Ion Beam Range Control for Distal Gradient Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current proton therapy systems face challenges in achieving precise and efficient tumor treatment due to limitations in controlling the range and intensity of proton beams, leading to potential irradiation of healthy tissue and uneven dose placement.
Innovation Solution
An ion therapy machine with a beam controller that varies the range and intensity of ion beams based on a dose plan, placing Bragg peaks at high gradient regions to achieve complex, high-resolution dose placement and multilevel dose patterns, allowing for precise control of beam width and shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the proton beam is expanded to subtend the entire tumor with spread in range, then treatment speed is improved, but manufacturing precision and accuracy of dose placement deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the proton beam into multiple pencil beams with different ranges, each targeting a specific depth region of the tumor. This allows the system to maintain treatment speed by treating multiple regions simultaneously while achieving precise dose placement through individual beam control, resolving the contradiction between speed and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different energy ranges to different pencil beams based on the specific depth requirements of tumor regions. Each beam is customized with precise range control to match the local dose distribution requirements, enabling both fast treatment and high precision dose placement.
2Manufacturing precision
If the proton beam remains narrowly collimated in a pencil beam, then accuracy of dose placement is improved, but treatment speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the treatment into multiple pencil beams, each delivering dose to a specific region. By segmenting the treatment plan into parallel beam paths, the system can treat multiple tumor regions simultaneously with high precision, maintaining both accuracy and treatment speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the dimension of beam energy variation to complement spatial positioning. By controlling the range of each pencil beam independently, the system achieves precise depth-specific dose placement while treating multiple regions in parallel, thus maintaining treatment speed.
3Manufacturing precision
If a range correction compensator is used to conform the distal edge of the beam, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the range control function from a separate physical compensator and integrates it directly into the beam delivery system through electronic range control of individual pencil beams. This eliminates the need for complex physical compensators while maintaining precise beam conformality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical range correction compensator with electronic control of proton beam energy. By using electromagnetic fields to precisely control beam range, the system achieves the same conformality without requiring complex mechanical or physical compensator structures.
4Manufacturing precision
If the small spot size is used in pencil beam treatment, then accuracy is improved, but the risk of uneven dose placement or cold spots increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tumor treatment into multiple overlapping pencil beams with carefully controlled ranges. By coordinating multiple segments, the system achieves both the precision of small spot sizes and the reliability of uniform dose coverage, eliminating cold spots through systematic beam arrangement.
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
This approach enables improved dose resolution and accuracy in tumor treatment by strategically positioning Bragg peaks, reducing healthy tissue irradiation and minimizing 'cold spots', thereby enhancing treatment speed and precision.
Implementation Method 1
The dose deposited by a proton beam is not uniform along the entrance path of the beam, but rises substantially to a 'Bragg peak' near a point where the proton beam stops within the tissue.
Implementation Method 2
protons may be controlled to stop within the tissue, reducing or eliminating exit dose through healthy tissue on the far side of the tumor
Data Source
AI summary
An ion radiation therapy machine provides a control of the range of the ion beam that a Bragg peak of the beam is located according to a determined gradient of the dose plan.