Particle therapy system, method and device for requesting a particle beam

• US 20070114471A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH & Company KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Birgy, Denis, Breuninger, Harald
• Granted Patent: US 7,763,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/505.100
• 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 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1079 Sharing a beam by multiple treatment stations

Abstract

A particle therapy system, method and device for requesting a particle beam is provided. The particle therapy system includes an accelerator that accelerates particles; a particle beam directing unit that directs particles to at least one irradiation location; and an assignment unit that assigns and monitors the correct particle beam direction. At least one of the irradiation locations has a control unit connected via a first link to the assignment unit and is operable to request a particle beam for an irradiating operation, so that the presence of the request signal at a signal input of the assignment unit establishes the requesting irradiation location.

Claims

1. Particle therapy system having:

an accelerator that accelerates particles;

a particle beam directing unit that directs particles to at least one irradiation location; and

an assignment unit that assigns and monitors the correct particle beam direction,

wherein at least one of the irradiation locations has a control unit connected via a first link to the assignment unit and is operable to request a particle beam for an irradiating operation, so that the presence of the request signal at a signal input of the assignment unit establishes the requesting irradiation location.

2. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second link is provided between the assignment unit and control unit of the irradiation location that conveys a confirmation signal from a signal output of the assignment unit to the control unit.

3. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the signal links is a direct hardware link.

4. Particle therapy system as claimed in claim 3,wherein at least one irradiation location includes a control unit directly connected to a signal input of the assignment unit.

5. Particle therapy system as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least two control units are directly connected to at least one signal output of the assignment unit.

6. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the assignment unit and the at least one control unit are linked to a data bus system that conveys a confirmation signal.

7. Particle therapy system as claimed in claim 6, wherein an accelerator control unit and the at least one control unit are linked to a data bus system that exchange parameters of the particle beam or parameters of the accelerator and particle beam directing unit, and wherein the parameters are established by the control system based on a therapy plan.

8. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the irradiation locations is a treatment location where a patient is being irradiated with the particles.

9. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the irradiation locations is a checking device that checks parameters characterizing the particle irradiation operation.

10. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assignment unit has a controlling unit that is controlled by a stored program.

20. The particle therapy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first link is a direct and permanently assigned link.

21. The particle therapy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second link is a direct and permanently assigned link.

22. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the signal links is a a single signal lead.

11. Method of requesting a particle beam for an irradiating operation with a particle therapy system having at least one irradiation location, said the at least on irradiation location connected via a first signal link to an assignment unit of the particle therapy system, the method comprising:

sending a request signal over the first signal link from the first irradiation location to the assignment unit, and

setting a beam path in the particle therapy system to the requesting irradiation location.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

checking the particle beam'"'"'s availability within a control unit before the beam path is set; and

assigning the particle beam to requesting irraditation location if the particle beam is available.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

sending a confirmation signal to the irradiation location over a second direct signal link or via a data bus system to which the control unit and the assignment unit are linked.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

routing particles along the particle path to the requesting irradiation location after the confirmation signal is confirmed.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13,

interrupting particle acceleration, the forwarding of particles, or both if a confirmation signal is received at an irradiation location that has not sent a request signal, wherein the assignment unit, correction unit or both are operable to provide the interrupt.

16. A method of using a direct and permanently assigned signal link from one of a plurality of irradiation locations of a particle therapy system to an assignment unit of the particle therapy system that conveys a beam request signal or a confirmation signal.

17. A device that request a particle beam for an irradiating operation in a particle therapy system having at least two irradiation locations, wherein at least one of the irradiation locations has a control unit connected via a permanently assigned signal link to a signal input of an assignment unit of the particle therapy system, including:

a means for sending a request signal over the signal link from one of the irradiation locations to the control unit, and

a means for setting a beam path to the requesting irradiation location in the particle therapy system.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein a means checks the particle beam'"'"'s availability.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein a means assigns the particle beam to the requesting irradiation location.