Particle Therapy Control System for Automated Beam Field Grouping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional proton therapy systems face inefficiencies and delays due to manual setups and the need for skilled operators to adjust beam energy and positioning for multiple beam fields, leading to prolonged treatment sessions and potential hazards.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a graphical user interface allows for the automation and remote management of proton beam delivery, enabling the grouping and visualization of beam fields, reducing the need for manual interventions and allowing practitioners to prepare patients more efficiently between treatment fields.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual setups are used to adjust beam energy and positioning for multiple beam fields, then treatment precision can be maintained, but treatment session duration increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and pre-positions attenuating components (filters and degraders) in automated beam delivery paths before treatment begins. Treatment fields are grouped and organized in advance, allowing the automated system to retrieve and position the correct components without manual intervention during the treatment session, thereby maintaining precision while reducing treatment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment of attenuating components with an automated robotic system. The robotic arm automatically retrieves, positions, and adjusts filters and degraders based on pre-programmed coordinates and treatment parameters, eliminating the need for skilled operators to manually manipulate components while maintaining the same level of treatment precision.
2Measurement precision
If skilled operators manually adjust attenuating components for each beam field, then beam energy and positioning accuracy is maintained, but operator workload and potential hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system performs self-positioning and self-adjustment of attenuating components using robotic arms and computer-controlled mechanisms. The system automatically calculates optimal positions, retrieves appropriate filters and degraders, and configures them without human intervention, thereby maintaining beam accuracy while eliminating operator workload and associated hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computer-controlled automated system as an intermediary between the treatment plan and the physical attenuating components. This intermediary system translates digital treatment parameters into precise physical positioning and configuration of filters and degraders, maintaining accuracy while removing operators from direct manipulation of components in the radiation field.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple beam fields are treated separately with manual setups, then flexibility in treatment planning is maintained, but treatment efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple beam fields into grouped sets that can be treated in continuous automated sequences. By combining fields with similar attenuating component requirements into groups, the system maintains treatment planning flexibility while eliminating repeated manual setup operations, thereby significantly improving treatment efficiency without sacrificing adaptability.
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 solution significantly reduces the time required for preparing patients between treatment fields, enhances treatment efficiency, and minimizes operator intervention, thereby improving patient comfort and reducing the risk of errors or hazards.
Implementation Method 1
a particle accelerator -- such as a cyclotron -- is used to generate a beam of protons from, for example, an internal ion source located in the center of the cyclotron. The protons in the beam are accelerated (via a generated electric field)
Implementation Method 2
the beam of accelerated protons is subsequently 'extracted' and magnetically directed through a series of interconnecting tubes (called the beamline)
Data Source
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AI summary
A particle therapy device configured to automatically control an emission of a beam of particles to irradiate a plurality of beam fields corresponding to a plurality of iso-centers, wherein a control system is configured to: (i) automatically group beam fields based on beam field or treatment factors and/or provide controls by a beam control interface for a user to add or remove beam fields to and from the beam field grouping; (ii) if adding a beam field to another beam field to create the grouping or adding the beam field to an existing grouping would require the addition, modification, or removal of a beam accessory during a single beam application, disallow the beam field grouping; and (iii) control the emission of the beam of particles to irradiate the beam field grouping in a contiguous beam application.