Radiotherapy systems

• US 20060067468A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Rietzel, Eike
• Application Number:
  US11/236,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20060067468A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/02 Arrangements for diagnosis sequentially in different planes; Stereoscopic radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/025 Tomosynthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1061 using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam

Abstract

A radiotherapy system is disclosed which provides precise, fast patient positioning. The radiotherapy system includes a gantry on which a therapy beam source that determines a beam axis and two imaging units secured rotatably about an isocentric axis. Each imaging unit includes an X-ray beam and an X-ray detector, opposite one another along respective imaging axes. The imaging axes two imaging units are oriented differently.

Claims

1. A radiotherapy system with a gantry, the radiotherapy system comprising:

a therapy beam source defining a beam axis;

a first imaging unit comprising a first X-ray beam and a first X-ray detector opposite one another along a first imaging axis; and

a second imaging unit comprising a second X-ray beam and a second X-ray detector opposite one another along a second imaging axis, wherein the first and second imaging axes are oriented differently, and at least one of the first and second X-ray detectors is disposed tangentially eccentrically relative to the associated imaging axis;

wherein the therapy beam source, the first and second imaging units are mounted rotatably about an isocentric axis.

2. The radiotherapy system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second X-ray detectors are disposed oppositely eccentrically to one another relative to the beam axis.

3. The radiotherapy system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second imaging units and the therapy beam source are mounted on the gantry.

6. The radiotherapy system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second imaging axes extends in a corresponding image plane perpendicular to the isocentric axis, and the first imaging axis is disposed at a predetermined angular offset (α

), in projection along the isocentric axis, with respect to the second imaging axis.

7. The radiotherapy system according to claim 6, wherein the angular offset (α

) is between 40° and

130°

.

8. The radiotherapy system according to one of claim 6, wherein the first and second imaging axes are oriented mirror-symmetrically, in projection along the isocentric axis, relative to the beam axis.

9. The radiotherapy system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second imaging units comprises a cone beam imaging system.

10. The radiotherapy system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second X-ray detectors is mounted on the therapy beam source.

11. The radiotherapy system according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second imaging axes extends in a corresponding image plane perpendicular to the isocentric axis, and the first imaging axis is disposed at a predetermined angular offset (α

), in projection along the isocentric axis, with respect to the second imaging axis.

12. The radiotherapy system according to claim 11, wherein the angular offset (α

) is between 40° and

130°

.

13. The radiotherapy system according to one of claim 11, wherein the first and second imaging axes are oriented mirror-symmetrically, in projection along the isocentric axis, relative to the beam axis.

14. The radiotherapy system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second imaging units comprises a cone beam imaging system.

15. The radiotherapy system according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second X-ray detectors is mounted on the therapy beam source.

16. The radiotherapy system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second imaging units comprises a cone beam imaging system.

17. The radiotherapy system according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second imaging units comprises a cone beam imaging system.

4. A radiotherapy system having a gantry, the radiotherapy system comprising:

a therapy beam source defining a beam axis;

a first imaging unit comprising a first X-ray beam and a first X-ray detector opposite one another along a first imaging axis; and

a second imaging unit comprising a second X-ray beam and a second X-ray detector opposite one another along a second imaging axis;

wherein the therapy beam source, the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit are mounted rotatably about an isocentric axis, the first and second imaging axes are oriented differently, and are disposed offset from one another axially relative to the isocentric axis.

5. The radiotherapy system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second imaging axes are oppositely offset relative to the beam axis.