Charged Particle Therapy Gantry with Off-Axis Tomography
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to accurately control the position, direction, energy, intensity, and cross-sectional area or shape of charged particle beams in cancer treatment, as the relative position of tumors within patients changes over time, posing challenges for precise therapy.
Innovation Solution
A charged particle cancer treatment system integrated with an imaging system, utilizing a gantry to position both the beam transport system and imaging system, allowing for multi-axis and multi-field raster beam control, and employing patient-specific tray inserts to adjust beam energy, focus, and shape, while using a tomography system for precise tumor mapping and treatment delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a charged particle beam system is used for cancer therapy, then the ability to damage tumor DNA and kill cancerous cells is achieved, but the challenge of accurately controlling beam position, direction, energy, and intensity arises due to tumor position changes over time
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs real-time imaging systems to monitor tumor position and provides feedback to the beam control system, enabling dynamic adjustment of beam parameters to maintain precise targeting despite tumor movement
Solution Approach 2:
The beam delivery system is designed with dynamic capabilities to adjust beam position, direction, energy, and intensity in real-time based on tumor position changes, transforming a static system into an adaptive one that responds to physiological variations
2Reliability
If the charged particle beam is directed at the tumor, then the therapeutic effect on cancerous cells is achieved, but exposure of healthy tissue to radiation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system delivers radiation with highly localized precision, concentrating the therapeutic effect specifically at the tumor site while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues through precise beam positioning and shaping
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment approach segments the radiation delivery into targeted beams that can be precisely directed at the tumor from multiple angles, allowing healthy tissue to be spared by directing beams only at the tumor volume
3Adaptability or versatility
If real-time imaging and beam control systems are integrated, then the ability to adapt to tumor position changes is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the imaging system and beam control system into an integrated platform where image data directly informs beam positioning and parameters, reducing the need for separate systems and simplifying the overall architecture despite the advanced functionality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and effective delivery of charged particles to tumors, minimizing exposure to healthy tissue by independently controlling beam position, energy, intensity, and distribution, ensuring an optimal therapeutic dose while adapting to tumor position changes.
Implementation Method 1
employing a tomography system for precise tumor mapping
Implementation Method 2
Proton therapy works by aiming energetic ionizing particles, such as protons accelerated with a particle accelerator, onto a target tumor. These particles damage the DNA of cells, ultimately causing their death.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention comprises a positively charged particle based cancer therapy system integrated with at least one off-axis imaging system, where elements of the off-axis imaging system and the cancer therapy system are co-positioned/co-rotated with a gantry. The imaging apparatus optionally functions with a tomography system using the positively charged particles of the cancer therapy system for enhanced patient/tumor imaging at and/or prior to a time of treatment.