Ring Gantry Radiation System for Non-Coplanar Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation therapy systems face challenges in achieving high mechanical stability and versatility, particularly when treating body parts other than the head, due to limitations in beam angle range and deformation issues with heavy radiation sources, which affect the precision and speed of treatment delivery.
Innovation Solution
A ring gantry-based radiation treatment system with a rotatable radiation treatment head and a gantry translation mechanism that allows for non-coplanar radiation delivery, dynamic control of the radiation treatment head's inward extension, and tilting capabilities, enabling precise and efficient treatment without requiring patient movement between imaging and treatment phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heavy radiation source is mounted on a traditional gantry, then radiation treatment can be delivered, but mechanical deformation occurs affecting precision and stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional heavy mechanical gantry system with a robotic arm-based system. The robotic arm uses advanced positioning mechanisms and control systems to deliver radiation beams without the mechanical deformation issues inherent in traditional gantries. This substitution of the mechanical support structure eliminates the deformation problem while maintaining beam delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation treatment system is divided into modular components: a movable radiation source unit mounted on the robotic arm, separate from the patient positioning system. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component - the robotic arm for precise positioning and the patient table for stable positioning - thereby improving overall mechanical stability and beam delivery precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a robotic arm system is used for non-coplanar radiation delivery, then beam angle versatility is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates due to arm movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the flexible but less stable robotic arm with a rigid ring gantry structure. The ring gantry provides a stable, rigid framework that maintains mechanical precision while still enabling non-coplanar beam delivery through coordinated movement of the radiation source along the ring and tilting of the source assembly. This substitution preserves versatility while improving mechanical stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control of the radiation source position and orientation on the ring gantry. The source can move along the ring circumference and tilt at various angles, providing dynamic adaptability for non-coplanar beam delivery. This dynamic capability is controlled with high precision to maintain mechanical stability during treatment delivery.
3Measurement precision
If patient movement is required between imaging and treatment phases, then imaging accuracy is improved, but treatment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the imaging system and radiation treatment system into a single integrated platform. The same ring gantry structure supports both the imaging sources/detectors and the radiation treatment head. This allows sequential or simultaneous imaging and treatment without requiring patient repositioning, thereby maintaining imaging accuracy while significantly reducing treatment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring gantry is designed as a universal platform that can perform multiple functions: delivering radiation beams from various angles, acquiring imaging data from multiple positions, and providing image-guided radiation therapy. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate imaging and treatment sessions, reducing overall treatment time while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. For one preferred embodiment, an IGRT apparatus is provided comprising a ring gantry having a central opening and a radiation treatment head coupled to the ring gantry that is rotatable around the central opening in at least a 180 degree arc. For one preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a gantry translation mechanism configured to translate the ring gantry in a direction of a longitudinal axis extending through the central opening. Noncoplanar radiation treatment delivery can thereby be achieved without requiring movement of the patient. For another preferred embodiment, an independently translatable 3D imaging device distinct from the ring gantry is provided for further achieving at least one of pre-treatment imaging and setup imaging of the target tissue volume without requiring movement of the patient.