Particle therapy plan and method for compensating for an axial deviation in the position of a particle beam of a particle therapy system

• US 20070284548A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kaiser, Werner, Lazarev, Vitali, Rohdjess, Heiko
• Application Number:
  US11/717,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20070284548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/522.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1085 characterised by the type of particles applied to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/01 Devices for producing movement of radiation source during therapy A61N5/1077 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries

Abstract

A particle therapy system is provided. The particle therapy system includes a rotatable gantry being operable to generate a particle beam during operation and a measuring instrument for determining a position of the particle beam. The gantry is movable in the axial direction to correct a deviation in the position of the particle beam from an axial set-point position.

Claims

1. A particle therapy system comprising:

a rotatable gantry;

a particle beam that can be generated during operation; and

a measuring instrument operable to determine a position of the particle beam,

wherein the gantry is movable in an axial direction to correct a deviation in the position of the particle beam from an axial set-point position.

2. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein the gantry is supported by a loose bearing that is provided on a front housing part and a displaceable fixed bearing that is provided on a rear housing part.

3. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein the measuring instrument includes an optical travel measuring system.

4. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, wherein the loose bearing includes a hydrostatic radial bearing.

5. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, comprising a guide for the fixed bearing.

6. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, comprising a locking element that is operable to lock the fixed bearing.

13. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, wherein the particle beam exits the gantry from the front housing part.

14. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 5, comprising a locking element that is operable to lock the fixed bearing.

15. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein system is operable to detect and correct a deviation in the position of the particle beam from an axial set-point position of 1 mm.

7. A method for compensating for an axial deviation in the position of a particle beam of a particle therapy system having a rotatable gantry (4), the method comprising:

determining an axial set-point position of the particle beam;

determining a deviation of the particle beam position from the axial set-point position; and

moving the gantry in an axial direction so that the deviation is corrected.

8. The method as defined by claim 7, wherein the gantry is supported via one fixed loose bearing and one displaceable fixed bearing in such a way that when moving the gantry the fixed bearing is displaced.

9. The method as defined by claim 7, wherein determining the deviation comprises optically measuring the position of the particle beam.

10. The method as defined by claim 7, wherein determining the deviation in the position of the particle beam and moving the gantry are completed at regular time intervals.

11. The method as defined by claim 8, comprising:

locking the fixed bearing in its corrected position.

12. The method as defined by claim 8, comprising:

rotating the gantry to compensate for the deviation in an angular position of the particle beam.