Particle beam monitoring systems and methods

• US 10,245,448 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2017
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH & Company KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Heese, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Marcus H
• Application Number:
  US15/657,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20190022417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1071 for verifying the dose delivered by the treatment plan
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1077 Beam delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/02 Dosimeters G01T1/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/29 Measurement performed on radiation beams, e.g. position or section of the beam; Measurement of spatial distribution of radiation

Abstract

Presented systems and methods facilitate efficient and effective monitoring of particle beams. In some embodiments, a system comprises a primary particle beam generator that generates a primary particle beam, and a monitoring component that monitors the primary particle beam. The monitoring component comprises: a reaction component that is impacted by the primary particle beam, wherein results of an impact include creation of secondary photons; a detection component that detects a characteristic of the secondary photons; and a primary particle beam characteristic determination component that determines a characteristic of the primary particle beam based upon the characteristic of the secondary photons. The characteristic of the primary particle beam can include a radiation dose measurement and dose rate. The reaction component can include a foil component. A resolution time of less than a nano second can be associated with detecting the secondary photon characteristic.

Claims

1. A radiation system comprising:

a primary particle beam generator that generates a primary particle beam; and

a monitoring component that monitors the primary particle beam, wherein the monitoring component comprises;

a reaction component configured as an external window through which the primary particle beam exits the radiation system, wherein the reaction component is impacted by the primary particle beam and results of an impact include creation of secondary photons;

a detection component that detects a secondary photon characteristic; and

a primary particle beam characteristic determination component that determines a primary particle beam characteristic based upon the secondary photon characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary particle beam characteristic includes a radiation dose measurement.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary particle beam characteristic includes a dose rate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the reaction component includes a foil component.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary particle beam exits a radiation system through the reaction component and is forwarded towards target tissue.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reaction component is configured to balance minimization of energy loss characteristics and maintenance of structural characteristics.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the minimization of energy loss characteristics is based upon a comparison of energy of the primary particle beam before penetrating the reaction component and after penetrating the reaction component.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a resolution time of less than a nano second is associated with detecting the secondary photon characteristic.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection component includes spatial resolution components that determine an interaction point of the primary particle beam on the reaction component.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary particle beam is a FLASH therapy radiation treatment.

11. A particle beam monitoring method comprising:

receiving a primary particle beam;

creating a plurality of secondary photons corresponding to the primary particle beam at a reaction component;

forwarding the primary particle beam from the reaction component towards target tissue;

sensing a characteristic of a portion of the plurality of secondary photons; and

analyzing a characteristic of the primary particle beam based upon the characteristic of the portion of the plurality of secondary photons.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a characteristic of the plurality of secondary photons varies in accordance with a relationship to a characteristic of the primary particle beam and the relationship is utilized in analyzing the characteristic of the primary particle beam.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the primary particle beam includes a radiation dose measurement.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the primary particle beam includes a dose rate.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of secondary photons are emitted from a foil component.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the foil component is configured as an external window through which the primary particle beam exits a radiation system and the foil component is configured to balance minimization of energy loss characteristics and maintenance of structural characteristics.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensing the characteristic of the portion of the plurality of secondary photons is resolved in a nano second or less.

18. A particle beam monitoring device comprising:

a reaction component that forwards a primary particle beam towards target tissue and is affected by characteristics of a primary particle beam, wherein results of an affect include creation of a plurality of secondary photons;

a detection component that detects a characteristic of a portion of the plurality of secondary photons; and

a beam characteristic analysis component that analyzes the results of the reaction.

19. The particle beam monitoring device system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of secondary photons are included in rays.

20. The particle beam monitoring device system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of secondary photons are included in Gamma-Rays.

21. The particle beam monitoring device of claim 18, wherein the plurality of secondary photons are included in X-rays.