Particle beam irradiation equipment and particle beam irradiation method

• US 20040200983A1
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Akiyama, Hiroshi, Matsuda, Koji, Yanagisawa, Masaki, Fujimaki, Hisataka
• Granted Patent: US 7,449,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1095 Elements inserted into the radiation path within the system, e.g. filters or wedges
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1096 Elements inserted into the radiation path placed on the patient, e.g. bags, bolus, compensators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means

Abstract

Particle beam irradiation equipment and a method of adjusting irradiation nozzle, which can ensure a long range and high dose uniformity at any field size are provided. The particle beam irradiation equipment comprises charged particle beam generation equipment and an irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from the charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target. The irradiation nozzle comprises a first scatterer device including a first scatterer for spreading out the charged particle beam into a Gaussian-like distribution, and multiple stages of second scatterer devices including second scatterers for producing a uniform intensity distribution of the charged particle beam having been spread out into a Gaussian-like distribution by the first scatterer. For forming irradiation fields having sizes different from each other, the second scatterer devices are disposed downstream of the first scatterer device in the direction of travel of the charged particle beam at the spacing depending on the difference in the field size.

Claims

1. Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises:

a first scatterer device including a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes; and

a second scatterer device including a plurality of second scatterers through which said charged particle beam passes after having passed said first scatterer, said second scatterer device causing one of said plurality of second scatterers to position in a passage region of said charged particle beam at one of plural different positions in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

19. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to any of claim 1, 2, 7 and 17, wherein said first scatterer device is movable in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

20. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 19, further comprising a first scatterer moving device for moving said first scatterer device in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a first scatterer control device for controlling said first scatterer moving device, thereby controlling an amount by which said first scatterer device is to be moved.

2. Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises a first scatterer device including a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes, and a second scatterer device including a plurality of second scatterers to be positioned in a passage region of said charged particle beam after having passed said first scatterer;

and

said particle beam irradiation equipment includes a control system for controlling said second scatterer device such that one of said plurality of second scatterers is positioned in said passage region at one of plural different positions in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

3. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 2, wherein said control system places the one of said plurality of second scatterers at the one of the plural different positions selected based on treatment plan information.

4. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 3, wherein said treatment plan information is irradiation field information.

5. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 3, wherein said control system places, at the selected position, another one of said plurality of second scatterers selected based on another treatment plan information.

6. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 5, wherein said another treatment plan information is energy information of an ion beam.

7. Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises a first scatterer device including a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes, an upstream second scatterer device including a second scatterer to be positioned at a first position downstream of said first scatterer device in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a downstream second scatterer device including another second scatterer to be positioned at a second position downstream of said first position in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam;

and

said particle beam irradiation equipment a control system for controlling a selected one of said upstream second scatterer device and said downstream second scatterer device such that the second scatterer included in said selected second scatterer device is positioned in a passage region of said charged particle beam.

8. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 7, wherein said control system selects the one of said second scatterers devices based on treatment plan information.

9. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 7, wherein said upstream second scatterer device includes a first table for mounting said second scatterer thereon and positioning said second scatterer in said passage region, and said downstream second scatterer device includes a second table for mounting said another second scatterer thereon and positioning said another second scatterer in said passage region.

10. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 9, wherein said first table mounts said second scatterer in plural number thereon, said second table mounts said another second scatterer in plural number thereon, and said another second scatterer mounted in plural number on said second table provides smaller scattering strength of said charged particle beam in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam than said second scatterer mounted in plural number on said first table.

11. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle further comprises a first table moving device for moving said first table in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a second table moving device for moving said second table in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam;

and

said control system controls the table moving device included in the selected second scatterer device, thereby controlling movement of the corresponding table such that the corresponding second scatterer is positioned said passage region.

12. Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises:

a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes;

a first table disposed downstream of said first scatterer in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam and mounting a second scatterer thereon; and

a second table disposed downstream of said first table in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam and mounting said another second scatterer thereon, which provides smaller scattering strength of said charged particle beam in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam than said second scatterer mounted on said first table.

13. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 12, wherein said first scatterer is movable within said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

14. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 13, further comprising a first scatterer moving device for moving said first scatterer in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a first scatterer control device for controlling said first scatterer moving device, thereby controlling an amount by which said first scatterer is to be moved.

15. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 12, wherein said first table and said second table are capable of placing respectively said second scatterer and said another second scatterer in the passage region of said charged particle beam.

16. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 15, further comprising a first table moving device for moving said first table in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, a second table moving device for moving said second table in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a table control device for controlling the table moving device to move a selected one of said first and second tables, thereby controlling movement of the selected table.

17. Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises:

a first scatterer device including a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes; and

a second scatterer device including a plurality of second scatterers to be positioned in a passage region of said charged particle beam after having passed said first scatterer, said second scatterer device being movably disposed in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

18. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 17, further comprising a second scatterer moving device for moving said second scatterer device in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a second scatterer control device for controlling said second scatterer moving device, thereby controlling an amount by which said second scatterer device is to be moved.

21. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 17, wherein said second scatterer device comprises a table for positioning said second scatterer in the passage region of said charged particle beam, and a table moving device for moving said table in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

22. Particle beam irradiation equipment according to claim 21, further comprising a table control device for controlling said table moving device, thereby controlling movement of said table.

23. A particle beam irradiation method comprising the steps of:

placing a second scatterer, through which a charged particle beam passes after having passed a first scatterer, in a passage region of said charged particle beam at a selected one of plural different positions in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam; and

irradiating said charged particle beam after having passed said first scatterer and said second scatterer positioned at said selected position.

24. A particle beam irradiation method according to claim 23, wherein said first scatterer is moved in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

25. A particle beam irradiation method according to claim 23, wherein said second scatterer is placed at said selected position by moving said second scatterer in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.