Multi-station proton beam therapy system

• US 4,870,287 A
• Filed: 03/03/1988
• Issued: 09/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LOMA Linda University Medical Center (Mission Healthcare Services LLC)
• Original Assignee: LOMA Linda University Medical Center (Mission Healthcare Services LLC)
• Inventors: Teng, Lee C., Mills, Frederick E. III, Cole, Francis T., Livdahl, Philip V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howell, Janice A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aronoff, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/163,611
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.3, 250/496.1, 250/396 ML, 250/306, 250/307, 250/251, 328/233, 328/235, 328/234
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• 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 5/1079 Sharing a beam by multiple treatment stations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/10 with provision for relative movement of beam source and object to be irradiated

Abstract

A proton beam therapy sysstem for selectively generating and transporting proton beams from a single proton source and accelerator to selected ones of a plurality of patient treatment stations each having a rotatable gantry for delivering the proton beam at different angles to patients supported in fixed orientations at the stations.

Claims

1. A proton beam therapy system comprising:

a plurality of separate patient treatment stations each having a patient support for orienting a patient in a fixed position;

a source of protons;

an accelerator for accelerating protons as a beam;

an injector for transporting protons from the source to the accelerator;

a proton beam transport system for directing proton beams from the accelerator to the treatment stations to treat patients supported in fixed orientations by the patient supports, the proton beam transport system comprising

a gantry at each treatment station each rotatable about a different axis of rotation and carrying optics for receiving a proton beam on its axis of rotation, transporting the proton beam away from the axis of rotation and returning the proton beam on a path perpendicular to and intersecting the axis at a target isocenter within the patient whereby with rotation of the gantry the proton beam is delivered to the target isocenter from several different angles and

a switchyard including a first multistate switching magnet for receiving the proton beam from the accelerator and in a first state bending and delivering the proton beam to the optics carried by a first gantry at a first one of the treatment stations along the axis of rotation of the first gantry and in a second state passing the proton beam to a second one of the treatment stations; and

a control system for the proton beam therapy system including an operator controllable means for (1) selectively switching the first switching magnet between its first and second states and (2) controlling the rotational position of the first gantry to direct the proton beam exiting the first switching magnet in its first state to the target isocenter for the first treatment station along one or more controlled angles.

2. The proton beam therapy system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second switching magnet in the switchyard for receiving the proton beam from the first switching magnet when in its second state, the second switching magnet being characterized by a first state for bending and delivering the proton beam to the optics carried by a second gantry at a second one of the treatment stations along the axis of rotation of the second gantry, and a second state for passing the proton beam to a third one of the treatment stations,

and wherein the operator controllable means of the control system (1) switches the first and second switching magnets between their first and second states and (2) controls the rotational positions of the gantry at each of the first and second treatment stations to direct the proton beam exiting the one of the first and second switching magnets in its first state to the target isocenter for the associated treatment station at one or more angles.