Fixed Beam Teletherapy via Multi-Axis Patient Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current teletherapy systems are limited by the need for expensive and mechanically constrained gantry apparatuses, which restrict the number of available proton therapy centers and the spatial range of treatment, leading to inefficiencies in targeting deeply embedded tumors with minimal damage to surrounding tissue.

Innovation Solution

A patient positioning apparatus that allows for a wide range of motion in degrees of freedom, enabling precise positioning and rotation of patients relative to a fixed beam irradiation source, eliminating the need for gantries by using a system with translational and rotational mechanisms for accurate alignment and treatment of target tissues without moving the radiation source.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a gantry apparatus is used to move the beam generating and delivery system around the patient, then the spatial range of treatment is limited due to mechanical constraints, but the ability to deliver beams from multiple directions is improved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespatial range of treatmentVSAvoidmechanical constraints

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the heavy beam generating and delivery system around the patient using a gantry, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the beam system fixed and moving the patient positioning apparatus with multiple degrees of freedom to present the patient to the beam from various angles. This eliminates the mechanical constraints of gantry systems while maintaining the ability to deliver treatment from multiple directions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical gantry system with a patient positioning apparatus that uses a combination of translational and rotational mechanisms. This substitution reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for a massive rotating gantry structure while achieving the same therapeutic goal through patient movement rather than beam system movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a gantry apparatus carrying a beam generating and delivery system is used, then the ability to deliver multiple beams from different directions is improved, but the cost becomes prohibitively expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam delivery capabilityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the beam generating and delivery system from the moving gantry structure and fixes it in place. By separating the beam system from the positioning function, the expensive gantry apparatus is eliminated, reducing manufacturing costs while preserving the capability to deliver multiple beams from different directions through patient repositioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of moving the expensive beam generating system, the patent uses a simpler patient positioning apparatus that creates the equivalent treatment effect by moving the patient through multiple positions and angles. This copying approach achieves the same therapeutic outcome with significantly reduced equipment cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If the beam generating and delivery system is moved from location to location to deliver multiple beams, then the ability to treat target volume from different angles is improved, but the isocenter alignment becomes inaccurate due to mechanical offsets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-angle treatment capabilityVSAvoidisocenter alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the approach by keeping the beam generating system stationary and moving the patient instead. This eliminates the mechanical offsets and isocenter alignment issues that arise when moving the beam system, as the fixed beam system maintains consistent spatial relationships while the patient is repositioned to achieve the desired treatment angles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates imaging systems and positioning feedback mechanisms that allow real-time monitoring and adjustment of patient position relative to the fixed beam system. This feedback ensures accurate isocenter alignment by detecting and correcting any positional deviations, maintaining manufacturing precision without requiring complex mechanical gantry systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7847275B2Method and apparatus for teletherapy positioning and validation

Publication Date: 2010.12.07 PCURE LTD

AI summary

A patient treatment arrangement is provided which includes a fixed beam irradiation source; and a patient positioning apparatus, the patient positioning apparatus comprising: a support member; a patient securing mechanism arranged to secure a patient to the patient support member; and a patient positioner in communication with the patient support member and operative to achieve positioning of the support member equivalent to rotation of the patient support member about a plurality of axes and translation of the patient support member along a plurality of axes, the patient positioner thereby providing substantially unrestricted variable angular access for irradiation of a target tissue of a patient secured to the patient securing mechanism from the fixed beam irradiation source.