Particle Beam Therapy Device Secondary Beam Shielding

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Solution Overview

Problem

In particle beam therapy devices, the generation of beams with different nuclides from the primary cation beam can result in unnecessary irradiation of patients, leading to potential damage to non-target areas due to varying mass numbers and charge states, as these secondary beams penetrate deeper into the body.

Innovation Solution

A particle beam therapy device that includes a cyclotron to produce a cation beam, a degrader to reduce the beam's energy and generate secondary beams, a bending electromagnet to deflect the mixed beam based on momentum per unit charge, and a passage selection unit to selectively pass through the cation beam while shielding the secondary beams, ensuring only the cation beam reaches the treatment area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If a degrader is used to reduce the energy of the cation beam, then the beam energy can be adjusted for treatment, but other species of beams with different nuclides are generated from the cation beam

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam energyVSAvoidsecondary beam generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The passage selection unit extracts and removes the harmful secondary beams from the mixed beam while allowing the primary cation beam to pass through to the treatment area, effectively separating the useful beam from the harmful byproducts generated by the degrader

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The passage selection unit acts as an intermediary component between the degrader and the treatment area, selectively filtering which beams are allowed to proceed based on their trajectory and momentum characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the mixed beam is deflected by a bending electromagnet, then the trajectory can be adjusted, but the beam path becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrajectory controlVSAvoidbeam path

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bending electromagnet changes the trajectory parameter of the mixed beam by applying a magnetic field that deflects beams based on their momentum per unit charge, enabling selective routing of different beam species through the passage selection unit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If secondary beams are allowed to reach the patient, then the treatment area receives beam irradiation, but non-target areas are damaged due to deeper penetration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam irradiationVSAvoidnon-target damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The passage selection unit extracts and blocks the harmful secondary beams before they can reach the patient, while allowing the primary cation beam to pass through to the treatment area, preventing non-target area damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the harmful effect of secondary beam generation into a useful separation mechanism by using the momentum differences caused by the bending electromagnet to enable selective filtering of beam species

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 configuration effectively reduces the transmission of secondary beams to the patient, minimizing unnecessary irradiation and associated damage, while allowing the primary cation beam to be precisely targeted, thus enhancing treatment accuracy and reducing radio-activation risks.

Implementation Method 1

a cyclotron that exits the cation beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCyclotron acceleration: Cyclotron Radiation

Implementation Method 2

a degrader that is provided on a downstream side of the cyclotron, reduces energy of the cation beam

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnergy degradation: Ionisation

Implementation Method 3

a bending electromagnet that is provided on a downstream side of the degrader, deflects a mixed beam in which the cation beam and the other species of the beam are mixed, and causes a trajectory of a beam included in the mixed beam to be different depending on momentum per unit charge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetic deflection: Lorentz Force

Data Source

PatentUS20230414970A1Particle beam therapy device

Publication Date: 2023.12.28 SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD

AI summary

A particle beam therapy device that irradiates a patient with a cation beam to perform treatment, the device including a passage selection unit that selectively passes through the cation beam among a mixed beam in which the cation beam and other species of a beam having a nuclide different from that of the cation beam are mixed after passing through a deflection magnetic field, after causing the mixed beam to pass through the deflection magnetic field, in a case where the other species of the beam is generated from the cation beam.