, the second transmission unit includes a second lead screw and a connecting rod extending along the vertical direction. The second lead screw is slidably connected to the connecting rod, and the shielding body is fixedly connected to the connecting rod. Through this configuration, the lead screw-based transmission unit improves the positioning accuracy of the shielding body, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of the shielding body in shielding radiation.

[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the aforementioned radiation shielding device, the third moving component further includes a second guide rail extending vertically, and the connecting rod is slidably connected to the second guide rail. Through this arrangement, the second guide rail further ensures the accuracy of the shield's vertical movement, thereby ensuring the shield's effectiveness in blocking radiation.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment of the radiation shielding device described above, the third moving component is disposed on the first moving component, and the first moving component is connected to the shielding body through the third moving component. With this arrangement, the first moving component can drive the third moving component, thereby causing the shielding body to move together in the horizontal direction.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the aforementioned radiation shielding device, the driving device further includes a second moving component disposed on the base. The first and second moving components are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the shielding body and can synchronously drive the shielding body to move horizontally. The driving device also includes a fourth moving component opposite to the third moving component, which is disposed on the second moving component, and the second moving component is connected to the shielding body through the fourth moving component. Through this arrangement, the second and fourth moving components drive the shielding body to rise or fall from both sides of the shielding body, ensuring smooth operation of the driving device and further improving the reliability of the shielding body in shielding radiation.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the aforementioned radiation shielding device, the driving device includes a control module with a communication unit. The communication unit can receive external commands, and in response to these commands, the control unit can control the shield to switch between the first and second positions. With this configuration, after neutron capture therapy is completed, the operator can remotely control the driving device to switch the shield from the second position to the first position from a location free from or minimally affected by residual radiation (e.g., outside the treatment room).

[0019] To address the issue of high residual radiation doses in the treatment room after neutron capture therapy in existing technologies, which can affect equipment and personnel safety for a period of time, this invention provides a neutron capture therapy system. The neutron capture therapy system of this invention includes: a beam shaper with a beam exit and a radiation shielding device for shielding the beam exit; the radiation shielding device includes: a shield body, a base, and a driving device; the shield body is movably disposed on the base; the shield body has a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is where the shield body completely blocks the beam exit, and the second position is where the shield body at least partially does not block the beam exit; the driving device is connected to the shield body, and the shield body can be switched between the first position and the second position via the driving device. With the above configuration, after neutron capture therapy, before personnel enter the treatment room for subsequent procedures, the position of the shield body can be adjusted to shield the beam exit of the beam shaper or collimator, thereby reducing or avoiding radiation exposure to patients and personnel, while also preventing activation of other equipment in the treatment room, ensuring the safety of patients and personnel and the normal operation of the equipment. Similarly, the first position is where the shield completely blocks the beam exit. When the shield is in the first position, the neutron capture therapy system is in a non-operating state, but residual radiation still exists at the beam exit. Therefore, completely blocking the beam exit effectively reduces the radiation impact of residual radiation on the equipment, patients, and medical staff in the treatment room, thus effectively protecting the safety of the equipment and the personal safety of patients and medical staff. The second position is where the shield at least partially does not block the beam exit. When the shield is in the second position, the neutron capture therapy system is in operation, and there are two scenarios: the first is that there is no shield in front of the beam exit, and the neutron beam is emitted from the beam exit to irradiate the patient; the second is that the beam exit is partially blocked by the shield. This can be applied to different application scenarios, and the specific solution and settings for complete or partial shielding need to be determined according to the targeted treatment plan developed by the medical staff for the patient.

[0020] In the preferred embodiment of the above-described neutron capture therapy system, the centerline of the beam exit extends vertically. With this configuration, the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention can implement treatment programs requiring vertical neutron beam emission.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the aforementioned neutron capture therapy system, the system further includes an external frame for suspending the beam shaper from the ceiling of the treatment room; the base is fixedly connected to at least one of the beam shaper, the external frame, or the ceiling. With this configuration, the radiation shielding device can be stably supported by the external frame or the ceiling of the treatment room.

[0022] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned neutron capture therapy system, the driving device includes a first moving component, which is disposed on the base and can drive the shield to move in the horizontal direction.

[0023] In the preferred embodiment of the above-mentioned neutron capture therapy system, the driving device further includes a third moving component disposed on the first moving component, the first moving component being connected to the shielding body through the third moving component, and the third moving component being able to drive the shielding body to move in the vertical direction.

[0024] With the above configuration, the first moving component can drive the third moving component, thereby indirectly driving the shield to move horizontally. The displacement of the shield switching between the first and second positions can be decomposed into horizontal and vertical movements, which can be controlled separately by the first and third moving components, improving the positioning accuracy of the shield and thus effectively shielding radiation. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention when the shield is in the first position;

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention when the shield is in the second position;

[0028] Figure 3 is a partial bottom view of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the projection plane of the beam exit plane of the shield shown in Figure 3 in the first position and the second position respectively;

[0030] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the radiation shielding device of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 is a partial enlarged view of point A in an embodiment of the radiation shielding device shown in Figure 5;

[0032] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure in an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention, in which the shield completely blocks the beam exit.

[0035] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding body in an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention, in which the beam outlet is completely unobstructed.

[0036] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding part blocking the beam exit in one embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding part blocking the beam exit in another embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention.

[0038] List of reference numerals: 100, Radiation shielding device; 10, Shielding body; 101, First component; 102, Second component; 20, Base; 30, Drive device; 31, First moving component; 311, First motor; 312, First lead screw; 313, Slider; 314, First guide rail; 3141, Limiting part; 32, Third moving component; 321, Second motor; 322, Second lead screw; 323, Connecting rod; 324, Second guide rail; 3231, Horizontal rod; 3232, Vertical rod; 33, Second moving component; 34, Fourth moving component; 400, Neutron capture therapy system; 410, Beam shaping body; 411, Beam exit; 420, Accelerator; 430, Neutron generating part; 440, Collimating device; 450, External frame; 500, Treatment room; 501, Ceiling. Detailed Implementation

[0039] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0041] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Neutron capture therapy has seen increasing application as an effective cancer treatment method in recent years, with boron neutron capture therapy being the most common. Neutrons for boron neutron capture therapy can be supplied by nuclear reactors or accelerators. This application's embodiments use accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy as an example. The basic components of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy typically include an accelerator for accelerating charged particles (such as protons, deuterons, etc.) and a neutron capture therapy system. The neutron capture therapy system includes a target material, a thermal removal system, and a beam shaper. The accelerated charged particles interact with the target material to produce neutrons. A suitable nuclear reaction is selected based on the required neutron yield and energy, the available energy and current of the accelerated charged particles, and the physicochemical properties of the target material. Commonly discussed nuclear reactions include... 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be and 9 Be(p,n) 9 B. Both of these reactions are endothermic. The energy thresholds for the two nuclear reactions are 1.881 MeV and 2.055 MeV, respectively. Since the ideal neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy is hyperthermal neutrons at the keV energy level, theoretically, if protons with energies only slightly higher than the threshold are used to bombard a lithium metal target, relatively low-energy neutrons can be produced, which can be used clinically without much slowing treatment. However, the interaction cross-section between lithium metal (Li) and beryllium metal (Be) targets and protons at the threshold energy is not high. In order to generate a sufficiently large neutron flux, higher-energy protons are usually selected to initiate the nuclear reaction.

[0043] To address the problem of high residual radiation dose in the treatment room for a period of time after neutron capture therapy in existing technologies, which affects equipment and personal safety, this invention provides a radiation shielding device and a neutron capture therapy system.

[0044] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention when the shield is in the first position; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention when the shield is in the second position. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the radiation shielding device 100 of the present invention includes a shield 10 for blocking the beam outlet 411 and a driving device 30 for driving the shield 10. The shield 10 is provided with a first position and a second position, and the driving device 30 is connected to the shield 10. The shield 10 can be switched between the first position and the second position through the driving device 30. The first position is the position where the shield 10 blocks the beam outlet 411. For example, as shown in Figure 1, when the shield 10 moves to the first position, that is, the shield 10 completely blocks the beam outlet 411, the remaining beam from the beam outlet 411 is shielded by the shield 10, thereby protecting the safety of the equipment in the treatment room and the personal safety of patients and medical staff. As shown in Figure 2, the second position is the position where the shield 10 at least partially does not block the beam outlet 411. Specifically, in this embodiment, when the shield is in the second position, it is the working state of the neutron capture therapy system, that is, the beam output state, and there are two working conditions: the shield 10 does not block the beam outlet 411 at all and the shield 10 partially blocks the beam outlet 411.

[0045] In some embodiments, when the shield 10 does not completely block the beam outlet 411, the neutron capture therapy system 400 can emit a neutron beam through the beam outlet 411 to perform radiotherapy on the patient.

[0046] In other embodiments, when the shield 10 partially blocks the beam outlet 411, it can be applied to different application scenarios. The specific solution and settings for complete or partial blocking need to be determined according to the targeted treatment plan formulated by medical staff for the patient. No specific limitations are made here.

[0047] Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the radiation shielding device 100 further includes a base 20 on which the shielding body 10 is movably disposed. Thus, when the shielding body 10 is driven by the driving device 30, the base 20 can be used to maintain stability and provide support for the shielding body 10, allowing the radiation shielding device 100 to be fixed in a suitable position within the treatment room 500 via the base 20. Exemplarily, the radiation shielding device 100 can be fixedly connected to the frame of the neutron capture therapy system 400 or the ceiling 501 of the treatment room 500.

[0048] In some embodiments, the shield 10 is configured as a generally circular plate-like member with an area larger than the opening area of ​​the beam outlet 411. In the first position, the shield 10 may form a gap with the beam outlet 411, the gap being controlled between 20mm and 30mm. Alternatively, in the first position, the shield 10 may be closer to the beam outlet 411 or cover the beam outlet 411. Here, the shape and structure of the shield 10 are not limited to a circular plate-like structure, and can be any other shape and structure as long as it can completely block the beam outlet 411; no specific limitation is made here.

[0049] Figure 3 is a partial bottom view of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the shield shown in Figure 3 with a first projection plane of the shield at a first position on the plane where the beam exit 411 is located and a second projection plane of the shield at a second position on the plane where the beam exit 411 is located. Referring again to Figure 1, in one or more embodiments, the plane where the beam exit 411 is located is a horizontal plane (based on the orientation shown in Figure 1, the horizontal plane is parallel to the XY plane), the centerline of the beam exit 411 extends vertically, and the neutron beam emitted from the beam exit 411 is emitted approximately in a vertical direction (based on the orientation shown in Figure 1, the vertical direction is parallel to the Z direction, and the patient to be treated can lie face up or face down in a prone position to receive irradiation). Therefore, the projection of the shield 10 on the horizontal plane is the effective area that actually provides shielding. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the first position, the projection of the shield 10 onto the horizontal plane is the first projection plane a. Further, referring to Figure 9, this indicates that the shield 10 completely blocks the beam exit 411. In the second position, the projection of the shield 10 onto the horizontal plane is the second projection plane b. Further, referring to Figures 10 and 11, in Figure 10, the shield 10 does not completely block the beam exit 411, while in Figure 11, the shield 10 partially blocks the beam exit 411. The first projection plane a and the second projection plane b do not coincide, thus the shield 10 can switch between two positions: blocking the beam exit 411 and not blocking or partially not blocking the beam exit 411. Alternatively, the neutron beam can also be configured to exit in other suitable directions. Accordingly, the first projection plane is the projection of the shield 10 onto the plane containing the beam exit 411 in the first position; the second projection plane is the projection of the shield 10 onto the plane containing the beam exit 411 in the second position.

[0050] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the radiation shielding device of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, in one or more embodiments, the driving device 30 includes a first moving component 31, which is disposed on the base 20 and can drive the shield 10 to move in the horizontal direction. The shield 10 can move closer to and block the beam outlet 411 or move away from and expose the beam outlet 411 in the horizontal direction.

[0051] Further, the first moving component 31 may include a first motor 311 and a first transmission unit. The first motor 311 can drive the shield 10 to move horizontally via the first transmission unit. The first transmission unit may include a first lead screw 312, a slider 313, and a first guide rail 314. Both the first lead screw 312 and the first guide rail 314 extend horizontally. The first lead screw 312 is connected to the first motor 311 via a coupling, specifically, it can be fixedly connected to the output shaft of the motor. The first guide rail 314 is fixedly connected to the base 20, so that the first guide rail 314 serves both a guiding function and a supporting function for the first moving component 31. In some other embodiments, the first guide rail 314 may include a limiting part 3141, which limits the horizontal movement of the slider 313, thereby limiting the movement of the shield 10 and preventing the slider 313 and the shield 10 from falling off the first guide rail 314, thus preventing damage to the equipment or injury to personnel.

[0052] Referring again to Figure 5, the slider 313 is connected to the first lead screw 312 via a transmission connection. Specifically, it can be slidably connected to the first lead screw 312 via a lead screw nut. While slidably connected to the first lead screw 312, the slider 313 is also slidably connected to the first guide rail 314, thus making the horizontal movement of the slider 313 more stable. The shield 10 is connected to the slider 313, so that when the first motor 311 drives the slider 313 to slide, it can also drive the shield 10 to move horizontally together. Alternatively, the first transmission unit can also be configured with other suitable structures, such as a transmission belt structure, where the shield 10 is fixed to the transmission belt and can move horizontally.

[0053] Referring again to Figures 1 and 5, in one or more embodiments, the driving device 30 further includes a second moving component 33 disposed on the base 20. The first moving component 31 and the second moving component 33 are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the shield 10 and can synchronously drive the shield 10 to move in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the second moving component 33 may be omitted.

[0054] Figure 6 is a partial enlarged view at point A of an embodiment of the radiation shielding device shown in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 6, in one or more embodiments, the driving device 30 may further include a third moving component 32, and the first moving component 31 is connected to the shielding body 10 via the third moving component 32. Alternatively, the third moving component 32 may also be disposed at other suitable positions on the radiation shielding device 100. The third moving component 32 can drive the shielding body 10 to move vertically to achieve the lifting and lowering of the shielding body 10. Therefore, the displacement of the shielding body 10 between the first position and the second position can be decomposed into horizontal and vertical directions, and the displacement in both directions is completed by the first moving component 31 and the third moving component 32 respectively, so as to accurately position the shielding body 10. For example, based on the orientation shown in Figure 1, when the shielding body 10 approaches the beam outlet 411 from the second position and is located below the beam outlet 411 under the drive of the first moving component 31, the third moving component 32 can further drive the shielding body 10 to rise and approach the beam outlet 411, and finally drive the shielding body 10 to the first position. Relative to the first position, the shield 10 at the second position can be positioned on one edge of the beam shaper 410. This prevents the shield 10 from interfering with the positioning beams of laser positioning devices (e.g., positioning devices for detecting whether an instrument is in a predetermined position, positioning devices for detecting whether the patient's treatment site is in a predetermined position, etc.) installed in the treatment room 500, or from interfering with other auxiliary devices. Therefore, through the arrangement of the first moving component 31 and the third moving component 32, the shield 10 can ensure the safety of personnel and equipment after irradiation, and also prevent interference with the normal operation of laser positioning devices and other devices when irradiating patients with neutron beams. Alternatively, the vertical direction can also be configured in other suitable directions according to actual needs.

[0055] Referring again to Figure 6, in one or more embodiments, the third moving component 32 may include a second motor 321 and a second transmission unit. The second motor 321 can drive the shield 10 to move vertically via the second transmission unit. The second motor 321 or the second transmission unit can be fixedly connected to the slider 313, thereby fixing the third moving component 32 to the first moving component 31. The first moving component 31 can then drive the shield 10 to move horizontally by driving the third moving component 32.

[0056] Furthermore, the second transmission unit may include a second lead screw 322 and a connecting rod 323 extending vertically. The connecting rod 323 is slidably connected to the second lead screw 322. The shield 10 is fixedly connected to the connecting rod 323. With the above configuration, the third moving component 32 can directly drive the shield 10 to move vertically. The connecting rod 323 includes a horizontal rod 3231 and a vertical rod 3232, with the vertical rod 3232 fixedly connected to the horizontal rod 3231. The vertical rod 3232 extends vertically and is slidably connected to the second lead screw 322, while the horizontal rod 3231 extends horizontally and is fixedly connected to the shield 10. With the above configuration, the structure of the connecting rod 323 is adapted to the external structure of the beam shaper 410 to avoid interference with the beam shaper 410 during the movement of the connecting rod 323. Alternatively, the connecting rod 323 may also be configured with other suitable structures according to actual needs.

[0057] In some other embodiments, the third moving component 32 further includes a second guide rail 324 extending vertically. The connecting rod 323 is slidably connected to the second guide rail 324 to ensure vertical movement of the connecting rod 323. The second guide rail 324 may be fixedly connected to the slider 313 for support, providing stable guidance for the connecting rod 323. Alternatively, the second guide rail 324 may be omitted.

[0058] In embodiments where a second moving component 33 is provided, the driving device 30 further includes a fourth moving component 34 opposite to the third moving component 32. The fourth moving component 34 can be disposed on the second moving component 33, and the second moving component 33 is connected to the shield 10 via the fourth moving component 34, thereby allowing the second moving component 33 and the fourth moving component 34 to synchronously drive the shield 10 to move vertically. Alternatively, the fourth moving component 34 can be omitted.

[0059] It is understandable that the components such as the first motor 311, the first lead screw 312, the second motor 321, the second lead screw 322, and the connecting rod 323 mentioned above can be provided with a radiation-proof layer on their surface, such as boron-containing polyethylene, to prevent activation by radiation within the treatment room 500.

[0060] In other embodiments, as can be understood in conjunction with FIG12, the shield 10 includes a first part 101 and a second part 102 that are independent of each other. The first part 101 and the second part 102 can be two matching semi-circular sheet-like structures. The first part 101 and the second part 102 are driven by different driving devices 30, thereby switching between a first position and a second position. In the second position, the first part 101 and the second part 102 are spaced apart from each other. In the first position, the first part 101 and the second part 102 abut against each other, thereby forming a whole to block the beam exit 411. Further, the contact surfaces of the first part 101 and the second part 102 abut against each other form an angle with the vertical direction to prevent residual radiation with a vertical propagation tendency from leaking from the contact surfaces of the first part 101 and the second part 102.

[0061] In an alternative embodiment, the drive unit 30 may include a rotating assembly comprising a fixed end and a rotating end. The fixed end is fixedly connected to the base 20, thereby providing stable support for the rotating assembly. The rotating end is fixedly connected to the shield 10, thereby allowing the shield 10 to rotate between a first position and a second position.

[0062] In one or more embodiments, the drive device 30 further includes a control module with a communication unit that can receive external commands. In response to these commands, the control module can control the shield 10 to switch between a first position and a second position. This allows the operator to temporarily avoid entering the treatment chamber 500 after neutron capture therapy has finished, driving the shield 10 from outside the treatment chamber 500 to switch from the second position to the first position to block the beam exit 411. Entry is permitted only after the shield 10 has moved into position and it is safe to enter the treatment chamber 500. The communication unit may include one or more of 5G, WIFI, or Bluetooth.

[0063] The neutron capture therapy system 400 of the present invention includes: a beam shaper 410 having a beam outlet 411 and a radiation shielding device 100 for shielding the beam outlet 411; the radiation shielding device 100 includes: a shield body 10, a base 20, and a drive device 30; the shield body 10 is movably disposed on the base 20; the shield body 10 has a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position in which the shield body 10 completely blocks the beam outlet 411, and the second position is a position in which the shield body 10 at least partially does not block the beam outlet 411; the drive device 30 is connected to the shield body 10, and the shield body 10 can be switched between the first position and the second position by the drive device 30. Through the above configuration, the radiation shielding device 100 eliminates the need for operators to manually move the shield body 10, reducing the risk of operators being exposed to radiation.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, the first position is the position where the shield 10 completely blocks the beam outlet 411. When the shield 10 is in the first position, the neutron capture therapy system 400 is in a non-working state, but there are still residual radiations at the beam outlet 411. Therefore, the shield 10 completely blocks the beam outlet, which can effectively reduce the radiation impact of residual radiation on the equipment in the treatment room and on patients and medical staff, thereby effectively protecting the safety of the equipment in the treatment room and the personal safety of patients and medical staff.

[0065] In one or more embodiments, the second position is the position where the shield 10 at least partially does not block the beam outlet 411. When the shield 10 is in the second position, it is the working state of the neutron capture therapy system 400, i.e. the beam output state. Similarly, there are two working conditions: the shield 10 does not block the beam outlet 411 at all and the shield 10 partially blocks the beam outlet 411.

[0066] In some embodiments, when there is no shield 10 blocking the beam outlet 411, the beam outlet 411 emits a neutron beam to irradiate the patient to be treated.

[0067] In other embodiments, when the beam outlet 411 is partially blocked by the shield 10, it can be applied to different application scenarios. The specific solution and settings for complete or partial blocking need to be determined according to the targeted treatment plan formulated by medical staff for the patient. No specific limitations are made here.

[0068] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention. As shown in Figure 7, in one or more embodiments, the neutron capture therapy system 400 further includes an accelerator 420 for generating a charged particle beam P and a neutron generating unit 430 for generating a neutron beam after being irradiated by the charged particle beam P. The neutron generating unit 430 generates a neutron beam N after being irradiated by the charged particle beam P, and a collimating device 440 concentrates the neutrons generated by the neutron generating unit 430 for irradiation.

[0069] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the neutron capture therapy system of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, in one or more embodiments, the beam shaper 410 can be suspended from the top of the treatment chamber 500, and the beam outlet 411 is formed on the beam collimator 440, so the neutron beam emitted from the beam outlet 411 can be emitted vertically downwards. Since the neutron beam emitted from the beam outlet 411 is emitted approximately vertically (the patient to be treated can lie face up or face down in a prone position to receive irradiation), the projection of the shield 10 on the horizontal plane is the effective area that actually provides shielding. Referring again to Figure 4, in the first position, the projection of the shield 10 on the horizontal plane is the first projection surface a; in the second position, the projection of the shield 10 on the horizontal plane is the second projection surface b. The first projection surface a and the second projection surface b do not coincide, therefore, the shield 10 can switch between two positions: shielding the beam outlet 411 and not shielding or partially shielding the beam outlet 411. Alternatively, the neutron beam can be configured to exit in other suitable directions, with the first projection plane being the projection of the shield 10 onto the plane where the beam exit 411 is located in the first position; and the second projection plane being the projection of the shield 10 onto the plane where the beam exit 411 is located in the second position.

[0070] Referring again to Figure 8, in one or more embodiments, the neutron capture therapy system 400 further includes an external frame 450 for suspending the beam shaper 410 from the ceiling 501 of the treatment room 500. The base 20 may be fixedly connected to at least one of the beam shaper 410, the external frame 450, or the ceiling 501. With the above-described arrangement, the radiation shielding device 100 can be stably supported by the external frame 450 or the ceiling 501 of the treatment room 500.

[0071] In one or more embodiments, the driving device 30 includes a control module with a communication unit that can receive external commands. In response to these commands, the control module can control the shield 10 to switch between a first position and a second position. This allows the operator to temporarily avoid entering the treatment chamber 500 after neutron capture therapy has finished, driving the shield 10 from outside the treatment chamber 500 to switch from the second position to the first position to block the beam exit 411. Entry is permitted only after the shield 10 has moved into position and it is safe to enter the treatment chamber 500. The communication module may include one or more of 5G, WIFI, or Bluetooth.

[0072] In one or more embodiments, the driving device 30 includes a first moving component 31, which is disposed on the base 20 and can drive the shield 10 to move horizontally. Further, the driving device 30 may also include a third moving component 32, through which the first moving component 31 is connected to the shield 10, and the third moving component 32 can drive the shield 10 to move vertically. Through the above arrangement, the first moving component 31 can drive the connected third moving component and the shield 10 to move together, thereby indirectly driving the shield 10 to move horizontally. The displacement of the shield 10 switching between the first and second positions can be decomposed into movement along the horizontal and vertical directions, which can be controlled separately by the first moving component 31 and the third moving component 32, effectively improving the positioning accuracy of the shield 10 and thus fully shielding radiation.

[0073] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A radiation shielding device, characterized in that, The radiation shielding device includes a shielding body, a base, and a driving device; the shielding body is movably disposed on the base; the shielding body is provided with a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is a position in which the shielding body completely blocks the beam exit, and the second position is a position in which the shielding body at least partially does not block the beam exit; the driving device is connected to the shielding body, and the shielding body can be switched between the first position and the second position through the driving device.

2. The radiation shielding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the first position, the projection of the shield onto the plane where the beam exit is located is a first projection plane; in the second position, the projection of the shield onto the plane where the beam exit is located is a second projection plane, and the first projection plane and the second projection plane do not coincide.

3. The radiation shielding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving device includes a first moving component, which is disposed on the base and can drive the shield to move in the horizontal direction.

4. The radiation shielding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first moving component includes a first motor and a first transmission unit. The first motor can drive the shield to move horizontally through the first transmission unit. The first transmission unit includes a first lead screw, a slider, and a first guide rail. The shield is connected to the slider. The first lead screw is driven by the first motor. The first guide rail extends horizontally and is fixedly connected to the base. The slider is slidably connected to the first lead screw and can move along the first guide rail under the drive of the first lead screw.

5. The radiation shielding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving device further includes a second moving component disposed on the base. The first moving component and the second moving component are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the shield and can synchronously drive the shield to move in the horizontal direction.

6. The radiation shielding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving device further includes a third moving component, which can drive the shield to move in the vertical direction.

7. The radiation shielding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The third moving component includes a second motor and a second transmission unit. The second motor is connected to the second transmission unit, and the second transmission unit is connected to the shield. The second motor can drive the shield to move vertically through the second transmission unit. The second transmission unit includes a second lead screw and a connecting rod extending vertically. The second lead screw is slidably connected to the connecting rod, and the shield is fixedly connected to the connecting rod.

8. The radiation shielding device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The third moving component further includes a second guide rail that extends vertically, and the connecting rod is slidably connected to the second guide rail.

9. The radiation shielding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The third moving component is disposed on the first moving component, and the first moving component is connected to the shielding body through the third moving component.

10. The radiation shielding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The driving device further includes a second moving component disposed on the base. The first moving component and the second moving component are disposed opposite to each other on both sides of the shield and can synchronously drive the shield to move in the horizontal direction. The driving device further includes a fourth moving component opposite to the third moving component, the fourth moving component being disposed on the second moving component, and the second moving component being connected to the shielding body through the fourth moving component.

11. A neutron capture therapy system, characterized in that, The neutron capture therapy system includes: A beam shaper with a beam exit and a radiation shielding device for shielding the beam exit; The radiation shielding device includes: a shielding body, a base, and a driving device; The shielding body is movably disposed on the base; The shield has a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is the position where the shield completely blocks the beam exit, and the second position is the position where the shield at least partially does not block the beam exit; The driving device is connected to the shield, and the shield can be switched between the first position and the second position via the driving device.

12. The neutron capture therapy system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The centerline of the beam exit extends in the vertical direction.

13. The neutron capture therapy system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The neutron capture therapy system also includes an external frame for suspending the beam shaper from the ceiling of the treatment room; The base is fixedly connected to at least one of the beam shaper, the external frame, or the ceiling.

14. The neutron capture therapy system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The driving device includes a first moving component, which is disposed on the base and can drive the shield to move in the horizontal direction.

15. The neutron capture therapy system according to claim 14, characterized in that, The driving device further includes a third moving component disposed on the first moving component. The first moving component is connected to the shield through the third moving component, and the third moving component can drive the shield to move in the vertical direction.

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