Adaptive Aperture for Particle Therapy Beam Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Particle therapy systems face challenges in precisely controlling the exposure of healthy tissue to particle beams, as existing aperture systems are often bulky and cannot effectively adapt to the shape and size of the treatment area, leading to potential damage to adjacent healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive aperture system that includes movable structures, such as leaves made of metal, mounted on carriages to approximate the shape of the treatment area, allowing for precise control of the particle beam's path and minimizing exposure to healthy tissue by blocking or allowing radiation based on the beam's spot size and shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed aperture structure is used to limit particle beam exposure, then healthy tissue protection is improved, but the ability to adapt to different treatment area shapes and sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing fixed aperture structures with movable aperture leaves that can dynamically adjust their positions and configurations. The aperture leaves are mounted on carriages that can move along tracks, allowing the aperture to adapt its shape and size to match different treatment area requirements while maintaining protection of healthy tissue throughout the treatment process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements segmentation by dividing the aperture into multiple independent leaves that can be individually positioned and adjusted. Each leaf can be moved independently along its carriage to create custom aperture shapes, enabling precise adaptation to various treatment area geometries while optimizing healthy tissue protection for each specific treatment scenario.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a movable aperture structure is used to adapt to treatment area shape, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces complexity through segmentation by dividing the aperture system into multiple independent leaves mounted on separate carriages. Each leaf can be independently controlled and positioned, simplifying the overall control mechanism compared to a single large movable aperture structure. This modular approach allows for easier manufacturing, positioning, and adjustment of individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dimensionality change by introducing vertical movement capability to the aperture leaves through carriages that move along vertical tracks. This adds a third dimension (vertical position) to the aperture adjustment, enabling complex 3D shaping of the aperture while maintaining relatively simple horizontal positioning mechanisms. The vertical carriage system provides an additional degree of freedom for adapting to different treatment area geometries.
3Manufacturing precision
If the aperture is positioned close to the irradiation target, then treatment precision is improved, but the aperture structure becomes more bulky relative to the treatment area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction through dynamic aperture adjustment. The movable leaves on carriages can be positioned to create aperture openings that are precisely sized for each treatment area, allowing the aperture structure to be positioned close to the target while maintaining appropriate relative dimensions. The dynamic reconfiguration capability enables the aperture to adapt its effective size to match the treatment area, preventing excessive bulkiness even at close distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different regions of the aperture to have different effective sizes and positions. Each leaf can be independently positioned to create locally optimized aperture characteristics that match the specific treatment requirements at different locations. This enables precise control of the particle beam footprint while keeping the overall aperture structure compact when positioned close to the irradiation target.
Data Source
AI summary
An example particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator to output a particle beam having a spot size; a scanning system for the particle accelerator to scan the particle beam in two dimensions across at least part of a treatment area of an irradiation target; and an adaptive aperture between the scanning system and the irradiation target. The adaptive aperture includes structures that are movable relative to the irradiation target to approximate a shape to trim part of the treatment area. The part of the treatment area has a size that is based on an area of the spot size.