Beamline control and security system for a radiation treatment facility
DCFirst Claim
1. In a radiation beam therapy system comprising a radiation beam source, a plurality of radiation beam treatment locations, and a multiplexed switchyard and beam transport system for directing the radiation beam to a selected one of the radiation beam treatment locations, a method of radiation beam security comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a beam request signal from a selected treatment location;
(b) deriving a beam path configuration signal from said beam request signal;
(c) selecting the switchyard and beam transport system configuration in accordance with said beam path configuration signal;
(d) sensing the configuration of the switchyard and beam transport system to verify that the switchyard and beam transport system configuration allow radiation beam transport to only said selected treatment location;
(e) in response to step (d), providing radiation beam transport to said selected treatment location; and
(f) sensing the temperature of electrical load bearing components within said switchyard and beam transport system to determine an over-temperature condition; and
(g) denying beam transport in the event of said over-temperature condition.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for beamline security in radiation beam treatment facilities. The system monitors and controls the radiation beam steering system to safeguard against wrong-path and multiple-path conditions which could otherwise lead to accidental radiation exposure. One aspect of the method involves comparing the beam path configuration signals to signals corresponding to a requested beam configuration to check for agreement, as well as singular path configuration. Controller checks are performed using complimentary-redundant logical communication paths applied to the state of the beam steering system. Upon detection of any one of several possible error conditions, such as over-heating, communication link failure, unauthorized personnel entry and multiple path condition, the beamline power supplies are disabled, preventing transfer of the radiation beam to the treatment room.
232 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a radiation beam therapy system comprising a radiation beam source, a plurality of radiation beam treatment locations, and a multiplexed switchyard and beam transport system for directing the radiation beam to a selected one of the radiation beam treatment locations, a method of radiation beam security comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a beam request signal from a selected treatment location; (b) deriving a beam path configuration signal from said beam request signal; (c) selecting the switchyard and beam transport system configuration in accordance with said beam path configuration signal; (d) sensing the configuration of the switchyard and beam transport system to verify that the switchyard and beam transport system configuration allow radiation beam transport to only said selected treatment location; (e) in response to step (d), providing radiation beam transport to said selected treatment location; and (f) sensing the temperature of electrical load bearing components within said switchyard and beam transport system to determine an over-temperature condition; and (g) denying beam transport in the event of said over-temperature condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a radiation beam therapy system comprising a radiation beam source, a plurality of radiation beam treatment locations, and a multiplexed switchyard and beam transport system for directing the radiation beam to a selected one of the radiation beam treatment locations, an apparatus for radiation beam security comprising:
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(a) means for receiving a beam request signal from a selected treatment location; (b) means for deriving a beam path configuration signal from said beam request signal; (c) means for selecting the switchyard and beam transport system configuration in accordance with said selected beam path configuration signal by enabling a first set comprising less than all of a plurality of switchyard and beam transport elements wherein enabling said first set of elements provides a path for transport of said radiation beam to said selected treatment location; (d) means for sensing the configuration of the switchyard and beam transport system to verify that (i) all of said first set of said switchyard and beam transport elements are enabled and (ii) all elements of said plurality of elements not in said first set are not enabled so that the switchyard and beam transport system configuration allow radiation beam transport to only said selected treatment location; (e) means for providing radiation beam transport to said selected treatment location; and (f) means for interrupting said providing of transport to said selected treatment room in response to said means for sensing when an element not in said first set is enabled. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a radiation beam therapy system comprising a radiation beam source, a plurality of radiation beam treatment locations, and a multiplexed switchyard and beam transport system which comprises a plurality of beam paths for directing the radiation beam to a selected one of the radiation beam treatment locations along a selected beam path, a method of radiation beam security comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a beam request signal from a selected treatment location; (b) deriving a beam path configuration signal from said beam request signal indicative of a selected beam path for said radiation beam to said selected treatment location; (c) selecting the switchyard and beam transport system configuration in accordance with said beam path configuration signal; (d) sensing the configuration of the switchyard and beam transport system to verify that (i) the switchyard and beam transport system configuration allows radiation beam transport to said selected treatment location along said selected beam path and (ii) the switchyard and beam transport system configuration does not allow radiation beam transport along a non-selected beam path of said plurality of beam paths; (e) in response to step (d), providing radiation beam transport to said selected treatment location; (f) sensing the configuration of said beam transport system while radiation transport is provided to said selected treatment location; and (g) interrupting transport to said selected treatment location upon sensing that either (i) the configuration of said beam transport system allows radiation beam transport along a non-selected beam path of said plurality of beam paths or (ii) that said configuration of said beam transport system no longer allows transport to said selected treatment location. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An apparatus for providing radiation beam security for a radiation beam treatment system having a radiation source, a plurality of radiation treatment locations and a plurality of paths connecting said radiation source to said plurality of radiation treatment location, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of switches having a first state and a second state wherein said plurality of switches are divided into a plurality of sets of one or more switches and wherein each set of switches directs said radiation beam along one of said plurality of paths when each of said one or more switches in said set are in said first state; a plurality of sensors which provide signals indicative of the status of said plurality of switches; and a switch controller which receives said signals from said plurality of sensors and also receives a signal indicative of a desired beam path wherein said switch controller allows transport of said radiation beam by said radiation beam along said desired beam path to said radiation treatment location when both (i) said plurality of sensors indicate that a set of said plurality of switches corresponding to said desired beam path are in said first state and (ii) said plurality of sensors indicate that the switches in said plurality of switches that are not in said set of switches corresponding to said desired beam path are in said second state and wherein said switch controller monitors the signals from said plurality of sensors while beam transport occurs along said desired beam path and halts transport of said beam when said plurality of sensors indicate that one or more of said switches not in said set of switches corresponding to said desired beam path enters said first state. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of radiation beam security for a radiation beam therapy system having a radiation beam source, a plurality of radiation beam treatment locations and a plurality of beam treatment paths between said radiation beam source and said plurality of treatment locations wherein said radiation beam therapy system includes a plurality of switches for directing said treatment beam along said plurality of paths, said method comprising:
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receiving a beam request signal from a selected treatment location; inducing a selected set of said plurality of switches to enter a first state in response to said beam request signal whereby said treatment beam will be directed along a selected path of said plurality of paths to said selected beam treatment location; verifying that said selected set of said plurality of switches are in said first state; verifying that said switches not in said selected set do not direct said beam along one of said plurality of paths; allowing beam transport along said selected beam path in response to said verifying steps; sensing said state of said switches not in said selected set; and interrupting beam transport upon sensing said switches not in said selected set may direct said radiation beam along a non-selected path. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification