Therapeutic apparatus

• US 5,039,867 A
• Filed: 01/08/1991
• Issued: 08/13/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueda, Kazuhiro, Nishihara, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack I.
• Application Number:
  US07/637,950
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: 250/491.1, 250/492.3, 250/492.1, 378/205, 378/65, 378/69
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1052 using positron emission tomography [PET] single photon emission computer tomography [SPECT] imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1056 by projecting a visible image of the treatment field
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/109 Neutrons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1042 with spatial modulation of the radiation beam within the treatment head
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1043 Scanning the radiation beam, e.g. spot scanning or raster scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1048 Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1069 Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support

Abstract

A method and apparatus for positioning a therapeutic beam in which a first distance from a first predetermined position other than an affected part of a patient to the affected part, is determined on the basis of a first image which includes at least part of the patient and which includes the position of the affected part of the patient. A second distance, from a second predetermined position corresponding to the first predetermined position to a position of the therapy beam, is determined on the basis of a second image which includes at least part of the patient and which indicates the position of the therapy beam. The patient is then moved such that the therapy beam is irradiated onto the affected part, on the basis of the first distance and the second distance.

Claims

1. A therapeutic apparatus comprising:

irradiating means for irradiating an ionized particle beam;

a therapy table on which a patient is mounted;

X-ray computer tomography means for accumulating image data;

means responsive to said image data from said X-ray computer tomography means for generating a first image of at least part of the patient indicating the position of an affected part;

first display means for displaying said first image generated by said X-ray computer tomography means;

X-ray means for generating a second image of at least part of the patient indicating the position of said ionized particle beam, said second image being a center projection image formed on a plane when the patient is projected by an X-ray radiating from a point;

second display means for displaying said second image generated by said X-ray means;

input means for inputting positional information indicative of locations of reference points of physical characteristics in said first image and said second image, said physical characteristics being identified on said second image and the positions of said reference points being related to the position of said affected part;

computing means for calculating the distance of movement of the therapy table such that said ionized particle beam is irradiated onto said affected part of the patient on the basis of said positional information of said first image and said second image and for calculating the shape, dose, and energy of said ionized particle beam; and

means for moving the patient relative to said ionized particle beam on the basis of said calculated distance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said physical characteristics comprises a bone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a range shifter for varying the energy of the ionized particle beam thereby to change the range of the ionized beam to coincide with the depth of the affected part.

4. A method of using a therapeutic apparatus comprising ionized particle beam irradiating means mounted along a vertical projection axis, a therapy table, X-ray computer tomography means, first display means, X-ray means, second display means, input means, computer means, and means for moving the therapy table means, comprising the steps of:

positioning a patient on the therapy table;

accumulating image data using the X-ray computer tomography means;

generating a first image of at least part of the patient indicating the position of an affected part;

displaying said first image on the first display means;

inputting a first set of reference marks, with the input means, indicative of locations of physical characteristics of said first image displayed on the first display means;

calculating the distances between said affected part and said first set of reference marks;

generating a second image, using the X-ray means, of at least part of the patient illustrating a position of the vertical projection axis, said second image being a center projection image formed on a plane when the patient is projected by an X-ray radiation from a point;

displaying said second image on the second display means;

inputting a second set of reference marks, with the input means, indicative of this locations of said physical characteristics of said second image displayed on the second display means, said physical characteristics being identified on said second image and the positions of said reference marks being related to the position of said affected part;

calculating a distance of movement of the therapy table using the computer means, such that said affected part and the vertical projection axis coincide, on the basis of said first and second reference marks and calculating the shape, dose and energy of an ionized particle beam to be irradiated on the patient;

moving the therapy table said calculated distance of movement; and

irradiating the patient with an ionized particle beam of said calculated shape, dose, and energy.

5. A therapeutic apparatus comprising:

irradiating means for irradiating an ionized particle beam;

a therapy table on which a patient is mounted;

first X-ray computer tomography means for accummulating image data;

means responsive to said image data from said first X-ray computer tomography means for generating a first image of at least part of the patient indicating the position of an affected part;

first display means for displaying said first image generated by said first X-ray computer tomography means;

second X-ray computer tomography means for generating a second image of at least part of the patient indicating the position of said ionized particle beam, said second image being a center projection image formed of a plane of the patient;

second display means for displaying said second image generated by said second X-ray computer tomography means;

input means for inputting positional information indicative of locations of reference points of physical characteristics in said first image and said second image, said physical characteristics being identified on said second image and the positions of said reference points being related to the positions of said affected part;

computing means for calculating the distance of movement of the therapy table such that said ionized particle beam is irradiated onto said affected part of the patient on the basis of said positional information of said first image and said second image and for calculating the shape, dose, and energy of said ionized particle beam; and

means for moving the patient relative to said ionized particle beam on the basis of said calculated distance.

6. A method of using a therapeutic apparatus comprising particle beam irradiating means mounted along a vertical projection axis, a therapy table, first X-ray computer tomography means, first display means, second X-ray computer tomography means, second display means, input means, computer means, and means for moving the therapy table means, comprising the steps of:

positioning a table on the therapy table;

accummulating image data using the first X-ray computer tomography means;

generating a first image of at least part of the patient indicating the position of an affected part;

displaying said first image on the first display means;

inputting a first set of reference marks, with the input means, indicative of locations of physical characteristics of said first image displayed on the first display means;

calculating the distances between said affected part and said first set of reference marks;

generating a second image, using the second X-ray computer tomography means, of at least part of the patient illustrating a position of the vertical projection axis, said second image being a center projection image formed on a plane of the patient;

displaying said second image on the second display means;

inputting a second set of reference marks, with the input means, indicative of the locations of said physical characteristics of said second image displayed on the second display means, said physical characteristics being identified on said second image and the positions of said reference marks being related to the position of said afected part;

calculating a distance of movement of the therapy table, using the computer means such that said affected part and the vertical projection axis coincide, on the basis of said first and second reference marks and calculating the shape, dose and energy of an ionized particle beam to be irradiated on the patient;

moving the therapy table said calculated distance of movement; and

irradiating the patient with an ionized particle beam of said calculated shape, dose, and energy.