Linear Accelerator Beam Delivery for Deep-Tissue FLASH Radiotherapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation therapy devices are incapable of delivering ultra-high dose rates for treating large or deep-seated tumors with FLASH Radiotherapy, as they lack the necessary energy and delivery capabilities to spare healthy tissues while maintaining tumor effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a radiation source and a linear accelerator that generates an accelerated radiation beam with energies between 50 MeV and 250 MeV, delivering doses up to 40 Gy in less than 50 ms, capable of treating volumes up to 1000 cm^3 and depths of 25 cm within the patient, using multiple beam lines and beam shaping to achieve high conformality and FLASH sparing effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If existing RT apparatus are used to deliver conventional radiation doses, then the treatment can be administered over several minutes, but the irradiation time is too long to achieve FLASH sparing of healthy tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pulsed delivery of radiation in ultra-short pulses (duration less than 100 ms) to achieve FLASH effect. The radiation is delivered in discrete pulses rather than continuously, allowing the tissue to recover between pulses while maintaining high dose rate during each pulse, thereby sparing healthy tissues from radiation-induced damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter of radiation delivery by reducing the irradiation time from several minutes to ultra-short pulses of less than 100 ms. This parameter change enables FLASH radiotherapy to spare healthy tissues while maintaining tumor treatment effectiveness
2Temperature
If high energy electron beams (30-250 MeV) are used to treat deep-seated tumors, then the radiation can penetrate to deep tissues, but existing RT instruments cannot deliver ultra-high dose rates with these energies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radiation delivery system into multiple independent beam lines, each capable of delivering high energy radiation. This segmentation allows each beam line to be optimized for high energy delivery while maintaining the ability to deliver ultra-high dose rates through coordinated operation of multiple beams
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional radiation delivery system where multiple beam lines can operate independently or in coordination to treat various tumor locations and sizes. The system can deliver conventional RT or FLASH RT, treat superficial or deep-seated tumors, making it universally applicable to different treatment scenarios
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional RT delivers fractionated doses over several minutes, then normal tissue sparing is achieved through fractionation, but the total treatment time is too long for FLASH effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous radiation delivery during the ultra-short pulse duration (less than 100 ms), ensuring that the FLASH effect is achieved without interruption. The continuous delivery at high dose rate during the pulse maintains tumor kill effectiveness while the short duration prevents normal tissue damage
4Ease of operation
If existing RT instruments deliver radiation beams, then the beams can be directed to treat tumors, but they cannot generate ultra-high dose rate electron beams with required energy for large and deep seated tumors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds the dimension of temporal control to the existing spatial beam directionality capability. By controlling the timing and duration of beam delivery at the ultra-short pulse scale, the system achieves FLASH effect while maintaining the ability to direct beams to various tumor locations using magnetic steering
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
The device effectively reduces side effects in healthy tissue by 33% compared to conventional RT while maintaining tumor efficacy, allowing for higher conformality and reduced treatment fractions, particularly effective for multi-resistant tumors.
Implementation Method 1
a linear accelerator for accelerating said radiation beam until a predetermined energy
Implementation Method 2
radiation beam for treating a target volume of at least about 30 cm3
Data Source
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AI summary
The present relates to device for ultra-high dose rate radiation treatment to a patient, comprising : - a radiation source for providing a radiation beam, and - a linear accelerator for accelerating said radiation beam until a predetermined energy, and - a beam delivery module for delivery the accelerated radiation beam, The device is arranged for generating an accelerated radiation beam having a predetermined energy between about 50 MeV and about 250 MeV, to deliver rate radiation dose of at least 10 Gy, during an overall time less than about 200 ms in order to generate a radiation field for treating a target volume of at least about 30 cm3, with said ultra-high dose rate radiation dose and/or a target volume located at least about 5 cm deep in the tissue of the patient with said ultra-high dose rate radiation dose.