Boron dose measurement system, method and apparatus

Abstract

A boron dose measurement system, method and apparatus. The system is provided with a first detection apparatus (10), a second detection apparatus (20) and a boron dose measurement apparatus (30), wherein the first detection apparatus (10) detects gamma rays in a target region, in order to obtain first boron measurement information, the first boron measurement information comprising energy spectrum information of the gamma rays; the second detection apparatus (20) detects the gamma rays in the target region, in order to obtain second boron measurement information, the second boron measurement information comprising position information of the gamma rays; the second detection apparatus (20) and the first detection apparatus (10) synchronously perform measurement; and the boron dose measurement apparatus (30) can determine a boron dose distribution in the target region on the basis of the energy spectrum information and the position information of the gamma rays that are obtained by means of synchronous measurement. A boron dose distribution in a target region can be accurately obtained, and the obtained boron dose distribution can meet the requirements for online boron dose monitoring.

Description

Boron Dosimetry System, Method and Apparatus Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of radiation detection technology, and in particular to a boron dose measurement system, method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary radiotherapy technique that utilizes the specific uptake of boron-containing drugs such as BPA and BSH by tumors to create a difference in boron concentration between the tumor area and normal somatic cells. Hyperthermic neutron irradiation is then used to precisely target and treat the tumor. During transport within human tissues, neutrons interact with boron-enriched molecules within the tumor. 10 Element B undergoes a capture reaction, producing alpha particles and... 7 Li nuclei, with their range of approximately one cell diameter, are heavily charged ions that precisely kill tumor tissue while minimizing radiation damage to surrounding normal tissue. Since the targeted therapeutic properties of BNCT primarily rely on the specific binding of boron-containing drugs to the tumor region, it is necessary to monitor the dosage of boron-containing drugs within the tumor tissue during treatment.

[0003] Currently, boron concentration monitoring systems have low accuracy and efficiency in measuring boron dosage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this specification is to provide a boron dosing measurement system, method, and apparatus to address the problems of low accuracy and efficiency in boron dosing measurement.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the first aspect of this specification provides a boron dosing measurement system, comprising:

[0006] A first detection device is used to detect gamma rays in a target area to obtain first boron measurement information, which includes the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays.

[0007] The second detection device is used to detect gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, which includes the location information of the gamma rays. The second detection device and the first detection device measure synchronously.

[0008] A boron dose measurement device is used to determine the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0009] In some embodiments of this specification, the system further includes a shielding device, wherein the first detection device and / or the second detection device are disposed within the shielding device.

[0010] In some embodiments of this specification, the shielding device includes a fast neutron moderation layer, a gamma-ray shielding layer, a neutron absorption layer, and a characteristic ray shielding layer.

[0011] In some embodiments of this specification, the first detection device includes at least one energy spectrum detector, and the second detection device includes at least one position detector;

[0012] The at least one energy spectrum detector is located at a first preset distance from the target area, and the at least one position detector is located at a second preset distance from the target area. The receiving surfaces of the at least one energy spectrum detector and / or the at least one position detector are configured to correspond to the target area.

[0013] In some embodiments of this specification, the first position of the at least one energy spectrum detector and / or the second position of the at least one position detector are offset from the normal direction of the treatment head outlet.

[0014] In some embodiments of this specification, the first preset distance and the second preset distance are determined based on the operating parameters of the corresponding detectors.

[0015] In some embodiments of this specification, the at least one position detector and / or the at least one energy spectrum detector is located on the side of the irradiated body close to the target region.

[0016] In some embodiments of this specification, the second detection device includes a plurality of position detectors arranged around the center of the target area and the line connecting it to the treatment head.

[0017] The second aspect of this specification provides a method for measuring boron dosage, including:

[0018] First boron measurement information and second boron measurement information are obtained. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of gamma rays, and the second boron measurement information includes the position information of gamma rays. The first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information are obtained by synchronous measurement.

[0019] Based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the boron dose distribution is determined.

[0020] In some embodiments of this specification, the method further includes:

[0021] The first detection device detects gamma rays in the target area to obtain first boron measurement information, which includes the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays.

[0022] The second detection device detects gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, which includes the location information of the gamma rays. The second detection device and the first detection device measure synchronously.

[0023] The boron dosimetry device determines the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0024] In some embodiments of this specification, obtaining first boron measurement information and second boron measurement information includes:

[0025] The first boron measurement information is obtained by using an energy spectrum detector to image the transient gamma ray energy spectrum of the target area at a first preset time interval;

[0026] The target area is imaged with transient gamma rays using a position detector at a second preset time interval to obtain the second boron measurement information, wherein the first preset time interval is shorter than the second preset time interval.

[0027] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information includes:

[0028] Based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, a weighting factor for the target region is determined, and the weighting factor is used to characterize the boron dose weight.

[0029] Based on the weighting factor and the second boron measurement information, the boron dose distribution in the target area during the target time period is determined.

[0030] In some embodiments of this specification, a weighting factor for the target region is determined based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, including:

[0031] Based on the first boron measurement information, the first cumulative boron dose in the target area during the target time period is determined;

[0032] Based on the second boron measurement information and the first cumulative boron dose, a weighting factor for the target region is determined within the target time period.

[0033] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the first cumulative boron dose in the target region within a target time period based on the first boron measurement information includes:

[0034] Energy spectral analysis is performed on the first boron measurement information to obtain gamma ray count information at multiple moments within the target time period;

[0035] Based on a preset conversion factor, the gamma ray count information at each moment is converted into real-time boron dose data;

[0036] The first cumulative boron dose is obtained by integrating the real-time boron dose data at the multiple time points.

[0037] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the weighting factor of the target region within a target time period based on the second boron measurement information and the first cumulative boron dose includes:

[0038] Based on the second boron measurement information, a second cumulative boron dose in the target area is determined within the target time period;

[0039] The weighting factor is determined based on the first cumulative boron dose and the second cumulative boron dose.

[0040] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the second cumulative boron dose in the target region within a target time period based on the second boron measurement information includes:

[0041] Based on the second boron measurement information, the boron dose at each location in the target area within the target time period is determined;

[0042] The boron doses at each location are summed to obtain the second cumulative boron dose.

[0043] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the boron dose distribution in the target region based on a weighting factor and the second boron measurement information includes:

[0044] Based on the second boron measurement information, the boron dose at each location in the target area within the target time period is determined;

[0045] The boron dose distribution is obtained by correcting the boron dose at each location based on the weighting factor.

[0046] In some embodiments of this specification, the second boron measurement information is obtained by using at least two position detectors to image the target area with transient gamma rays at a second preset time interval;

[0047] Accordingly, before determining the weighting factor of the target region based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the process further includes:

[0048] Using any location in the target area as the current location, acquire boron measurement information from at least two location detectors at the current location;

[0049] Based on the spatial relationship between each location detector and the current location, the reliability parameters of each location detector are determined.

[0050] Based on the reliability parameters of each location detector and the boron measurement information of the current location detected by each location detector, the target boron measurement information of the current location is determined, and the target boron measurement information of multiple locations in the target area is used as the second boron measurement information.

[0051] A third aspect of this specification provides a boron dosing measurement device, comprising:

[0052] The information acquisition module is used to acquire first boron measurement information and second boron measurement information. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of gamma rays, and the second boron measurement information includes the position information of gamma rays. The first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information are obtained by synchronous measurement.

[0053] The distribution determination module is used to determine the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0054] A fourth aspect of this specification provides an electronic device including a processor and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor, when executing the instructions, implements the steps of the aforementioned method.

[0055] The fifth aspect of this specification provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program / instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the aforementioned method.

[0056] The boron dose measurement system, method, and apparatus provided in the embodiments of this specification, through the arrangement of a first detection device, a second detection device, and a boron dose measurement device, obtain first boron measurement information by detecting gamma rays in a target area using the first detection device. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays. The second detection device detects gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, which includes the position information of the gamma rays. The second detection device and the first detection device perform simultaneous measurements. Therefore, the boron dose measurement device can determine the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the synchronously measured energy spectrum information and position information of the gamma rays. Through the above system, the energy spectrum information and corresponding position information of gamma rays in the target area can be simultaneously measured and obtained. Furthermore, since the energy spectrum information of gamma rays can identify the carriers of boron neutrons in the boron neutron capture reaction,... 10 Gamma rays carrying B concentration information can be obtained based on their location information. 10 Based on the gamma ray position distribution of B concentration information, the boron dose distribution in the target area can be accurately obtained, and the obtained boron dose distribution can meet the needs of online boron dose monitoring. On this basis, the generation of radiotherapy plans is more efficient, accurate, and reasonable, thus improving the subsequent treatment effect. Attached Figure Description

[0057] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0058] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the boron dosing measurement system provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0059] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the shielding device provided in the embodiment of this specification;

[0060] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the boron dosing measurement system provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0061] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of position detectors provided in an embodiment of this specification;

[0062] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a boron dosage measurement method provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0063] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the measurement results of the boron dosing measurement system and the single-mode measurement system provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0064] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the relationship between count rate and time provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0065] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the boron dose distribution imaging results provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0066] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the total count and time provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0067] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the boron dosing measurement device provided in the embodiments of this specification;

[0068] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this specification. Detailed Implementation

[0069] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this application. The various embodiments in this specification, such as the examples provided "in some embodiments" or "in other embodiments," can each be used as an embodiment on their own, or they can be combined with at least one other embodiment to form some new embodiments, which can still be implemented and achieve corresponding beneficial effects.

[0070] This specification provides a boron dose measurement system. The boron dose distribution, first boron measurement information, and / or second boron measurement information obtained by this system can be used in boron neutron capture therapy as mentioned in the background art. This system can work in conjunction with a radiotherapy system for scenarios requiring boron dose distribution measurement within the radiotherapy system, such as before the actual treatment process, for example, in the treatment quality verification stage, or in real-time measurement of boron dose distribution during the actual treatment process. Furthermore, this system can be used in boron neutron capture therapy systems. This system can be applied to the quality verification stage of boron neutron capture therapy. When using a PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) phantom to replace the patient's tumor for neutron beam irradiation, and implementing the treatment according to the operating parameters specified in the treatment plan, the treatment parameters in the PMMA phantom are measured. This system can be used to measure the boron dose distribution in the PMMA phantom, obtain the treatment parameters in the PMMA phantom, and compare them with the values ​​specified in the treatment plan. The error between the two values ​​is used to determine whether the quality verification has passed, thus determining a reliable treatment plan for the patient. This system can also be applied to the actual treatment process of the boron neutron capture therapy system, obtaining the boron dose distribution measurement results through this system.

[0071] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a boron dose measurement system provided in an embodiment of this specification. Although this specification provides a system structure as shown in the following embodiments or figures, the system may include more or fewer devices or components when combined, based on conventional or non-inventive effort. In device or component structures where there is no logically necessary causal relationship, these device or component structures are not limited to those shown in the embodiments or figures of this specification. In practical applications, the device structure can be configured as shown in the embodiments or figures. As shown in Figure 1, the system may include a first detection device 10, a second detection device 20, and a boron dose measurement device 30.

[0072] The first detection device 10 is used to detect gamma rays in the target area to obtain first boron measurement information, which includes the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays; the second detection device 20 is used to detect gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, which includes the position information of the gamma rays; the second detection device 10 and the first detection device 20 measure synchronously; the boron dose measurement device 30 is used to determine the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0073] It is understood that the target area can be the detection area of ​​the first detection device and the second detection device, and this area can be set based on the target area (e.g., the area where boron-containing drugs are deposited on the irradiated body). For example, the target area can be the target area, or it can include the target area and the area surrounding the target area. Specifically, in boron neutron capture therapy, hyperthermic neutrons irradiate the tumor area of ​​the irradiated body. The target area can be the area of ​​the irradiated body undergoing neutron irradiation therapy, i.e., the target area, or it can include the area of ​​the irradiated body undergoing neutron irradiation therapy and the area surrounding the area of ​​the irradiated body undergoing neutron irradiation therapy. The present invention does not limit this.

[0074] It is understandable that during boron neutron capture therapy, due to the boron neutron capture reaction, 10 B(n,α) 7 Recoil in the Li reaction 7 The Li nucleus decays to its ground state by emitting a 478 keV photon. 7 Li emits gamma rays, and the photon emission rate is proportional to the reaction rate of the neutron trapping reaction; therefore, the gamma rays carry... 10 B concentration information can be used to identify the carriers through gamma-ray energy spectrum information. 10 In this embodiment of the specification, the first detection device can detect the energy spectrum information of gamma rays in the target area in real time. The boron dose measurement device can analyze the energy spectrum information to obtain the total boron dose in the target area. Furthermore, by setting up a second detection device, the location information of gamma rays in the target area can be detected simultaneously with the acquisition of the energy spectrum information. The boron dose measurement device can analyze the location distribution of gamma rays in the target area based on this location information, and determine the carriers of the gamma rays based on the location information of the gamma rays. 10The location distribution of gamma rays based on B concentration information, combined with the location distribution of boron-containing drugs in the target area and the overall boron dose, yields the boron dose distribution in that area. This enables rapid and accurate measurement of gamma rays in the target area during neutron irradiation therapy, and the obtained boron dose distribution meets the needs of online boron dose monitoring. Based on this, radiotherapy planning is generated more efficiently, accurately, and rationally, improving subsequent treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the second detection device can determine the location information of gamma rays emitted within the target area, reducing interference from rays generated at other locations in the environment and lowering background noise. The process by which the boron dose measurement device determines the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first and second boron measurement information will be described in the method section below with specific embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0075] In some embodiments of this specification, the first detection device 10 and the second detection device 20 may be detection devices with identical structures, and the first and second detection devices may be used to measure different information by adjusting the operating parameters of each detection device. For example, the detection device may be a detector, and the operating parameters of the detector, such as the count rate, spatial resolution, and energy spectral resolution, may be adjusted to suit the detection needs of the first and second detection devices. In other embodiments of this specification, the first detection device 10 and the second detection device 20 may be detection devices with different structures, each used to achieve different detection of gamma rays. For example, the first detection device may be a high photon flux detector, and the second detection device may be a position-sensitive detector.

[0076] Preferably, the detectors used as the first and / or second detection devices can be lanthanum bromide detectors or other types of scintillator detectors, such as GAGG (cerium-doped gadolinium aluminum gallium garnet), YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet), etc.; or semiconductor detectors, such as Si semiconductor detectors, TlBr (thallium bromide) detectors, CZT (cadmium zinc telluride) detectors, CdTe (cadmium telluride) detectors, etc., so that the first and / or second detection devices have high detection efficiency at around 500 keV. Furthermore, the first detection device has poor or no position resolution but high energy resolution. The first detection device can be a single-crystal lanthanum bromide scintillator detector; for example, it can be a 5×5×5cm lanthanum bromide single-crystal detector. The second detection device has high position resolution but low energy resolution. The second detector can be a lanthanum bromide crystal array; for example, it can be a 10×10 lanthanum bromide crystal array, with the array unit size being 1×1×10mm lanthanum bromide microstrips.

[0077] In some embodiments of this specification, the boron dose measurement system may further include a shielding device 40, in which the first detection device 10 and / or the second detection device 20 are disposed.

[0078] It is understood that the shielding device 40 can be used to absorb and suppress background radiation generated in the treatment room, including neutrons scattered from the indoor environment and generated transient or activated gamma rays, and can also protect the detection device and reduce the neutron radiation damage it receives. The shielding device 40 can be configured in a one-to-one correspondence with the detection device, that is, each detection device corresponds to one shielding device; alternatively, based on the needs of the detection devices, shielding devices can be configured for some detection devices. For example, the first detection device 10 can be placed inside the shielding device 40 and the second detection device 20 outside the shielding device 40, or the second detection device 20 can be placed inside the shielding device 40 and the first detection device 10 outside the shielding device 40, depending on the radiation requirements of the application scenario. Furthermore, the system can also include a single shielding device, in which both the first and second detection devices can be located; furthermore, the interior of the shielding device can include a chamber in which two detection devices can be located; the interior of the shielding device can also include multiple non-communicating chambers, in which each detection device can be located. The shielding device may also adopt other structures or be combined with the detection device in other ways, and this specification does not limit this.

[0079] Preferably, the shielding device 40 can be hollow and of any shape, that is, the shielding device may include a cavity for accommodating the first detection device 10 and / or the second detection device. For example, the shielding device can be a hollow cubic box for placing the corresponding detection device. Five sides of the cubic box are provided with shielding material, and one side is not provided with shielding material. The side without shielding material is the incident surface of the detection device for gamma ray incidence.

[0080] Referring to Figure 2, in some embodiments of this specification, the shielding device may include a fast neutron moderator layer 41, a gamma-ray shielding layer 42, a neutron absorption layer 43, and a characteristic ray shielding layer 44. It is understood that the fast neutron moderator layer 41, the gamma-ray shielding layer 42, the neutron absorption layer 43, and the characteristic ray shielding layer 44 can be combined as shielding materials for manufacturing the shielding device, wherein the fast neutron moderator layer 41, the gamma-ray shielding layer 42, and the neutron absorption layer 43 can serve as the physical shielding layers of the shielding device. Exemplarily, the fast neutron moderator layer 41, the gamma-ray shielding layer 42, the neutron absorption layer 43, and the characteristic ray shielding layer 44 can be combined into shielding materials in an outside-in manner.

[0081] Preferably, the fast neutron moderator layer can be made of lithium-containing polyethylene, the gamma ray shielding layer can be made of lead, the neutron absorbing layer can be made of LiF (lithium fluoride) ceramic, and the characteristic ray shielding layer can be made of stainless steel.

[0082] It is understandable that since the shielding material itself will also produce secondary gamma rays when exposed to high-energy gamma rays and neutrons, a characteristic ray shielding layer is set up in order to shield secondary rays when the physical shielding layer of the shielding device already includes a gamma ray shielding layer.

[0083] In some embodiments of this specification, the first detection device 10 includes at least one energy spectrum detector, and the second detection device 20 includes at least one position detector; the at least one energy spectrum detector is located at a first preset distance from the target area, the at least one position detector is located at a second preset distance from the target area, and the receiving surfaces of the at least one energy spectrum detector and / or the at least one position detector are correspondingly arranged with respect to the target area.

[0084] Preferably, aligning the receiving surfaces of the energy spectrum detector and the position detector with the target area means that the receiving surfaces of the detectors face the target area, so that the entire target area is within the detector's imaging field of view. Furthermore, the receiving surfaces of the energy spectrum detector and the position detector can be directly facing the target area to increase the detector's detection efficiency of the target area.

[0085] In some embodiments of this specification, to achieve accurate detection of the gamma ray position information by the position detector, the second detection device may also be equipped with a collimator to modulate the entrance of the position detector. Exemplarily, the collimator may be a pinhole camera or an encoder collimator. In other embodiments of this specification, the second detector may not be equipped with a collimator, and the position detector may determine the position of the radiation source using, for example, Compton imaging to achieve the detection of the gamma ray position information.

[0086] In the embodiments of this specification, the operating parameters of different types of detectors are limited. Gamma ray detection must be performed without exceeding the maximum operating parameters to ensure detection accuracy. Therefore, the first and second preset distances can be determined based on the operating parameters of the corresponding detectors and the intensity of the gamma rays to be detected, respectively, to meet the detector operating parameter requirements. Taking the count rate as an example, when determining the first and second preset distances based on the count rate, the distance between the detector and the radiation source can be adjusted based on the intensity of the gamma rays generated in the target area, so that the detector's count rate can reach the detector's preset maximum count rate as much as possible, resulting in more accurate detection results. For example, for semiconductor detectors, the count rate does not exceed 10K / s, and for scintillator detectors, the count rate does not exceed 1M / s. Furthermore, in practical applications, the intensity of the gamma rays in the radiation field will also affect the detection results. Therefore, when the detector is placed in the gamma ray radiation field generated after neutron irradiation of an irradiated object (such as a patient or irradiated sample), the detector should adjust the distance from the target area according to the intensity of the gamma rays generated. The closer to the radiation source, the higher the count rate. While ensuring that the count rate does not exceed the maximum count rate, the detector should be as close to the radiation source as possible. Furthermore, the first and second preset distances can be the distances between the center of the corresponding detector and the target area. For example, assuming the neutron beam intensity is 1 × 10⁻⁶, 8 / s, neutrons irradiate a PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) plastic with an irregular boron distribution concentration of 20ppm. The distance between the center of the energy spectrum detector and the target area can be 90cm, and the distance between the center of the position detector and the target area can be 40cm.

[0087] In some embodiments of this specification, any detector position is set to meet the count rate requirement. That is, when setting the detector position, the detector is placed at a suitable location within the radiation field based on the radiation field intensity. For example, the target region after boron absorption is a gamma-ray radiation source, the shape of which depends on the distribution shape of boron in the target region. To meet the detector count rate requirement, the position setting method is as follows: The approximate range of the detector position is obtained by simulating the radiation field intensity value. For example, if the energy spectrum detector is a 5×5×5cm lanthanum bromide single crystal detector, and the position-sensitive detector is a 10×10 lanthanum bromide crystal array with array unit sizes of 1×1×10mm lanthanum bromide microstrips, then for a sample with a boron concentration of 200 PPM, the approximate position of the detector not exceeding the count rate is approximately 10 cm from the radiation source; for a sample with a boron concentration of 20 PPM, the approximate position of the detector not exceeding the count rate is approximately 2.5 cm from the radiation source. Based on this, the detector is placed within this approximate range, and the position is adjusted until the detector meets the count rate requirement.

[0088] Preferably, when setting the detector position, the center of the detector's receiving surface should be directly aligned with the center of the target area to increase the detector's detection efficiency. "Directly aligned" means that the direction of the line connecting the detector center and the target area center is consistent with the normal direction of the detector's receiving surface. Direct alignment results in higher detection efficiency; other directions will reduce detection efficiency. While ensuring the entire target area is within the detector's imaging field of view, different angles can be set between the direction of the line connecting the detector center and the target area center and the normal direction of the detector's receiving surface. The position of each detector relative to the target area has a significant impact on detection efficiency. Furthermore, since the gamma-ray intensity at the measurement location is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the radiation source and the detector, the closer the detector is to the target area while meeting the count rate requirements, the better, to improve the detector's positional resolution. For example, the direction of the line connecting the detector center and the target area center can be aligned with the normal direction of the detector's receiving surface.

[0089] Furthermore, when the detector receiving surface is as directly opposite the center of the target area as possible, the distance between the detector and the center of the target area at the position where the maximum counting rate is achieved is determined as the minimum value of the installable position. This minimum value corresponds to a minimum radius. Any position that is greater than this minimum radius and where the installation of the detector does not interfere with other structures can be used as the installation position of the detector.

[0090] In some embodiments of this specification, since the collimator and the irradiated body will occupy a certain position space during actual irradiation, the detector also needs to meet the count rate requirements without hindering or interfering with other test objects. Therefore, under the premise of meeting the count rate, the collimator side and the irradiated body side are the adaptation objects that need to be considered when installing the detector. The following will explain from the perspectives of the collimator side and the irradiated body side.

[0091] For the collimator side, the first position of the at least one energy spectrum detector and / or the second position of the at least one position detector are offset from the normal direction of the treatment head outlet.

[0092] It is understood that the treatment head outlet can be the outlet for emitting a neutron beam; for example, it can be directly the outlet of the treatment head. In other embodiments, for a treatment head equipped with a collimator, the outlet can be the collimator (hereinafter referred to as the treatment head collimator) outlet. It is understood that the collimator mounted on the treatment head and the collimator included in the second detection device can be different collimators. The collimator mounted on the treatment head can be used to shape and collimate the neutron beam. In the embodiments of this specification, when determining the detector position, after obtaining the first preset distance and the second preset distance, it is also necessary to consider whether there will be interference between the detector and other objects, and to set the detector position in conjunction with other objects to ensure that the detector does not interfere with other objects.

[0093] Referring to Figure 3, for example, during irradiation, the normal direction of the beam exit of the treatment head collimator is determined as the neutron emission direction. This direction is the irradiation direction of the neutron beam received by the target surface. To reduce neutron irradiation damage to the detector, the detector position needs to be offset by a certain angle from the normal direction of the beam exit of the treatment head collimator (or treatment head) to avoid the neutron beam irradiating the detector. Due to the focusing and collimating effect of the treatment head collimator on neutrons, neutrons will not pass through the outer wall of the treatment head collimator. Therefore, the detector can be set at any position extending along the outer surface of the treatment head collimator, as long as it meets the detector position range determined based on the radiation field intensity and the maximum detector count rate.

[0094] For the irradiated body side, the at least one position detector and / or the at least one energy spectrum detector are located on the side of the irradiated body close to the target area.

[0095] It is understandable that, taking the target area as an example, during boron neutron capture therapy, the target area will act as a radiation source to radiate gamma rays. The tissues in other areas of the irradiated body, excluding the target area, will attenuate the radiated gamma rays. Therefore, the detector can be set on one side of the target area of ​​the irradiated body.

[0096] For example, after the boron-captured neutrons deposited in the target area undergo a nuclear reaction, the gamma rays released by the radiation source have an energy of 478 keV. In the radiation field formed by gamma rays of this energy level, the influence of human tissue several centimeters thick on gamma rays of this energy level is relatively small. Therefore, as a detection device for characteristic rays, the detector's position can be set with great flexibility. It can be set in a position that does not obstruct the irradiated object and meets the count rate requirements. For example, when the angle of the beam exit normal direction of the treatment head collimator is 90 degrees, the detector can be set at horizontal angles of 0° and 135° on both sides of the target area, respectively. Alternatively, it can be set at any other angle position without interfering with the collimator, the irradiated object, and the positioning device, as long as the attenuation of gamma rays by the irradiated object tissue is minimized.

[0097] In practical applications, the detector position can be set to meet at least one of the requirements of the collimator side or the illuminated object side, provided that the count rate is met. In other applications, the detector installation position can be further restricted according to application requirements. This manual does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0098] In some embodiments of this specification, the detector's position is configured with a certain margin of error. For example, the detector's imaging field of view is typically on the order of tens of centimeters, and the target area is typically on the order of several centimeters. The imaging field of view is the maximum range of the imaging system, a region on the imaging plane; the imaging plane is the plane containing the image formed by the imaging system, parallel to the camera's incident plane. The margin of error here refers to the extent to which the target area can be offset if the center of the receiving surface is not directly aligned with the target area, provided the entire target area remains within the system's imaging field of view. This offset depends on the size of the system's imaging field of view and the size of the target area.

[0099] In some embodiments of this specification, the second detection device includes a plurality of position detectors arranged around the center of the target region and the line connecting it to the treatment head. It is understood that based on the detection results of the multiple position detectors, a more precise location of the emitted gamma rays can be achieved. Furthermore, the multiple position detectors can achieve three-dimensional positioning. For example, the multiple position detectors can be configured as a ring array distributed around the center of the collimator of the treatment head.

[0100] Preferably, referring to Figure 4, taking the second detection device comprising two position detectors as an example, detector 1 is located at position Xm, and detector 2 is located at position Oc. u1-v1 and u2-v2 are the imaging planes of the two detectors. The radiation source is located at position M, and Zm and Zc are the normal directions of the imaging plane. Here, the imaging plane is the plane where the image formed by the detector is located, parallel to the incident plane of the detector, and in the normal direction of the incident plane. The line connecting M and the center of the detector will form an angle with the normal direction of the imaging plane, and the position detector can measure the magnitude of this angle. By placing detectors at different positions, two angles can be measured, thereby determining the line connecting M to the center of each detector and the intersection point M of the two lines, and thus obtaining the position M of the radiation source. The set of positions of multiple radiation sources M is the dose distribution within the target area (i.e., the second boron dose measurement information mentioned above).

[0101] The boron dosage measurement method provided in the embodiments of the specification will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0102] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a boron dosage measurement method provided in an embodiment of this specification. Although this specification provides method operation steps or apparatus structures as shown in the following embodiments or figures, more or fewer operation steps or module units may be included in the method or apparatus based on conventional or non-inventive effort. In steps or structures where there is no logically necessary causal relationship, the execution order of these steps or the module structure of the apparatus is not limited to the execution order or module structure shown in the embodiments or figures of this specification. When the method or module structure is applied in actual devices, servers, or terminal products, it can be executed sequentially or in parallel according to the method or module structure shown in the embodiments or figures (e.g., in a parallel processor or multi-threaded processing environment, or even in a distributed processing or server cluster implementation environment). As shown in Figure 5, the method may include:

[0103] S501: Obtain first boron measurement information and second boron measurement information. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of gamma rays, and the second boron measurement information includes the position information of gamma rays. The first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information are obtained by synchronous measurement.

[0104] S502: Determine the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0105] It is understood that in the boron dosage measurement method provided in the embodiments of this specification, the executing entity for each step can be an electronic device, which refers to an electronic device with data calculation, processing, and storage capabilities. This electronic device can be a terminal such as a personal computer (PC), tablet computer, smartphone, wearable device, or intelligent robot; it can also be a server. The server can be an independent physical server, a server cluster or distributed system composed of multiple physical servers, or a cloud server providing cloud computing services.

[0106] In some embodiments of this specification, the first boron dose measurement information can be obtained using the first detection device in FIG1, and the second boron dose measurement information can be obtained using the second detection device in FIG1. ​​Steps S501 and S502 described above can be implemented using the boron dose measurement device in FIG1. ​​That is, the method may further include: the first detection device detecting gamma rays in the target area to obtain first boron measurement information, the first boron measurement information including the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays; the second detection device detecting gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, the second boron measurement information including the position information of the gamma rays; the second detection device and the first detection device measuring synchronously; and the boron dose measurement device determining the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0107] Preferably, the first detection device may include an energy spectrum detector, and the second detection device may include a position detector. Further, acquiring the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information may include: using the energy spectrum detector to image the transient gamma-ray energy spectrum of the target area at a first preset time interval to obtain the first boron measurement information; using the position detector to image the transient gamma-ray energy spectrum of the target area at a second preset time interval to obtain the second boron measurement information, wherein the first preset time interval is shorter than the second preset time interval.

[0108] In some embodiments of this specification, an energy spectrum detector or a position detector images the corresponding detection information of the target area, obtaining a boron neutron count result, i.e., a count rate. Furthermore, the obtained count rate can be converted into boron dose measurement information in the following manner.

[0109] For example, an energy spectrum detector or a position detector is selected to measure the full-energy peak corresponding to 478 keV in the energy spectrum, and the peak count N is counted. Furthermore, the detector's detection efficiency is calibrated; for example, the detection efficiency ξ of the detector for a 478 keV point source at different locations can be obtained using Monte Carlo simulations or experiments. x,y,z .

[0110] For energy spectrum detectors, the number of boron neutron capture reactions occurring on the target within a given time period can be determined using the following formula, based on the distance z0 between the detector and the target:

[0111] Where N can represent the count within the full-energy peak in the energy spectrum measured by the detector, N R This can represent the number of boron neutron capture reactions. η can represent the detection efficiency of the imaging center position at a distance of z0, and η can represent the efficiency after the boron neutron capture reaction. 7The probability that Be is in the first excited state.

[0112] For position-type detectors, the number of boron neutron capture reactions occurring on the target within a given time period can be determined using the following formula, based on the distance z0 between the detector and the target:

[0113] Where, N R(x,y) This can represent the number of boron neutron capture reactions at the pixel with coordinates (x, y) in the imaging plane at a distance of z0. N can represent the detection efficiency at the position (x, y) in the imaging plane at a distance of z0. (x,y) It can represent the total peak count of the pixel at coordinate (x,y) in the imaging plane at a distance of z0.

[0114] Furthermore, based on the calculation results of formula (1), the boron dose for the corresponding time period of the spectral detector can be calculated using the following formula:

[0115] in, The value of D can represent the average energy of a single boron neutron capture reaction deposited within the medium, where m represents the mass of the target region being measured. B It can represent the boron dose detected by the energy spectrum detector, that is, the first boron dose measurement information.

[0116] Based on the calculation results of formula (2), the boron dose of the position-type detector for the corresponding time period can be calculated by the following formula:

[0117] Where, m (x,y) D can represent the quality of the pixel region at coordinates (x, y) in the imaging plane at a distance of z0. B(x,y) It can represent the boron dose corresponding to the pixel region at coordinates (x, y) in the imaging plane at a distance of z0.

[0118] In the embodiments of this specification, the first boron dose measurement information and / or the second boron dose measurement information can be the direct detection result of the detector, that is, the count rate of pixels in the detector imaging image; or the number of boron neutron capture reactions obtained by converting using the above formula (1) or formula (2); or the boron dose obtained by converting the count rate using formula (1), (3) or formula (2), (4), this specification does not limit this.

[0119] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information may include: determining a weighting factor for a target region based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the weighting factor being used to characterize the boron dose weight; and determining the boron dose distribution of the target region within a target time period based on the weighting factor and the second boron measurement information.

[0120] It is understandable that the weighting factor can be a normalization coefficient that converts the first and second boron measurement information to the same scale. Considering that the first detection device has higher energy resolution and the measured boron dose values ​​are more accurate and reliable, and the second detection device has higher position resolution and the measured boron dose position distribution is more accurate and reliable, and that the second detection device can simultaneously acquire boron doses at various positions that can be used as references when performing position detection, although these boron doses cannot accurately reflect the boron dose at the corresponding position, the boron doses at multiple positions can reflect the distribution ratio of boron doses at each position, and thus, through the determined weighting factor, the detection results of the second detection device are normalized to the numerical domain of the first detection device to obtain the boron dose at each position, which serves as the boron dose distribution of the target area within the target time period.

[0121] Preferably, determining the weighting factor of the target region based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information may include: determining a first cumulative boron dose of the target region within a target time period based on the first boron measurement information; and determining a weighting factor of the target region within a target time period based on the second boron measurement information and the first cumulative boron dose.

[0122] Preferably, determining the first cumulative boron dose in the target region within a target time period based on the first boron measurement information may include: performing energy spectrum analysis on the first boron measurement information to obtain gamma ray count information at multiple times within the target time period; converting the gamma ray count information at each time time into real-time boron dose data based on a preset conversion coefficient; and integrating the real-time boron dose data at the multiple times to obtain the first cumulative boron dose.

[0123] In some embodiments of this specification, the first detection device images the transient gamma-ray energy spectrum within the target area at first preset time intervals to accumulate a certain number of counts within the first preset time interval and reduce statistical fluctuations. The first preset time interval can be determined based on the operating parameters of the first detection device. By imaging the target area at first preset time intervals, the first detection device can obtain gamma-ray count information at multiple moments within the target time period after multiple imaging operations. This gamma-ray count information can be calculated using formula (1) mentioned above.

[0124] Preferably, the first preset duration can be determined based on the counting rate of the first detection device. Factors that can affect the counting rate include the boron concentration of the target, the distance between the detector and the target, and the size of the detector. These factors vary considerably in actual application conditions, resulting in significant differences in the counting rate under different application conditions. Therefore, the first preset duration can be determined in conjunction with the specific application scenario. For example, the first preset duration can be determined by the actual counting rate, so that the total count within the first preset duration reaches approximately 10,000; if the counting rate is low and the total count cannot reach 10,000 even in 1 minute, the first preset duration can be set to 1 minute.

[0125] In some embodiments of this specification, the first cumulative boron dose can be determined by the following formula:

[0126] Among them, D stime It can represent 0 to t i The first cumulative boron dose measured by a time-to-energy spectroscopy detector; D t This can represent the boron dose measured at time t.

[0127] In some embodiments of this specification, the second detector can continuously image the transient gamma rays in the target area for a second preset duration. The second preset duration can be a target time period or shorter than the target time period, and is longer than the first preset duration. Since the count rate of the second detector is typically low, a longer imaging acquisition time is required. A longer second preset duration is used to ensure high signal-to-noise ratio imaging results. However, considering the need to reflect the change in boron dose distribution throughout the entire process of neutron beam irradiation of the target area, the second preset duration needs to be set within a reasonable range to obtain the change in boron dose distribution in the target area throughout the entire process of neutron beam irradiation while ensuring high signal-to-noise ratio imaging results. For example, the second preset duration can be 15 min, 20 min, 30 min, etc. For instance, for a treatment duration of approximately 1 hour, the second preset duration can be 20 min, allowing for 2-3 imaging sessions during the treatment process to reflect the change in boron dose distribution and improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the imaging results.

[0128] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the weighting factor of the target region within a target time period based on the second boron measurement information and the first cumulative boron dose may include: determining the second cumulative boron dose of the target region within a target time period based on the second boron measurement information; and determining the weighting factor based on the first cumulative boron dose and the second cumulative boron dose.

[0129] Preferably, determining the second cumulative boron dose in the target area within the target time period based on the second boron measurement information may include: determining the boron dose at each location in the target area within the target time period based on the second boron measurement information; and summing the boron doses at each location to obtain the second cumulative boron dose.

[0130] In some embodiments of this specification, the second cumulative boron dose can be determined by the following formula:

[0131] Among them, D spos This can represent the position detector's position from 0 to x within the time interval from 0 to t. i The second cumulative boron dose measured at the location; D x This can represent the boron dose value measured at position x. It is understood that in this embodiment, the position of each pixel within the imaging image can be encoded to obtain and use the encoded position to identify the position x of each pixel within the detector's imaging image. For example, for a two-dimensional imaging image, it can be divided into a 5×5 array, using x0-x... 24 Encode each position in the array, using the encoded x0-x 24 It represents the various locations within the image.

[0132] In some embodiments of this specification, when the target time period is equal to the second preset duration, the weighting factor F can be determined by the following formula:

[0133] In some embodiments of this specification, determining the boron dose distribution of the target region based on the weighting factor and the second boron measurement information may include: determining the boron dose at each location in the target region within a target time period based on the second boron measurement information; and correcting the boron dose at each location based on the weighting factor to obtain the boron dose distribution.

[0134] In some embodiments of this specification, when the target time period is equal to the second preset duration, the boron dose at each location can be determined by the following formula.

[0135] Among them, D x-r This can represent the corrected boron dose value at position x.

[0136] In some embodiments of this specification, the second boron measurement information is obtained by using at least two position detectors to image the target area with transient gamma rays at a second preset time interval. Accordingly, before determining the weighting factor of the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the method may further include: taking any position in the target area as the current position, acquiring the boron measurement information of at least two position detectors at the current position; determining the reliability parameters of each position detector based on the spatial relationship between each position detector and the current position; determining the target boron measurement information of the current position based on the reliability parameters of each position detector and the boron measurement information detected by each position detector at the current position, and using the target boron measurement information of multiple positions in the target area as the second boron measurement information.

[0137] It is understandable that, due to the different positional relationships between each detector and the location emitting the transient gamma ray, the reliability parameters of each detector can be determined based on the distance between each detector and the current location. By weighted summing of the detection results from multiple detectors, boron measurement information for each location can be obtained. These different positional relationships can manifest as different angles between the detectors and the emitting gamma ray location. For example, in the case of two detectors, the line connecting one detector to the emitting gamma ray location might be 30° in the world coordinate system, while the line connecting the other detector to the emitting gamma ray location might be 140° in the world coordinate system. Alternatively, the positional relationships can also manifest as different distances between the detectors and the emitting gamma ray location. For example, in the case of two detectors, the distance between one detector and the emitting gamma ray location might be 20mm, while the distance between the other detector and the emitting gamma ray location might be 25mm. The reliability parameters can be determined by combining the second boron measurement information obtained from the detector at different distances in actual experiments, and by combining the actual position of the emitted instantaneous gamma ray to determine the mapping relationship between the detector at different distances and the reliability parameters. Furthermore, the reliability parameters of the detector at each position can be determined based on the distance between the detector at each position and the current position determined in the actual application scenario.

[0138] In other embodiments, the boron measurement information at the current location can also be obtained by processing the detection results of multiple location detectors based on a pre-trained artificial intelligence model. For example, historical detection data from multiple location detectors can be acquired. This detection data may include the detection data of multiple location detectors relative to the same location, the corresponding radiation source location and radiation energy, and the location of each detector. Then, the artificial intelligence model can be used to learn the spatial relationship between the detectors and the radiation source, the relationship between the detection data and the radiation energy, and subsequently, the trained model can be used to predict the boron measurement information at each location, obtaining more accurate and reliable measurement results, providing a basis for subsequent calculations of boron dose distribution.

[0139] In some embodiments of this specification, imaging can be performed based on the boron dose distribution to more intuitively reflect the boron dose distribution. It is understood that the boron dose distribution can only be given over a relatively long time interval (i.e., with the target time period as the time interval). The target time period for each imaging session and the number of imaging sessions during the entire treatment process can be determined based on the imaging effect. The imaging effect is influenced by both neutron flux and boron concentration; therefore, the time interval needs to be determined according to the actual conditions used. For a fixed boron concentration distribution, the imaging time interval is fixed; for different boron concentration distributions, the time interval is determined based on the imaging results, and the imaging time interval is directly proportional to the concentration. For example, in actual treatment, the neutron beam flux is ≥1×10⁻⁶. 9 cm -2 s -1 The treatment time is no more than 1 hour, and the imaging time is 15-20 minutes, therefore there will be 2-3 imaging sessions during the treatment process. Imaging is performed periodically based on the imaging time to obtain boron dose distribution results. Furthermore, based on the imaging results at different times, changes in the boron dose distribution can be determined. Thus, boron concentration distribution monitoring can generate monitoring results periodically based on the imaging time of the position detector. Moreover, the imaging time can be adaptively adjusted for different treatment processes, for example, by incorporating changes in beam intensity; this specification does not impose limitations on this.

[0140] The above boron dosage measurement method will be further elaborated below through boron dosage measurement simulation and combined with the simulation results.

[0141] In the embodiments of this specification, a lanthanum bromide detector is used as the detection device for the boron dosing measurement system during simulation. Exemplarily, the energy spectrum detector is a 5×5×5cm lanthanum bromide single-crystal detector, with an energy resolution of 4%@511keV (e.g., a single-crystal lanthanum bromide scintillator detector). The position detector is a 10×10 lanthanum bromide crystal array with a pinhole collimator. With array unit sizes of 1×1×10mm lanthanum bromide microstrips, the energy resolution is set to 7%@511keV, and the intrinsic position resolution is 1.1mm. (The above resolutions are determined by combining the technical parameters typically achievable with single-crystal lanthanum bromide detectors and microstrip array lanthanum bromide detectors.)

[0142] To simulate the measurement process, the neutron beam intensity is assumed to be 1 × 10⁻⁶. 8 / s; A neutron beam irradiates a PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) plastic with an irregular boron distribution and a boron concentration of 20 ppm.

[0143] Figure 6 shows a comparison of the energy spectrum measurement results of the boron dose measurement system in the embodiments of this specification and the dose distribution measurement system of a single-mode detector (using only the dose distribution subsystem). The orange curve represents the energy spectrum data obtained by the single-mode detector, and the blue curve represents the boron dose data obtained by the boron dose measurement device in the embodiments of this specification. As can be seen from Figure 6, the single-mode dose monitoring system, due to the need to consider both energy spectrum measurement and position distribution, produces gamma-ray energy spectrum information with poor energy resolution. At a boron concentration of 20 ppm, the 478 keV photoelectric peak is not obvious, making effective measurement of the boron dose impossible. However, when using the first detection device in the system of the embodiments of this specification to obtain gamma-ray energy spectrum information, the first detection device, as a high-flux energy spectrum detector, can effectively identify the transient γ-ray characteristic peak of boron, enabling effective measurement of the boron dose and thus achieving the purpose of online dose monitoring.

[0144] Figure 7 shows the simulation results of continuous monitoring of the target area by the system in the embodiment of this specification for 100 seconds. This figure reflects the change of the count rate over time. The simulation results show that the boron dose measurement system can achieve online monitoring with a refresh rate of 1 second for a sample with a boron concentration of 20 ppm. As shown in Figure 7, the count rate fluctuates around a mean value shown in Figure 7. The mean value is proportional to the measured boron dose value (i.e., the first boron measurement information mentioned above), which indicates the effectiveness of the system in the embodiment of this specification for boron dose measurement. The boron dose measurement value is determined by the count rate, which is directly proportional to the boron concentration. Therefore, the estimated boron dose is also directly proportional to the boron concentration. The conversion relationship between the count rate and the boron dose measurement value can be determined by experimental methods such as simulation calculation or standard field calibration. The conversion method for obtaining the boron dose measurement value from the count rate can be determined by the method in the aforementioned embodiment.

[0145] By continuously imaging the target area using the position detector in the system described in this specification, the imaging result shown in Figure 8 can be obtained. This imaging result is the result of a transient gamma imaging obtained using Monte Carlo software simulation. In the Monte Carlo software simulation, the neutron count of the source term is used as the initial condition. In Figure 8, a to e represent the boron dose distribution imaging results under different total neutron counts (i.e., the second boron measurement information detected by the position detector). The boron distribution shape used in the simulation is randomly selected. It can be seen that the uncertainty of the boron dose distribution measurement gradually decreases over time through different total neutron counts, and the imaging gradually becomes clearer. The rightmost neutron imaging result in Figure 8 is clearly defined, and its shape is consistent with the shape of the randomly selected boron distribution used in the simulation, indicating that the entire boron distribution measurement system can accurately show the distribution of boron dose.

[0146] Due to the low luminous flux of the position detector (the low flux in this mode is due to the collimator in the position-sensitive detector, which blocks gamma rays, thus reducing the luminous flux), good resolution of the dose distribution in the target area cannot be achieved in a short period of time. However, after a period of measurement, the accumulated total number of photons reaches a certain value, allowing for image formation of the dose distribution. The position detector has good spatial resolution and can accurately reflect the distribution area of ​​boron dose. Furthermore, by accumulating the boron dose in the target area over the treatment time, the total dose deposition during treatment can be obtained. Specifically, the boron dose in the target area can be identified by the 478keV photoelectric peak displayed on the energy spectrum. Then, by summing the boron dose distribution in the target area obtained by the position-sensitive detector at each time interval and comparing it with the cumulative boron dose obtained by the energy spectrum detector at the corresponding time interval, a weighting factor can be obtained. Multiplying each pixel of the dose distribution in the target area by the weighting factor yields the corrected boron dose distribution in the target area.

[0147] Referring to Figure 9, the total count detected by the detector is directly proportional to time. If the boron concentration is relatively stable, the cumulative count in the measured region of interest should be directly proportional to time. The total count detected by the detector in the embodiment of this specification is directly proportional to time. The relationship between the total count and time shown in Figure 9 further demonstrates the effectiveness of the system in this specification.

[0148] The boron dose measurement system described in this specification can provide a more accurate online boron dose value while simultaneously providing the boron dose distribution. Single-mode dose monitoring systems require a trade-off between the accuracy of boron dose measurement and the precision of location distribution measurement. Dividing online boron dose monitoring into two modes—dose monitoring and distribution monitoring—avoids this problem and improves the accuracy of the boron dose measurement system.

[0149] Based on the boron dosing measurement method described above, one or more embodiments of this specification also provide a boron dosing measurement device. The device may include an apparatus (including a distributed system), software (application), module, plug-in, server, client, etc., using the method described in the embodiments of this specification, combined with necessary implementation hardware. Based on the same innovative concept, the apparatuses in one or more embodiments provided in this specification are as described in the following embodiments. Since the implementation schemes and methods for solving the problem by the apparatus are similar, the implementation of the specific apparatus in the embodiments of this specification can refer to the implementation of the foregoing method, and repeated details will not be elaborated. As used below, the terms "unit" or "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the apparatus described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated. As shown in FIG10, the boron dosing measurement device 1000 may include:

[0150] The information acquisition module 1001 is used to acquire first boron measurement information and second boron measurement information. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of gamma rays, and the second boron measurement information includes the position information of gamma rays. The first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information are obtained by synchronous measurement.

[0151] The distribution determination module 1102 is used to determine the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

[0152] The descriptions and functions of the above modules can be understood by referring to the section on boron dosing measurement methods, and will not be repeated here.

[0153] The information acquisition module 1001 and the distribution determination module 1102 can be independent execution units or they can share a single execution unit. The execution unit may include one or more processors, or it may include one or more processors and one or more memories, with the memories storing instructions that can be executed by the processor.

[0154] This application also provides an electronic device, as shown in FIG11. The electronic device may include a processor 1101 and a memory 1102, wherein the processor 1101 and the memory 1102 can be connected via a bus or other means; FIG11 shows an example of connection via a bus. It can be understood that this electronic device can be the boron dosing measurement device shown in FIG1, and can be used to execute the aforementioned boron dosing measurement method.

[0155] Processor 1101 may be a central processing unit (CPU). Processor 1101 may also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, or combinations thereof.

[0156] The memory 1102, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs, non-transitory computer-executable programs, and modules, such as the program instructions / modules corresponding to the boron dose measurement method in the embodiments of the present invention. The processor 1101 executes various functional applications and data processing of the processor by running the non-transitory software programs, instructions, and modules stored in the memory 1102, thereby realizing the boron dose measurement method in the above method embodiments.

[0157] The memory 1102 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system and applications required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created by the processor 1101, etc. Furthermore, the memory 1102 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, the memory 1102 may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor 1101, and these remote memories may be connected to the processor 1101 via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0158] The one or more modules are stored in the memory 1102. In some embodiments, when executed by the processor 1101, the boron dosage measurement method shown in the embodiment of FIG5 is executed.

[0159] The specific details of the aforementioned electronic device can be understood by referring to the relevant descriptions and effects in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0160] This specification also provides a computer storage medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed in some embodiments, implement the steps of the boron dosing measurement method described above.

[0161] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), or solid-state drive (SSD), etc.; the storage medium can also include combinations of the above types of memory.

[0162] The systems, devices, modules, or units described in the above embodiments can be implemented by computer chips or entities, or by products with certain functions.

[0163] For ease of description, the above devices are described separately by function as various units. Of course, in implementing this application, the functions of each unit can be implemented in one or more software and / or hardware.

[0164] As can be seen from the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute certain parts of the methods of various embodiments of this application.

[0165] This application can be used in a wide variety of general-purpose or special-purpose computer system environments or configurations. For example: personal computers, server computers, handheld or portable devices, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronics devices, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments including any of the above systems or devices, etc.

[0166] This application can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, that are executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform a specific task or implement a specific abstract data type. This application can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected via a communication network. In distributed computing environments, program modules can reside in local and remote computer storage media, including storage devices.

[0167] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, system embodiments are basically similar to method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments. In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiments in this specification. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0168] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present specification and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present specification. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the present specification. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of the embodiments of the present specification should be included within the scope of the claims of the embodiments of the present specification.

Claims

1. A boron dosing measurement system, characterized in that, include: A first detection device is used to detect gamma rays in a target area to obtain first boron measurement information, which includes the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays. The second detection device is used to detect gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, which includes the location information of the gamma rays. The second detection device and the first detection device measure synchronously. A boron dose measurement device is used to determine the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

2. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a shielding device, wherein the first detection device and / or the second detection device are disposed within the shielding device.

3. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The shielding device includes a fast neutron moderation layer, a gamma ray shielding layer, a neutron absorption layer, and a characteristic ray shielding layer.

4. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first detection device includes at least one energy spectrum detector, and the second detection device includes at least one position detector; The at least one energy spectrum detector is located at a first preset distance from the target area, and the at least one position detector is located at a second preset distance from the target area. The receiving surfaces of the at least one energy spectrum detector and / or the at least one position detector are configured to correspond to the target area.

5. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first position of the at least one energy spectrum detector and / or the second position of the at least one position detector are offset from the normal direction of the treatment head outlet.

6. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first preset distance and the second preset distance are determined based on the operating parameters of the corresponding detectors.

7. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The at least one position detector and / or the at least one energy spectrum detector are located on the side of the irradiated body close to the target area.

8. The boron dosing measurement system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second detection device includes multiple position detectors arranged around the center of the target area and the line connecting it to the treatment head.

9. A method for measuring boron dosage, characterized in that, include: First boron measurement information and second boron measurement information are obtained. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of gamma rays, and the second boron measurement information includes the position information of gamma rays. The first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information are obtained by synchronous measurement. Based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the boron dose distribution is determined.

10. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: The first detection device detects gamma rays in the target area to obtain first boron measurement information, which includes the energy spectrum information of the gamma rays. The second detection device detects gamma rays in the target area to obtain second boron measurement information, which includes the location information of the gamma rays. The second detection device and the first detection device measure synchronously. The boron dosimetry device determines the boron dose distribution in the target area based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

11. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Obtain first boron measurement information and second boron measurement information, including: The first boron measurement information is obtained by using an energy spectrum detector to image the transient gamma ray energy spectrum of the target area at a first preset time interval; The target area is imaged with transient gamma rays using a position detector at a second preset time interval to obtain the second boron measurement information, wherein the first preset time interval is shorter than the second preset time interval.

12. The boron dosing measurement method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that, The step of determining the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information includes: Based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, a weighting factor for the target region is determined, and the weighting factor is used to characterize the boron dose weight. Based on the weighting factor and the second boron measurement information, the boron dose distribution in the target area during the target time period is determined.

13. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the weighting factor of the target region is determined, including: Based on the first boron measurement information, the first cumulative boron dose in the target area during the target time period is determined; Based on the second boron measurement information and the first cumulative boron dose, a weighting factor for the target region is determined within the target time period.

14. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of determining the first cumulative boron dose in the target area within the target time period based on the first boron measurement information includes: Energy spectral analysis is performed on the first boron measurement information to obtain gamma ray count information at multiple moments within the target time period; Based on a preset conversion factor, the gamma ray count information at each moment is converted into real-time boron dose data; The first cumulative boron dose is obtained by integrating the real-time boron dose data at multiple time points.

15. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of determining the weighting factor for the target region within the target time period based on the second boron measurement information and the first cumulative boron dose includes: Based on the second boron measurement information, a second cumulative boron dose in the target area is determined within the target time period; The weighting factor is determined based on the first cumulative boron dose and the second cumulative boron dose.

16. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The step of determining the second cumulative boron dose in the target region within the target time period based on the second boron measurement information includes: Based on the second boron measurement information, the boron dose at each location in the target area within the target time period is determined; The boron doses at each location are summed to obtain the second cumulative boron dose.

17. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Determining the boron dose distribution in the target region based on a weighting factor and the second boron measurement information includes: Based on the second boron measurement information, the boron dose at each location in the target area within the target time period is determined; The boron dose distribution is obtained by correcting the boron dose at each location based on the weighting factor.

18. The boron dosage measurement method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second boron measurement information is obtained by imaging the target area with transient gamma rays using at least two position detectors at a second preset time interval; Accordingly, before determining the weighting factor of the target region based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information, the process further includes: Using any location in the target area as the current location, acquire boron measurement information from at least two location detectors at the current location; Based on the spatial relationship between each location detector and the current location, the reliability parameters of each location detector are determined. Based on the reliability parameters of each location detector and the boron measurement information of the current location detected by each location detector, the target boron measurement information of the current location is determined, and the target boron measurement information of multiple locations in the target area is used as the second boron measurement information.

19. A boron dosage measuring device, characterized in that, include: The information acquisition module is used to acquire first boron measurement information and second boron measurement information. The first boron measurement information includes the energy spectrum information of gamma rays, and the second boron measurement information includes the position information of gamma rays. The first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information are obtained by synchronous measurement. The distribution determination module is used to determine the boron dose distribution based on the first boron measurement information and the second boron measurement information.

20. An electronic device comprising a processor and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, characterized in that, When the processor executes the instructions, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 9 to 18.

21. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program / instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program / instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 9 to 18.

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