Radiation system with inner and outer gantry parts

• US 6,865,254 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: C-Rad Innovation AB (C-RAD AB)
• Original Assignee: Pencilbeam Technologies AB
• Inventors: Näfstadius, Peder
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEANEY, ELIZABETH MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/186,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 378/65, 378/4, 378/15, 378/9, 250/363.03, 250/363.04, 250/363.08, 250/374, 250/385.1, 250/214.VT, 313/105.CM, 313/103.CM, 313/542, 313/544, 313/103.R, 313/538, 313/365, 313/523, 313/532, 313/533
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1061 using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1082 having multiple beam rotation axes

Abstract

A radiation machine incorporating a diagnostic imaging system is disclosed. The invention provides a very stable design of the machine by supporting an inner gantry part, including a treatment and diagnostic radiation source and detector, by an outer gantry part at two support locations situated at opposite sides of a treatment volume in a patient to be irradiated. This stable gantry design provides a high rotation speed of the inner gantry part relative the outer gantry part around the target volume, which speed is adapted for the high resolution imaging system. Based on the obtained images, changes and developments in tumor tissue and misplacement of patient may be detected. The images may be compared to a reference image to detect any anatomical or spatial difference therebetween. Based on this comparison the settings of the radiation machine may be adapted accordingly.

Claims

1. A radiation system, comprising:

a gantry including an inner gantry part and an outer gantry part;

a radiation head mechanically supported by the inner gantry part and rotatable around a rotation axis, said radiation head comprising a treatment radiation source, arranged to direct treatment radiation to a treatment volume in an object; and

a diagnostic imaging system, comprising;

a diagnostic radiation source supported by the inner gantry part to direct diagnostic radiation onto the object,

a detector unit responsive to both diagnostic radiation and treatment radiation passing through the object and outputting a signal representative of the detected radiation, and

a processor, connected to the detector unit, for providing an image of the object based on the received output signal from the detector unit,

wherein said inner gantry part is rotatably supported by the outer gantry part at two support locations situated, in the direction of the rotation axis, at opposite sides of the treatment volume.

2. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic imaging system is a cone-beam computed tomography (CT) system and the diagnostic radiation source is adapted to emit the diagnostic radiation as cone-beam X-ray radiation.

3. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit and the diagnostic radiation source are rotatable around the rotation axis at a rotation speed adapted for computer tomography (CT) imaging.

4. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the treatment volume is situated substantially on the rotation axis.

5. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic radiation source is arranged in or on the radiation head.

6. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit includes a stack of multiple converters, each converter being adapted for interaction with incident radiation to cause the emission of electrons into holes defined in the converter, holes of one of the converters being staggered with respect to holes of another one of the converters to provide high absorption efficiency for incident radiation while maintaining transparency for emitted electrons.

7. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit includes a sensor responsive to incident radiation, said sensor in turn comprising:

a number of circuit boards each defined by two main surfaces and at least one edge surface, the area of the edge surface being substantially smaller than the area of the main surfaces;

a set of radiation sensitive elements arranged at or in the vicinity of at least one edge surface of respective circuit board; and

connection lines arranged on at least one of the main surfaces of respective circuit board for connecting the radiation sensitive elements to signal processing means;

the circuit boards arranged adjacent to each other such that the sets of radiation sensitive elements form a sensor surface.

8. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit includes a sensor responsive to incident radiation, said sensor in turn comprising:

a number of circuit boards each defined by two main surfaces and at least one edge surface, the area of the edge surface being substantially smaller than the area of the main surfaces;

a set of radiation sensitive elements arranged on respective circuit board such that, in operation, the edge surface and an active surface of each of the radiation sensitive elements are facing the incident radiation; and

connection lines arranged on at least one of the main surfaces of respective circuit board for connecting the radiation sensitive elements to signal processing means;

the circuit boards arranged adjacent to each other such that the sets of radiation sensitive elements form a sensor surface.

9. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the radiation head is movable along at least one arc of a circle, substantially centered at the treatment volume.

10. The radiation system according claim 1, wherein the inner gantry part comprises a first ring portion and a second ring portion separated in the direction of the rotation axis, said ring portions are carried in a first support portion and a second support portion of said outer gantry part, respectively.

11. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the inner gantry part further comprises a first circle arc portion, on which the radiation head is movable, whereby the center of curvature of the first arc portion is situated in the treatment volume.

12. The radiation system according to claim 11, wherein the inner gantry part further comprises a second circle arc portion, arranged on the opposite side of the first rotation axis as compared to the first circle arc portion, on which the detector unit is movable, whereby the center of curvature of the second arc portion is situated in the treatment volume.

13. The radiation system according to claim 1, wherein the inner gantry part comprises a ring portion carried in a first support portion and a second support portion of said outer gantry part.