Radiotherapy Couch with 3D Imaging for Compact Proton Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiotherapy equipment, particularly for proton therapy, is costly and occupies large spaces due to the need for large rotating frames to treat multiple parts of a patient, limiting its application to only certain types of tumors and increasing operational costs.
Innovation Solution
The patient sitting equipment for radiotherapy includes a treatment couch assembly, a support and adjustment assembly, and a 3D imaging assembly, allowing for adjustable patient positioning and multi-directional scanning, reducing space occupation and operational costs by enabling efficient scanning and treatment of multiple parts or angles without the need for extensive reconfiguration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large rotating frame is employed to treat multiple parts of a patient, then the treatment coverage is improved, but the cost and space occupation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the treatment functionality into separate modules: a fixed proton therapy room for radiation delivery and an independent movable treatment couch assembly that can be repositioned to different locations. This segmentation allows the expensive fixed infrastructure to remain compact while the movable couch provides versatility, resolving the contradiction between treatment coverage and space occupation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary imaging system that bridges the fixed treatment room and the movable treatment couch. The imaging device captures patient data at the movable couch location and transmits it to the fixed treatment room, enabling coordinated multi-part treatment without requiring the entire system to be large and rotating
2Adaptability or versatility
If a large rotating frame is employed to treat multiple parts of a patient, then the treatment coverage is improved, but the operational cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the expensive fixed proton therapy infrastructure from the movable treatment couch, the system reduces operational costs. The fixed room remains compact and cost-effective, while the movable couch with integrated imaging provides adaptable treatment coverage for multiple body parts without requiring expensive rotating mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system creates a digital copy of the patient's anatomy and treatment plan, allowing the treatment couch to be precisely repositioned and reconfigured for different treatment areas. This digital replication enables versatile multi-part treatment without duplicating the entire expensive fixed treatment infrastructure
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed treatment room is used, then the equipment cost is reduced, but the applicability to different tumor types is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment couch assembly is designed to be movable and dynamically repositionable to different locations relative to the fixed treatment room. This dynamic positioning capability, combined with integrated imaging, allows a cost-effective fixed infrastructure to adapt to treat various tumor types and body parts by changing the spatial relationship between the couch and treatment delivery system
4Productivity
If multi-directional scanning is implemented, then the treatment efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the imaging function with the movable treatment couch assembly, creating an integrated unit that performs both patient positioning and imaging. This consolidation achieves multi-directional scanning capability and improved treatment efficiency without proportionally increasing overall system complexity, as the imaging and treatment components work as a coordinated unit rather than separate complex subsystems
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 equipment facilitates multi-directional and multi-angle scanning and treatment, reducing operational and maintenance costs while accommodating various patient postures, thus improving treatment efficiency and adaptability for different tumor types without the need for large, expensive treatment rooms.
Implementation Method 1
the 3D imaging device is configured to perform image scanning on the patient
Data Source
AI summary
Patient sitting equipment for radiotherapy, including an installation platform, a treatment couch assembly, a support and adjustment assembly and a 3D imaging assembly. The treatment couch assembly is configured to fix a patient. The support and adjustment assembly is configured to adjust a position of the treatment couch assembly with respect to the installation platform. The 3D imaging assembly includes a column assembly and a 3D imaging device. The column assembly is arranged at the installation platform, and extends along the vertical direction. The 3D imaging device is movably arranged at the column assembly, and is corresponding to the treatment couch assembly in a horizontal projection direction. The 3D imaging device is configured to scan the patient.