Spatially Fractionated Particle Beam Therapy for Tumor Targeting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current particle therapy techniques do not fully exploit the benefits of particle beams, leading to suboptimal delivery of dose due to uncertainties in patient setup and anatomical changes, resulting in exposure of healthy tissues and reduced effectiveness of the Bragg Peak.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Particle GRID techniques, which utilize spatially fractionated particle beam therapy to deliver high doses directly to the tumor while sparing surrounding tissues by using pristine beamlets and optimizing beam angles and spacing to avoid coaxial beamlets, thereby enhancing the immunostimulatory effects and reducing exposure to normal tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard proton treatment planning techniques use treatment volume expansions to ensure target coverage, then target coverage is improved, but exposure to surrounding healthy tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment volume is segmented into discrete spots arranged in a lattice pattern within the target region. Each spot receives a high dose from one or more pristine beamlets, while the spaces between spots (valleys) receive minimal dose. This segmentation allows precise target coverage without requiring large treatment volume expansions, thereby reducing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The dose distribution is made non-uniform with high-dose peaks localized at specific spots and low-dose valleys in between. This local quality variation enables high dose concentration within the target region while sparing adjacent healthy tissues, resolving the contradiction between ensuring target coverage and reducing healthy tissue exposure.
2Length of stationary object
If multiple energy layers are used to create a spread out Bragg Peak (SOBP), then deep target coverage is improved, but accumulated dose to proximal normal tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple coaxial energy layers that accumulate dose in proximal normal tissue, the invention segments the target depth coverage into contributions from multiple non-coaxial pristine beamlets approaching from different angles. Each beamlet delivers its Bragg peak to a specific spot, and the cumulative effect of multiple angles achieves deep target coverage without dose accumulation in proximal normal tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The problem of deep target coverage is solved by adding the angular dimension to the solution. Rather than stacking energy layers along a single beam path (1D approach), the invention uses multiple beamlets from different angles (3D approach), where each beamlet contributes to spots at different depths. This dimensional change eliminates dose accumulation in proximal normal tissue while achieving comprehensive target coverage.
3Reliability
If pristine beamlets from multiple angles are used to target spots, then tumor cell kill is improved, but treatment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment planning system dynamically selects and optimizes the configuration of spots and beamlets based on the specific tumor geometry and location. The system adaptively determines the number, position, and energy of beamlets required to deliver high doses to all spots while minimizing normal tissue exposure. This dynamic optimization manages treatment complexity while maximizing tumor cell kill effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment planning process incorporates feedback loops that iteratively optimize the spot and beamlet configuration. The system evaluates dose distribution, identifies areas needing improvement, and adjusts the treatment plan accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures high tumor cell kill effectiveness while keeping treatment complexity manageable through systematic optimization.
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 approach achieves more precise and effective tumor targeting, increasing tumoral cell kill and reducing normal tissue damage, with improved healing of spared tissues and enhanced immunotherapy compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
A particle beam initially deposits a relatively low dose upon entering the patient, and the deposited dose rises to a sharp maximum, known as the Bragg peak, near the end of the beam's range in the patient.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for particle beam therapy include receiving a target region inside a subject for particle therapy, a minimum dose inside the target region, and a maximum dose inside the subject but outside target region. Multiple beam axis angles are determined, each involving a gantry angle and a couch position. Multiple spots within the target region are determined. For each beam axis angle a pristine particle scan beam (not coaxial with any other particle scan beam) is determined such that a Bragg Peak is directed to a spot, and repeated until every spot is subjected to a Bragg Peak or an intersection of two or more such pristine scan beams. Output data indicating the pristine beamlets is stored for operation of a particle beam therapy apparatus.