Treatment Station For Particle Therapy

• US 20080191152A1
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Use, Tim, Rietzel, Eike, Grozinger, Sven Oliver
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1085 characterised by the type of particles applied to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/04 using variable diaphragms, shutters, choppers

Abstract

A treatment station for particle bombardment of a patient is provided. The treatment station includes an apparatus for adaptation of at least one particle beam parameter of a particle beam of a particle therapy installation. The treatment station operates in at least two operating modes, with the treatment station being operable in a first operating mode with a first particle type and in a second operating mode with a second particle type. The apparatus has at least one first beamforming element, which is held by a holding unit. The beamforming element is designed for adaptation of the particle beam parameter. The holding unit positions of the first beamforming element as a function of the operating mode, such that the first beamforming element can be arranged in the particle beam in the first operating mode, and cannot be arranged in the particle beam in the second operating mode.

Claims

1. A treatment station for particle therapy of a patient, comprising:

an apparatus for adaptation of at least one particle beam parameter of a particle beam of a particle therapy installation, the treatment station being operable to operate in at least two operating modes, the treatment station is operable in a first operating mode with a first particle type and in a second operating mode with a second particle type,

the apparatus comprising at least one first beamforming element, which is held by a holding unit wherein the at least one beamforming element is operable to adapt to the particle beam parameter and the holding unit is operable to position the first beamforming element as a function of the operating mode, such that the first beamforming element may be arranged in the particle beam in the first operating mode, and cannot be arranged in the particle beam in the second operating mode.

2. The treatment station as claimed in claim 1, comprising an automatic drive unit operable to position at least one of the beamforming elements, the drive unit operable to communicate with position sensors for monitoring the position of the beamforming element.

3. The treatment station as claimed in claim 1, comprising a second beamforming element, which is held by the holding unit, and is operable to influence the same and/or a different beam parameter,

wherein the second beamforming element is firmly connected to the first beamforming element and may be moved independently of the first beamforming element, and

wherein the second beamforming element may be positioned such that the second beamforming element can be arranged in the particle in the second operating mode, and cannot be arranged in the particle beam in the first operating mode.

4. The treatment station as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the beamforming elements is a ripple filter for widening of the particle energy distribution of the particle beam, a beam collimator, a range shifter, a bolus or a scattering element.

5. A particle therapy installation for acceleration of at least two particle types, comprising:

a treatment station for bombardment of a patient with particles, the treatment station including an apparatus for adaptation of a beam parameter,

wherein the apparatus is operable to allow a first particle type for particle therapy to be supplied to the treatment station in the first operating mode, and a second particle type for particle therapy to be supplied to the treatment station in the second operating mode.

6. The particle therapy installation as claimed in claim 5, with the apparatus for adaptation of the beam parameter having an automatic drive unit operable to position at least one of the beamforming elements, which, has a position sensor for monitoring the position of the beamforming element.

7. The particle therapy installation as claimed in claim 6, comprising a first and a second particle source for production of the different particle types, and a vacuum beam-guidance and acceleration system for particle acceleration,

wherein the apparatus for adaptation of the beam parameter is arranged in a particle beam profile close to the patient after the emergence of the particle beam from the vacuum beam-guidance and acceleration system.

8. The particle therapy installation as claimed in claim 5, comprising a second beamforming element held by the holding unit, the second beamforming element being operable to influence the same and/or a different beam parameter and is firmly connected to the first beamforming element or can be moved independently of the first beamforming element,

wherein the second beamforming element can be position, such that particles can pass through the second beamforming element in the second operating mode, but particles cannot pass through it in the first operating mode.

9. The particle therapy installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of the beamforming elements is a ripple filter for widening of the particle energy distribution of the particle beam, a beam collimator, a range shifter, a bolus or a scattering element.