Medical Proton Cyclotron Beam Splitting for Multi-Room Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a compact proton cyclotron capable of delivering radiation therapy with an energy range of 70 MeV to 150 MeV for treating medical conditions such as pediatric cancer, head, neck, and eye tumors, as well as other conditions requiring reduced penetration depth, with the ability to treat multiple patients simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A proton cyclotron system that includes a beam splitter to distribute proton beams to multiple treatment rooms, a robotic support platform for patient positioning and rotation, and a treatment planning system, along with imaging and beam control to ensure precise and efficient delivery of proton beams to tumors or medical conditions, using a range of 70 MeV to 150 MeV energy and variable beam current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a proton cyclotron with energy range of 70 MeV to 150 MeV is used for treating medical conditions requiring reduced penetration depth, then treatment precision for pediatric cancer, head, neck, and eye tumors is improved, but device complexity and shielding requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cyclotron system is divided into functional modules: the cyclotron accelerator, beam transport system, treatment rooms, and robotic positioning system. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while managing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses variable energy delivery (70-150 MeV range) and adjustable beam current to match treatment requirements for different medical conditions, enabling precise control of proton penetration depth while maintaining flexibility for various tumor types and locations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If beam current and energy are constrained for precise treatment delivery, then damage to healthy tissue is minimized, but treatment time and productivity may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic support platform provides dynamic positioning and rotation capabilities, allowing real-time adjustment of patient orientation and beam angle during treatment. This enables precise dose delivery while maintaining treatment efficiency through automated repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment planning system works in conjunction with beam control systems to monitor and adjust beam parameters in real-time, ensuring that the constrained energy and beam current deliver the intended dose distribution while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
3Productivity
If a beam splitter is used to distribute proton beams to multiple treatment rooms, then the ability to treat multiple patients simultaneously is improved, but device complexity and beam current requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beam transport system is segmented into multiple independent beam lines that diverge from the single cyclotron source. Each beam line can be independently controlled and directed to different treatment rooms, enabling simultaneous multi-patient treatment while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cyclotron serves multiple functions by providing proton beams to multiple treatment rooms simultaneously through the beam splitter system, maximizing the utilization of the accelerator facility and improving overall treatment capacity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a robotic support platform is used for patient positioning and rotation, then treatment precision and adaptability are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic support platform incorporates multiple degrees of freedom with rotatable and adjustable components that can be dynamically reconfigured for each patient and treatment plan, providing high adaptability while using standardized robotic mechanisms to control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual patient positioning is replaced with an automated robotic system that uses computer-controlled mechanisms for precise and repeatable positioning, improving adaptability and treatment precision while reducing human error and operational complexity.
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
Enables precise and efficient treatment of various medical conditions by constraining beam current and energy delivery, allowing compact radiation shielding and simultaneous treatment of multiple patients, while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
Implementation Method 1
A cyclotron accelerates a charged particle beam using a high frequency alternating voltage which is applied between two hollow 'D'-shaped sheet metal electrodes called 'dees' inside a vacuum chamber. The path of the accelerated particle is then bent by a magnetic field into a spiral path (due to the Lorentz force perpendicular to their direction of motion)
Implementation Method 2
By alternately changing the polarity of the electrodes by means of a radio-frequency generating system, the particles are accelerated with each crossing of the gap, thereby increasing the radius of the spiral path of the accelerated particles
Data Source
AI summary
A proton cyclotron is provided for dedicated use in head, neck and eye cancers, tumors or other medical conditions including pediatric and other cancers or medical conditions. The method of using a proton cyclotron for treating a tumor, cancer or medical condition of a patient includes positioning the patient on a support platform, such as on a patient table or in a robotic chair, and irradiating the tumor, cancer or other medical condition using a proton particle beam from the cyclotron for a predetermined time sufficient to treat the tumor, cancer or medical condition, wherein the proton particle beam produced by the cyclotron has an energy in a range of 70 MeV to 150 MeV and has a beam current in an amount suitable for radiation therapy, as can include a variable range of beam current for the radiation therapy.