Medical charged particle irradiation apparatus

• US 6,953,943 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Akiyama, Hiroshi, Kato, Kohei, Yanagisawa, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vanore, David A.
• Application Number:
  US10/253,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.1, 250/492.3, 250/505.1, 250/398, 378/150, 378/152
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• 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 5/1081 Rotating beam systems with a specific mechanical construction, e.g. gantries

Abstract

A medical charged particle irradiation apparatus capable of irradiation from upward and horizontal directions and performing a preparing/ascertaining work without any separate device such as a moving capsule or the like comprising a patient'"'"'s bed, on which a patient lies, a transport equipment for injecting and transporting charged particle beams toward the patient'"'"'s bed, an irradiation field forming device for forming an irradiation field for the beams transported by the transport equipment, and a gantry provided to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and wherein the irradiation field forming device is eccentrically arranged such that an axis of irradiation passes a position different from the axis of rotation, and the patient'"'"'s bed is arranged on an opposite side of the transport equipment to a plane, which contains the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the axis of irradiation.

Claims

1. A medical charged particle irradiation apparatus for irradiating charged particles on an affected part of a patient, comprising a patient'"'"'s bed, on which a patient lies, a transport equipment for injecting and transporting charged particle beams toward the patient'"'"'s bed, an irradiation field forming means for forming an irradiation field for the beams transported by the transport equipment, and a rotating irradiation body provided to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and wherein the irradiation field forming means is eccentrically arranged such that an axis of irradiation thereof passes a position different from the axis of rotation, and the patient '"'"'s bed is arranged on an opposite side of the transport equipment to a plane, which contains the axis of rotation and is substantially perpendicular to the axis of irradiation.

2. The medical charged particle irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the patient'"'"'s bed is rotatably suspended from and supported by the irradiation field forming means.

3. The medical charged particle irradiation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a heavy object provided on the patient'"'"'s bed to maintain the patient'"'"'s bed substantially horizontal.

4. The medical charged particle irradiation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising bed driving means for driving the patient'"'"'s bed, which is rotatably suspended from and supported, to change its inclination, inclination detecting means for detecting inclination of the patient'"'"'s bed, and inclination controlling means for controlling the bed driving means in accordance with results of the detecting means.

5. The medical charged particle irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rotating shaft member fixed to the rotating irradiation body, a central axis of which shaft member constitutes the axis of rotation, and support means for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft member.

6. The medical charged particle irradiation apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising rotating drive means for rotatingly driving the rotating shaft member, rotation detecting means for detecting a position of rotation of the rotating shaft member, and rotation controlling means for controlling the rotating drive means in accordance with results of the detecting means.