Ion beam facility

• US 6,894,300 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 05/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH & Company KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Reimoser, Stefan, Solbrig, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Nikita
• Application Number:
  US10/371,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 250/505.1, 250/517.1, 250/492.3, 250/423.R
• US Class Current: 250/505.1
• 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: G21K 5/04 with beam-forming means

Abstract

An ion beam facility has a first ion beam system for a first ion type that contains a first ion beam generator and a first ion transport line with at least one first ion switch for one of at least two first irradiation stations and has a second ion beam system for a second ion species with a second ion transport line or is fashioned expandable therewith. At least one of the first irradiation stations also can be operated with the second ion type or the ion transport lines are arranged proceeding essentially parallel to one another. For the expansion, the first ion transport line is conducted along a wall of a building of the ion beam facility and the wall is prepared for openings, so that at least one of the first irradiation stations also can be operated with the second ion type via the subsequently installable, second ion transport line at the other side of the wall, or space is reserved behind the wall for at least the second, subsequently installable ion transport line.

Claims

1. An ion beam facility comprising:

a first ion beam system for a first ion type having at least two first irradiation stations, a first ion beam generator, a first ion transport line comprising at least one first ion beam switch for communicating said first ion beam generator with one of said first irradiation stations via said first ion transport line;

a building in which said first ion beam system is disposed, said building having a building wall with a first side along which said first ion transport line is conducted; and

said wall having an opening therein which is closed and which is prepared for subsequent opening to allow communication of one of said first irradiation stations with a second ion beam system for a second ion type via a subsequently-installable second ion transport line disposed at a second side of said wall, opposite to said first side.

2. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said building wall is an outside wall of said building.

3. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second ion transport line is subsequently installable parallel to said first ion transport line.

4. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wall has a removable facing covering said openings.

5. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said openings are scored in said wall.

6. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wall is a radiation-blocking wall for said first and second types of radiation.

7. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wall is comprised of concrete and has a thickness of several meters.

8. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein ions of said first ion type are lighter than ions of said second ion type.

9. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first ion beam generator generates hydrogen ions, as said ions of said first ion type.

10. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first ion transport line proceeds substantially along a straight line.

11. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 10 wherein said building is adapted to contain second irradiation stations for said second ion beam system following said first irradiation stations along said first and second ion transport lines.

12. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 11 wherein said building is adapted to contain a second ion beam generator, or said second ion beam system, next to said first ion beam generator.

13. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein said building comprises a plurality of rooms respectively containing said first irradiation stations, each of said rooms having a ceiling, and the ceilings of the respective rooms being substantially at ground level.

14. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations produces an output of ions of said first ion type from said first ion transport line in a rigidly prescribed direction.

15. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations comprises a rotatable ion beam guidance mechanism in communication with said first ion transport line, allowing an output of ions of said first ion type in selected directions that are rotatable around at least one axis.

16. An ion beam facility comprising:

a first ion beam system for a first ion type having at least two first irradiation stations, a first ion beam generator, a first ion transport line comprising at least one first ion beam switch for communicating said first ion beam generator with one of said first irradiation stations via said first ion transport line;

a building in which said first ion beam system is disposed, said building having a building wall with a first side along which said first ion transport line is conducted; and

said building being adapted to reserve space for at least one subsequently installable second ion transport line of a second ion beam system for a second ion type at a second side of said wall, opposite to said first side.

17. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said building wall is an outside wall of said building.

18. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said second ion transport line is subsequently installable parallel to said first ion transport line.

19. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said wall has a removable facing covering said openings.

20. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said openings are scored in said wall.

21. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said wall is a radiation-blocking wall for said first and second types of radiation.

22. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said wall is comprised of concrete and has a thickness of several meters.

23. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein ions of said first ion type are lighter than ions of said second ion type.

24. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said first ion beam generator generates hydrogen ions, as said ions of said first ion type.

25. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said first ion transport line proceeds substantially along a straight line.

26. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 25 wherein said building is adapted to contain second irradiation stations for said second ion beam system following said first irradiation stations along said first and second ion transport lines.

27. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 26 wherein said building is adapted to contain a second ion beam generator, or said second ion beam system, next to said first ion beam generator.

28. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein said building comprises a plurality of rooms respectively containing said first irradiation stations, each of said rooms having a ceiling, and the ceilings of the respective rooms being substantially at ground level.

29. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations produces an output of ions of said first ion type from said first ion transport line in a rigidly prescribed direction.

30. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 16 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations comprises a rotatable ion beam guidance mechanism in communication with said first ion transport line, allowing an output of ions of said first ion type in selected directions that are rotatable around at least one axis.

31. An ion beam facility comprising:

a first ion beam system for a first ion type comprising at least two first irradiation stations, a first ion beam generator, and a first ion transport line comprising at least one first ion beam switch for communicating said first ion beam generator with one of said first irradiation stations;

a second ion beam system for a second ion type having a second ion beam generator and a second ion transport line; and

a switching arrangement for selectively communicating at least one of said first irradiation stations with said second ion beam generator via said second ion transport line for operating said at least one of said first irradiation stations as a part of said second ion beam system.

32. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein said first and second ion transport lines are disposed substantially parallel with each other.

33. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein said first ion beam generator generates ions of said first ion type that are lighter than ions of said second ion type generated by said second ion generator.

34. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein said first ion beam generator generates hydrogen ions, as ions of said first ion type.

35. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein said second ion generator generates carbon ions, as said ions of said second ion type.

36. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein said second ion beam system comprises at least one second irradiation station disposed in said building and communicating with said second ion transport line.

37. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 36 wherein said at least one second radiation station is disposed following said at least two first irradiation stations in a direction of said first and second ion transport lines.

38. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 37 wherein said building comprises rooms disposed next to each other respectively containing said ion beam generator and said second ion beam generator.

39. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations produces an output of ions of said first ion type from said first ion transport line in a rigidly prescribed direction.

40. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 31 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations comprises a rotatable ion beam guidance mechanism in communication with said first ion transport line, allowing an output of ions of said first ion type in selected directions that are rotatable around at least one axis.

41. An ion beam facility comprising:

a first ion beam system for a first ion type, having at least two first irradiation stations, a first ion beam generator, and a first ion transport line comprising at least one first ion beam switch for communicating said first ion beam generator with at least one of said first irradiation stations; and

a second ion beam system for a second ion type, having a second ion beam generator and a second ion transport line communicating with said second ion generator, said second ion transport line proceeding substantially parallel to said first ion transport line.

42. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 41 wherein said first ion beam generator generates ions of said first ion type that are lighter than ions of said second ion type generated by said second ion generator.

43. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 41 wherein said first ion beam generator generates hydrogen ions, as ions of said first ion type.

44. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 41 wherein said second ion generator generates carbon ions, as said ions of said second ion type.

45. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 41 wherein said second ion beam system comprises at least one second irradiation station disposed in said building and communicating with said second ion transport line.

46. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 45 wherein said at least one second radiation station is disposed following said at least two first irradiation stations in a direction of said first and second ion transport lines.

47. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 46 wherein said building comprises rooms disposed next to each other respectively containing said ion beam generator and said second ion beam generator.

48. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 41 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations produces an output of ions of said first ion type from said first ion transport line in a rigidly prescribed direction.

49. An ion beam facility as claimed in claim 41 wherein at least one of said first irradiation stations comprises a rotatable ion beam guidance mechanism in communication with said first ion transport line, allowing an output of ions of said first ion type in selected directions that are rotatable around at least one axis.

50. A method for constructing an ion beam facility to allow for future expansion, comprising the steps of:

constructing a building comprising a plurality of rooms including a first room and a second room;

disposing a first ion beam generator of a first ion beam system for a first ion type in said first room;

disposing a first irradiation station of said first ion beam system in said second room;

at a first side of a wall of said building, constructing a first ion transport line between said first room and said second room, allowing ions of said first ion type to proceed from said first ion beam generator in said first room to said first irradiation station in said second room via said first ion transport line; and

providing at least one closed opening in said wall prepared for subsequent opening of said opening to allow ions of a second ion type, generated by a subsequently installed second ion beam generator of a second ion beam system, to proceed from said second ion beam generator via a second ion transport line, disposed at a second side of said wall, opposite to said first side, to said first irradiation station.

51. A method as claimed in claim 50 comprising opening said openings in said wall and installing said second ion beam system with said second ion transport line at said second side of said wall.

52. A method as claimed in claim 51 comprising constructing said second ion transport line substantially parallel to said first ion transport line.

53. A method as claimed in claim 51 comprising providing a switching arrangement allowing selective communication between said first irradiation station and one of said first ion transport line and said second ion transport line at a time, for selectively operating said first irradiation station with ions of said first ion type or ions of said second ion type.

54. A method as claimed in claim 51 comprising generating ions of said first ion type with said first ion generator that are lighter than ions of said second ion type generated by said second ion generator.

55. A method as claimed in claim 54 comprising generating hydrogen ions, as ions of said first ion type, with said first ion beam generator.

56. A method as claimed in claim 54 comprising generating carbon ions, as said ions of said second ion type, with said second ion generator.

57. A method as claimed in claim 51 wherein the step of installing said second ion beam system comprises constructing a third room of said building next to said first room, and disposing said second ion beam generator in said second room.

58. A method as claimed in claim 57 wherein the step of installing said second ion beam system further comprises constructing a fourth room in said building and disposing a second irradiation station in said fourth room, said second ion transport line being disposed between said third room and said fourth room, allowing said ions of said second ion type to proceed from said second ion beam generator in said third room to said second irradiation station in said fourth room.

59. A method as claimed in claim 50 comprising producing an output of ions of said first ion type at said first irradiation station from said ion transport line in a rigidly prescribed direction.

60. A method as claimed in claim 50 comprising producing an output of ions of said first ion type at said first irradiation station from said first ion transport line in selected directions that are rotatable around at least one axis.

61. A method as claimed in claim 50 comprising constructing said wall as a radiation-blocking wall for ions of said first and second types.