SEMI-VERTICAL POSITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY SYSTEM

• US 20100006106A1
• Filed: 06/28/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrey Vladimirovich Balakin, Pavel Vladimirovich Balakin
• Original Assignee: Vladimir Balakin
• Inventors: Balakin, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/845
• 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 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention comprises a semi-vertical patient positioning, alignment, and/or control method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Patient positioning constraints are used to maintain the patient in a treatment position, including one or more of: a seat support, a back support, a head support, an arm support, a knee support, and a foot support. One or more of the positioning constraints are movable and/or under computer control for rapid positioning and/or immobilization of the patient. The system optionally uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and/or in system verification and validation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning a tumor of a patient for treatment with charged particles, comprising:

a patient positioning system, comprising an upper body support, wherein said upper body support comprises a semi-upright patient support surface; and

a charged particle irradiation system comprising a charged particle beam path, said charged particle beam path passing within about six inches of said semi-upright patient support surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charged particles travel along said charged particle beam path to the tumor of the patient.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said semi-upright patient support surface comprises an about vertical surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said semi-upright patient support surface is reclined from a vertical axis by less than about sixty-five degrees.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said patient positioning system further comprises at least three of:

a motorized torso positioning system;

a motorized head positioning system;

a motorized arm positioning system;

a motorized back positioning system; and

a motorized foot positioning system.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising computer memory for recalling individualized motor positions for any of:

said motorized torso positioning system;

said motorized head positioning system;

said motorized arm positioning system;

said motorized back positioning system; and

said motorized foot positioning system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said patient positioning system further comprises:

a rotatable platform, wherein said charged particle beam path passes above a portion of said rotatable platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said rotatable platform comprises:

a lower support structure, said lower support structure holding a portion of said patient positioning system;

an upper support structure, said upper support structure holding;

a camera; and

a video screen.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said patient positioning system provides respiration instructions on said video screen.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said patient positioning system reduces movement freedom of the tumor in terms of at least four of:

horizontal movement;

vertical movement;

movement in parallel to said charged particle beam path above a portion of said patient positioning system;

yaw;

pitch; and

roll.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, said charged particle irradiation system further comprising a synchrotron, said synchrotron comprising:

a center;

straight sections; and

turning sections,

wherein said charged particle beam path runs;

about said center;

through said straight sections; and

through said turning sections,

wherein each of said turning sections comprises a plurality of bending magnets,

wherein said circulation beam path comprises a length of less than sixty meters, and

wherein a number of said straight sections equals a number of said turning sections.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an X-ray generation source located within forty millimeters of the charged particle beam path, wherein said X-ray source maintains a single static position;

(1) during use of said X-ray source and (2) during tumor treatment with the charged particles,

wherein X-rays emitted from said X-ray source run substantially in parallel with the charged particle beam path.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said X-ray generation source comprises a tungsten anode.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein use of said X-ray generation source occurs within thirty seconds of subsequent use of said charged particle irradiation system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said charged particle irradiation system further comprises:

horizontal position control of the charged particles;

vertical position control of the charged particles; and

an X-ray input signal, wherein said X-ray input signal comprises a signal generated by an X-ray source proximate said charged particle beam path,

wherein said X-ray input signal is used in;

setting position of said horizontal position and setting position of said vertical position.

16. A method for positioning a tumor of a patient for treatment with charged particles, comprising the steps of:

positioning the patient with a patient positioning system, said patient positioning system comprising an upper body support, wherein said upper body support comprises a semi-upright patient support surface; and

irradiating the tumor of the patient with the charged particles from a charged particle system, said charged particle system comprising a charged particle beam path, said charge particle beam path passing within about six inches of said semi-upright patient support surface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the charged particles travel along said charged particle beam path to the tumor of the patient.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said semi-upright patient support surface comprises an about vertical surface.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said semi-upright patient support surface comprises a reclined position from a vertical axis of less than about sixty-five degrees.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

said patient positioning system semi-restraining movement of the patient using at least three of;

a motorized torso positioning system;

a motorized head positioning system;

a motorized arm positioning system;

a motorized back positioning system; and

a motorized foot positioning system.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

recalling from a computer memory individualized motor positions for any of;

said motorized torso positioning system;

said motorized head positioning system;

said motorized arm positioning system;

said motorized back positioning system; and

said motorized foot positioning system.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

after said step of positioning, collected multi-field images of the tumor in the patient;

developing a tumor irradiation plan;

repositioning the tumor using said patient positioning system using any of said individualize motor positions stored in said computer memory; and

repeating said step of irradiating.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

holding the patient with a rotatable platform, said rotatable platform holding at least a portion of said patient positioning system;

rotating the patient on said rotatable platform; and

delivering the charged particles to the tumor of the patient from a synchrotron of said charged particle system during said step of rotating the patient.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

generating a respiration signal with a respiration sensor, said respiration signal corresponding to a breathing cycle of the patient; and

timing delivery of the charged particles to the tumor at a set point in said breathing cycle using said respiration signal.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

independently controlling;

a horizontal position of the charged particles; and

a vertical position of the charged particles;

rotating the patient to at least ten rotation positions of a rotatable platform, said rotatable platform holding at least a portion of said patient positioning system; and

delivering the charged particles at a set point in a breathing cycle of the patient and in coordination with said step of rotating during said at least ten rotation positions of said rotatable platform.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

rotating a rotatable platform through at least one hundred eighty degrees during an irradiation period of the patient, said rotatable platform holding at least a portion of said patient positioning system.