Inner Gantry

• US 20090200483A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mevion Medical Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Still River Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Ahearn, Michael, Rosenthal, Stanley, Row, Gordon, Gall, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,344,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/396.R
• 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 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 13/02 Synchrocyclotrons, i.e. frequency modulated cyclotrons
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 13/04 Synchrotrons
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2007/043 for beam focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 7/04 Magnet systems , e.g. undulators, wigglers free-electron laser H01S3/0903; Energisation thereof

Abstract

A system includes a patient support and an outer gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient. An inner gantry includes an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam towards the target.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a patient support;

an outer gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support;

the accelerator being configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient; and

an inner gantry comprising an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam towards the target.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner gantry comprises an applicator, the applicator holding the aperture, the applicator being movable along the inner gantry.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the applicator is configured to move the aperture relative to the patient.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the applicator is configured to move the aperture towards, or away from, the patient.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the inner gantry comprises a track along which the applicator is configured to move.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a cover that is movable relative to the track, the cover for preventing objects from falling into a vault below the patient support.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing device programmed to control movement of the outer gantry and the inner gantry.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing device is configured to control movement of the outer gantry and the inner gantry to substantially align the proton or ion beam with the aperture.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the aperture is configured to substantially collimate the proton or ion beam.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a patient support, the patient support being movable relative to the inner gantry and the outer gantry.

11. A system comprising:

a patient support;

a gantry on which a particle beam accelerator is mounted, the gantry being movable to positions above and below the patient support, the particle beam accelerator for directing a particle beam towards the patient support; and

an aperture located between the particle beam accelerator and the patient support, the aperture for modifying the particle beam.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an apparatus to hold the aperture, the apparatus being movable relative to the patient support.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the apparatus comprises a robotic arm that is computer controlled to position the aperture relative to the patient support.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the apparatus comprises a stand to hold the aperture, the stand being manually positionable.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the particle beam accelerator is a synchrocyclotron;

and

wherein the system further comprises a second gantry that includes an applicator to hold the aperture, the second gantry being controlled to substantially align the aperture with the particle beam.

16. A system comprising:

a patient support;

a first gantry that is angularly movable relative to the patient support;

a particle accelerator that is mounted on the first gantry, the particle accelerator being configured to provide a particle beam directly towards the patient support; and

a second gantry positioned relative to the patient support, the second gantry being substantially C-shaped.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second gantry comprises a track, an aperture, and an applicator, the applicator being movable along the track so that the aperture is substantially aligned with the particle beam, the aperture altering the particle beam before the particle beam reaches a patient on the patient support.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a computer to control the first gantry and the second gantry.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first gantry is movable so that the particle accelerator is in a position above the patient support to a position below the patient support, the second gantry comprising a cover to protect the particle accelerator when the particle accelerator is in the position below the patient support.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the inner gantry comprises a device to alter a size and/or shape of the particle beam, the device being movable relative to the synchrocyclotron.