CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY AND PATIENT BREATH MONITORING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20100008466A1
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrey Vladimirovich Balakin, Pavel Vladimirovich Balakin
• Original Assignee: Vladimir Balakin
• Inventors: Balakin, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 8,309,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 13/04 Synchrotrons

Abstract

The invention comprises a patient respiration monitoring and/or control method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The respiration monitoring system uses thermal and/or force sensors to determine where a patient is in a respiration cycle in combination with a feedback signal control delivered to the patient to inform the patient when breath control is required. The resulting breath control is timed with charged particle delivery to the tumor to enhance accuracy, precision, and/or efficiency of tumor treatment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling extraction of charged particles from a synchrotron based on a variable respiration rate of a patient, comprising:

a respiration sensor generating a respiration signal, said respiration signal corresponding to a breathing pattern of the patient, said breathing pattern representing the variable respiration rate of the patient;

a charged particle controller configured to dynamically adjust timing of extraction of the charged particles from said synchrotron to occur in synchronization with the variable respiration rate of the patient over a period of at least three sequential respiration cycles represented by said breathing pattern.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first breath of the three sequential respiration cycles represented by the breathing pattern of the patient comprises a first length of time, wherein a second breath of the three sequential respiration cycles comprises a second length of time, wherein a third breath of the three sequential respiration cycles comprises a third length of time, wherein said first length of time, said second length of time, and said third length of time comprise three distinct lengths of time,

wherein at least two of said three distinct lengths of time vary by at least one second.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said respiration sensor further comprising:

a force meter, said force meter generating said respiration signal based on forces applied to the meter, said force meter configured to strap to the patient'"'"'s chest during use.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said respiration sensor further comprising:

a first thermal resistor configured in a first position proximate an exhalation path of the patient;

a second thermal resistor configured in a second position both out of the exhalation path of the patient and in a local room environment common with the patient,

wherein said respiration signal is generated using differences between readings from said first thermal resistor and said second thermal resistor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a respiration command controller, said controller using said respiration signal to determine at least one command; and

a display screen configured to instruct the patient in respiration with said command while the patient is positioned for irradiation therapy, said command comprising a visual countdown timer, said timer informing the patient as to when to hold breath.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a rotatable platform configured to support the patient during an irradiation period of the patient with the charged particles,

wherein said rotatable platform rotates through at least one hundred eighty degrees during said irradiation period.

7. A method for controlling extraction of charged particles from a synchrotron based on a variable respiration rate of a patient, comprising the steps of:

generating a respiration signal using a respiration sensor, said respiration signal corresponding to a breathing pattern of the patient, said breathing pattern representing the variable respiration rate of the patient;

dynamically adjusting timing of extraction of the charged particles from said synchrotron using a charged particle controller, wherein said controller uses said breathing pattern to adjust said timing of extraction to occur in synchronization with the variable respiration rate of the patient.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

sequentially adjusting a time period between initiation of charged particle oscillation in said synchrotron for a series of at least three sequential respiration cycles, wherein at least two of said at least three sequential respiration cycles vary by at least one second in time duration, said step of adjusting using said breathing pattern to determine said time period between initiation of said charged particle oscillation.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising any of the steps of:

using a force meter as said respiration sensor to generate said respiration signal; and

using a thermal resistor, configured proximate an exhalation path of the patient, to generate said respiration signal.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

generating at least one command with a respiration command controller, said controller using said breathing pattern to determine said at least one command; and

displaying said at least one command on a display screen configured to instruct the patient in respiration while the patient is positioned for irradiation therapy with the charged particles, said at least one command comprising a visual countdown timer, said timer informing the patient as to when to hold breath.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

rotating a platform through at least one hundred eighty degrees during an irradiation period of less than about ten minutes, said platform configured to support the patient during said irradiation period.

12. An apparatus for controlling respiration of a patient during irradiation therapy of a tumor with charged particles from a charged particle cancer therapy system, comprising:

a synchrotron configured to accelerate the charged particles;

a respiration sensor generating a respiration signal, said respiration signal corresponding to a breathing pattern of the patient;

a respiration command controller, said controller using said respiration signal to determine at least one command; and

a display screen configured to instruct the patient in respiration with said at least one command while the patient is positioned for said irradiation therapy,

wherein said synchrotron uses said respiration signal to time delivery of said charged particles to the tumor after display of said at least one command on said display screen.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, said respiration sensor further comprising at least one of:

a force meter strapped to the patient'"'"'s chest;

a first thermal resistor configured in a first position proximate an exhalation path of the patient; and

a second thermal resistor configured in a second position both out of the exhalation path of the patient and in a local room environment common with the patient,

wherein said respiration signal is generated using differences between readings from said first thermal resistor and said second thermal resistor.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a charged particle controller controlling timing of delivery of the charged particles to the tumor based upon a repeating signature in said breathing pattern, said timing controlling injection of the charged particles into said synchrotron, acceleration of the charged particles in said synchrotron, and extraction of the charged particles from said synchrotron.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a charged particle controller controlling delivery of the charged particles from the synchrotron at non-periodic intervals, said non-periodic intervals correlating with said breathing pattern.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a rotatable platform configured to support the patient during an irradiation period of the patient with the charged particles; and

an X-ray generation source timed using said respiration signal to produce X-ray images at a set point in the breathing pattern,

wherein said X-ray images represent images at greater than about five rotation positions of said rotatable platform, and

wherein the X-ray images combine to form a three-dimensional image of the tumor.

17. A method for controlling respiration of a patient during irradiation therapy of a tumor with charged particles from a charged particle cancer therapy system, comprising the steps of:

accelerating the charged particles with a synchrotron;

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

determining at least one respiration control command with a respiration command controller using said respiration signal; and

displaying said at least one command on a display screen configured in a viewable position to the while the patient is positioned for said irradiation therapy,

wherein said synchrotron uses said respiration signal to time delivery of said charged particles to the tumor after display of said at least one respiration control command on said display screen.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising any of the steps of:

using a force meter as said respiration sensor to generate said respiration signal; and

using a thermal resistor, configured proximate an exhalation path of the patient, to generate said respiration signal.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

controlling timing of delivery of the charged particles using a charged particle controller based upon a repeating signature in said breathing pattern, said step of timing comprising the steps of;

controlling timing of injection of the charged particles into said synchrotron;

controlling acceleration of the charged particles in said synchrotron; and

controlling timing of extraction of the charged particles from said synchrotron.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

controlling timing of delivery of the charged particles from the synchrotron at non-periodic intervals, said non-periodic intervals correlating with said breathing pattern.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

rotating a platform configured to support the patient during an irradiation period of the patient with the charged particles; and

collecting X-ray images timed using said respiration signal to produce X-ray images at a set point in the breathing pattern,

wherein said X-ray images represent images at greater than about five rotation positions of said rotatable platform, and

wherein the X-ray images combine to form a three-dimensional image of the tumor.

22. An apparatus for controlling extraction of charged particles from a synchrotron for irradiation therapy of a tumor of a patient, comprising:

a synchrotron configured to accelerate the charged particles;

a respiration sensor generating a respiration signal, said respiration signal corresponding to a variable rate breathing pattern of the patient, said respiration sensor comprising at least one of;

a force meter strapped to the patient'"'"'s chest;

a first thermal resistor configured in a first position proximate an exhalation path of the patient; and

a second thermal resistor configured in a second position both out of the exhalation path of the patient and in a local room environment common with the patient, wherein said respiration signal is generated using differences between readings from said first thermal resistor and said second thermal resistor,

wherein said synchrotron uses said respiration signal to time extraction of the charged particles to the tumor based on said variable rate breathing pattern.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a charged particle controller controlling delivery of the charged particles from the synchrotron at sequential non-periodic intervals, said non-periodic intervals correlating with said variable rate breathing pattern, wherein said breathing pattern comprises sequential respiration cycles varying by at least one second in length.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

an X-ray generation source configured to generate X-rays of the patient and the tumor at said non-periodic intervals.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, said synchrotron further comprising:

a radio-frequency cavity system comprising a first pair of blades for inducing oscillation of the charged particles; and

a foil yielding slowed charged particles from the charged particles having sufficient oscillation to traverse said foil, wherein the slowed charged particles pass through a second pair of blades having an extraction voltage directing the charged particles out of said synchrotron through a Lamberson extraction magnet,

wherein said radio-frequency cavity system for inducing oscillation is timed using said respiration signal.

26. A method for controlling extraction of charged particles from a synchrotron for irradiation therapy of a tumor of a patient, comprising the steps of:

accelerating the charged particles with a synchrotron;

generating a respiration signal using a respiration sensor, said respiration signal corresponding to a variable rate breathing pattern of the patient, said respiration sensor comprising at least one of;

a force meter strapped to the patient'"'"'s chest;

a first thermal resistor configured in a first position proximate an exhalation path of the patient; and

a second thermal resistor configured in a second position both out of the exhalation path of the patient and in a local room environment common with the patient, wherein said respiration signal is generated using differences between readings from said first thermal resistor and said second thermal resistor; and

timing extraction of the charged particles from said synchrotron to correlate with said variable rate breathing pattern.

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

controlling delivery of the charged particles from the synchrotron at sequential non-periodic intervals, said non-periodic intervals correlating with said variable rate breathing pattern, wherein said breathing pattern comprises at least two sequential respiration cycles varying by at least one second in length.

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

controlling said respiration, said step of controlling using a signal generated by said respiration sensor and feedback respiration instructions provided to the patient on a display screen.

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

dynamically adjusting said step of timing extraction to occur in synchronization with a changing respiration rate of the patient.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of timing extraction dynamically times extraction of the charged particles from said synchrotron to a repeating indicator in at least three sequential respiration cycles of varying time lengths of the patient.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

timing delivery of the charged particles to varying respiration rates of the patient, wherein said step of timing delivery controls timing of at three of;

creation of the charged particles using a negative ion source;

injection of the charged particles into said synchrotron;

energy control of the charged particles during an extraction phase of operation of said synchrotron;

intensity control of the charged particles prior to the charged particles traversing a deflection Lamberson magnet of said synchrotron; and

rotation of a rotatable platform configured to support the patient to said at least five irradiation positions during said irradiation therapy.