Movable Collimator Fingers for Particle Beam Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current particle therapy systems face challenges in precisely scanning and delivering particle beams across irradiation targets, particularly in achieving accurate dosages and minimizing exposure to healthy tissues, due to limitations in beam control and collimation techniques.
Innovation Solution
A particle therapy system incorporating a scanning system with a controllable structure that moves in two dimensions to intercept the particle beam, featuring a magnet for beam control and an energy degrader to adjust beam energy, along with a collimator system that tracks the beam's movement to ensure precise delivery and minimize exposure to healthy tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a stationary collimator is used to define beam edges, then the structure is simple and stable, but the beam cannot be precisely scanned across different parts of the irradiation target
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator is designed with movable fingers that can dynamically adjust their positions to track the scanned beam location. This allows the collimator to maintain proper beam definition throughout the scanning process, resolving the contradiction between beam scanning capability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The collimator is divided into multiple independent movable fingers rather than a single monolithic structure. Each finger can move independently to intercept the beam at different locations, enabling precise beam control during scanning while keeping individual components relatively simple.
2Area of stationary object
If the collimator structure is made larger to cover the entire irradiation target, then beam coverage is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and harder to control
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator is segmented into multiple smaller movable fingers that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the system to achieve large coverage area through coordinated movement of multiple simple units, avoiding the complexity of controlling a single large structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the collimator wider to cover more area, the system uses movement in the beam direction (longitudinal dimension) to achieve coverage. The fingers move along the beam path to intercept the beam at different locations, transforming a two-dimensional coverage problem into a one-dimensional movement problem.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple movable fingers are used in the collimator, then beam precision and scanning accuracy are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collimator is divided into multiple independent movable fingers, each capable of precise positioning. This segmentation allows high beam edge precision through individual finger control while keeping each finger as a relatively simple component that can be manufactured and controlled independently.
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 system enables precise scanning and delivery of particle beams, allowing for faster treatment times and more accurate dosages, while reducing exposure to healthy tissues by dynamically adjusting beam energy and position, thereby improving treatment efficacy and patient safety.
Implementation Method 1
The scanning system comprises at least one magnet to control movement of the particle beam to scan the particle beam
Implementation Method 2
The at least one magnet may be for generating a magnetic field in response to applied current. The magnetic field may affect the movement.
Implementation Method 3
a degrader to change an energy of the beam prior to output of the particle beam to the irradiation target
Implementation Method 4
The structure comprises a material that inhibits transmission of the particle beam
Data Source
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AI summary
A particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator to output a particle beam; and a scanning system for the particle accelerator to scan the particle beam across at least part of an irradiation target. The scanning system is configured to scan the particle beam in two dimensions that are at an angle relative to a direction of the particle beam. A structure defines an edge. The structure is controllable to move in the two dimensions relative to the irradiation target such that at least part of the structure is between at least part of the particle beam and the irradiation target. The structure includes a material that inhibits transmission of the particle beam.