DEVICE AND METHOD FOR ADMINISTERING PARTICLE BEAM THERAPY

• US 20100213385A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Moore Family Properties, LLC
• Original Assignee: John F. Moore
• Inventors: Moore, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,053,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/400
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0641 with rotation of the patient
• 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 5/1077 Beam delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/093 by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means

Abstract

A device for circumscribing a target site with a beam. The target site is located within a target body. The path of the beam is varied rotationally so as to form a cone with an isocenter at the cone'"'"'s apex. The isocenter is fixed on the approximate center of the target site. The target body is rotated about a vertical axis passing approximately through the center of the target site, and the rates of rotation of the beam path and body, respectively correspond so that the beam intersects an axis passing through the target site at an approximately constant angle.

Claims

1. A device for circumscribing a three-dimensional target site with a beam, comprising:

a beam generation device;

a plurality of path guides arranged to direct the beam along a variable path to a desired isocenter, wherein the beam path rotates about a horizontal axis so as to form a cone with the isocenter at the apex of the cone, and wherein the isocenter remains fixed relative to a target site; and

a holding apparatus adapted to secure a body having the target site contained therein, wherein the body is oriented longitudinally along a body axis extending at an angle between horizontal and vertical, and wherein the apparatus rotates the body about a vertical axis passing approximately through the center of the target site.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam is a particle beam.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the path guides include magnets.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam generation device is a cyclotron.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the path includes at least two angles.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam rotation corresponds with the rotation of the apparatus so that the beam contacts the target site at approximately a right angle to the body axis.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the holding apparatus further comprises:

a rotatable platform;

a frame mounted to the platform; and

a tray adapted to secure the body.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the frame is movably mounted to the platform.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the tray is movably mounted to the frame.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam rotation corresponds with the rotation of the apparatus so that the beam contacts the target site at an angle other than a right angle to the body axis.

11. A method of circumscribing a three-dimensional target site with a beam, comprising:

generating a beam;

directing the beam along a path so that the beam passes through a predetermined point, wherein the path includes at least a first angle and a second angle;

varying the angles through which the beam passes so that the path rotates around an axis so as to form a cone with the predetermined point at its isocenter;

positioning a body so that a target area is located at the isocenter, wherein the body is oriented along an axis having an angle between 0 and 90 degrees from vertical;

rotating the body about a vertical axis so that the target area remains substantially stationary in space; and

coordinating the rates of rotation so that the beam contacts the target area in a plane lying at approximately a right angle to the body axis.

12. A device for administering particle beam therapy to a patient, comprising:

a particle beam generation device;

a plurality of magnets arranged to direct the beam along a variable path to a desired isocenter, wherein the beam path rotates so as to form a cone with the isocenter at the apex of the cone, and wherein the isocenter nominally remains fixed relative to a tumor site; and

a holding apparatus adapted to secure the patient at an angle between horizontal and vertical, and wherein the apparatus rotates the patient about a vertical axis passing approximately through the center of the tumor site, wherein the apparatus includes;

a rotatable platform;

a frame movably mounted to the platform;

a tray movably mounted to the frame and adapted to secure the body; and

wherein the rate of rotation of the beam corresponds to the rate of rotation of the apparatus so that the beam intersects the target site at approximately a right angle an axis extending along the length of the patient'"'"'s body and through the approximate center of the tumor site, the axis aligned so that the beam travels the shortest possible path from the surface of the patient'"'"'s body to the center of the tumor site.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the patient is oriented at an angle between approximately 30 and 60 degrees from vertical.

14. A device for conducting a scan of a body, comprising:

a beam generation device;

a plurality of path guides arranged to direct the beam along a variable path to a desired isocenter, wherein the beam path rotates about a horizontal axis so as to form a cone with the isocenter at the apex of the cone, and wherein the isocenter remains fixed relative to a target site;

a holding apparatus adapted to secure a body having the target site contained therein, wherein the body is oriented at an angle between horizontal and vertical, and wherein the apparatus rotates the body about a vertical axis passing approximately through the center of the target site;

a detector on the opposite side of the body, rotating around an axis co-linear with the axis of rotation of the beam, wherein the rotation of the detector is coordinated with the rotation of the beam so that the detector intercepts the beam after the beam has passed through the target site.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising an x-ray source located along the beam path so as to create a three-dimensional image.

16. A method of creating a three-dimensional image, the method comprising:

generating a beam in the shape of a cone;

positioning a body having a target area so that the target area is located within the boundary of the cone, wherein the body is oriented along a body axis having an angle between 0 and 90 degrees from vertical;

rotating the body about a vertical axis passing through the target area so that the target area remains substantially stationary in space;

rotating the beam source about an axis;

rotating a detector so as to detect the beam, wherein the target site is located between the beam source and the detector;

coordinating the rates of rotation of the beam, the body, and the detector so that the path from the beam to the detector circumscribes the target area in a plane lying about the body axis; and

detecting the beam with the detector.