Integrated tomography—cancer treatment apparatus and method of use thereof

• US 10,086,214 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrey Vladimirovich Balakin, Pavel Vladimirovich Balakin
• Original Assignee: Vladimir Balakin
• Inventors: Balakin, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kiet T
• Application Number:
  US15/191,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20160303399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 2504923
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0421 with immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0478 Chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1052 using positron emission tomography [PET] single photon emission computer tomography [SPECT] imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1054 using a portal imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1097 Means for immobilizing the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1039 using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1044 with multiple repetitions of the scanning pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1067 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/107 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1077 Beam delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1082 having multiple beam rotation axes
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/087 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/093 by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for generation of two-dimensional images using X-rays, proton tomography, and/or carbon ion tomography to form one or more independent and/or integrated three-dimensional images of a tumor, where the proton and carbon cation beams use common elements of a tumor treatment beam, such as an injector, accelerator, and/or beam transport device. A previously collected image of the tumor and/or a current/real-time image control slice is used in control of a multi-axes and/or a multi-field tumor irradiation system for cancer irradiation.

Claims

1. A method for treatment of a tumor of a patient using positively charged particles moving along a beam path, comprising the steps of:

accelerating the positively charged particles using a synchrotron;

transporting the positively charged particles along a beam transport path from said synchrotron to an exit nozzle;

at a first time, imaging the tumor using a scintillation material positioned posterior to the patient relative to said exit nozzle, said step of imaging using the positively charged particles accelerated in said synchrotron and transported along said beam transport path; and

at a second time, treating the tumor using the positively charged particles, the positively charged particles accelerated in said synchrotron and transported along said beam transport path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

maintaining a single treatment position of a patient relative to a patient support from a start of said step of imaging through a completion of said step of treating.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

positioning a light emitting material in the beam path between said synchrotron and the patient;

detecting, as a function of time, photons emitted, resultant from passage of the positively charged particles, from said light emitting material to determine positions of the beam path prior to the patient; and

in both (1) said step of imaging and (2) said step of treating, using said light emitting material positioned prior to the patient and the determined positions of the beam path prior to the patient.

4. The method of claim 1, said step of imaging the tumor further comprising the steps of:

rotating the patient in the beam path to rotation positions;

at a first set of the rotation positions, during the first time, collecting a first set of two-dimensional images of the patient using said scintillation material; and

mathematically constructing a first three-dimensional image of the tumor using the first set of two-dimensional images.

5. The method of claim 4, said step of rotating further comprising the step of:

without stopping, continuously rotating the patient during the second time period of treating the tumor using the positively charged particles through at least forty-five degrees.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

varying an energy of the positively charged particles transported along the beam path to the tumor during said step of rotating the patient.

7. The method of claim 4, said step of collecting a first set of two-dimensional images further comprising the steps of:

positioning a beam verification layer in the beam path between said synchrotron and the patient; and

detecting first photons emitted, upon passage of the positively charged particles, from said beam verification layer to determine a first position of the positively charged particles; and

detecting second photons emitted, upon receipt of the positively charged particles, from said scintillation material to determine a second position of the positively charged particles.

8. The method of claim 4, said step of imaging further comprising the step of:

collecting said first set of two-dimensional images during a set period of a respiration cycle of the patient.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

at a second set of the rotation positions, collecting a second set of two-dimensional images using an X-ray source and an X-ray imaging element; and

mathematically constructing a second three-dimensional image of the tumor using the second set of two-dimensional images.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

generating a hybrid three dimensional X-ray-positively charged particle image using the first set of two-dimensional images and the second set of two-dimensional images.

11. The method of claim 10, the positively charged particles comprising at least one of H⁺ and C₆⁺.

12. The method of claim 11, said step of collecting a first set of two-dimensional images further comprising the steps of:

positioning a beam verification layer in the beam path between said synchrotron and the patient; and

detecting a first spectroscopic response, resultant from passage of the positively charged particles, from said beam verification layer to determine a first position of the positively charged particles; and

detecting second photons emitted, upon receipt of the positively charged particles, from said scintillation material to determine a second position of the positively charged particles.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of within thirty seconds of the second time period:

collecting a control image of the tumor using the positively charged particles and the scintillation material; and

determining a difference between the control image and the first three-dimensional image of the tumor.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transporting X-rays along a pathway collinear with the beam path of the positively charged particles used in said step of imaging the tumor.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

collecting an X-ray image of the patient simultaneously with said step of imaging the tumor with the positively charged particles.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

generating a hybrid X-ray-proton beam tomographic image of the patient using the X-ray image and output from said step of imaging.

17. An apparatus for treatment of a tumor of a patient using positively charged particles moving along a beam path, comprising:

a synchrotron configured to accelerate the positively charged particles;

a beam transport path configured to transport the positively charged particles from said synchrotron to an exit nozzle;

a scintillation material positioned posterior to the patient relative to said exit nozzle,

wherein the positively charged particles move along a common beam path from said synchrotron to said exit nozzle at a first time of imaging the tumor using said scintillation material and at a second time of treating the tumor with the positively charged particles.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a first light emitting material positioned in the beam path between said synchrotron and a zone above a patient positioner, said patient positioner configured to hold the patient during use;

a first detector configured to generate a first beam position using detected light emitted from said first light emitting material positioned prior the patient, upon passage of the positively charged particles; and

a second detector configured to generate a second beam position using light emitted from said scintillation material,

a main controller configured to receive the first beam position prior to the patient and a second beam position posterior to the patient.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

an X-ray beam pathway co-linear with the beam path of the positively charged particles used for proton tomography.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, said scintillation material comprising a scintillating plastic.