Charged particle therapy system, range modulation wheel device, and method of installing range modulation wheel device

• US 7,355,189 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Akiyama, Hiroshi, Matsuda, Koji, Yanagisawa, Masaki, Fujimaki, Hisataka
• Primary Examiner(s): VANORE, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US11/399,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20060192146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.3
• US Class Current: 250/503.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1095 Elements inserted into the radiation path within the system, e.g. filters or wedges
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/043 changing time structure of beams by mechanical means, e.g. choppers, spinning filter wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/10 Scattering devices; Absorbing devices; Ionising radiation filters

Abstract

The invention provides a charged particle therapy system capable of increasing the number of patients treated. An irradiation filed forming apparatus for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from a charged particle beam generator to an irradiation target includes an RMW device. The RMW device comprises a housing and an RMW disposed within the housing. A rotary shaft of the RMW is rotatably mounted to the housing. The RMW device is detachably installed in an RMW holding member providied in a casing of the irradiation filed forming apparatus. The housing can be placed in contact with the RMW holding member, and hence positioning of the rotary shaft of the RMW to a predetermined position can be performed in a short time. This contributed to cutting a time required for treatment per patient and increasing the number of patients treated.

Claims

1. A charged particle therapy system including a charged particle beam generator for generating a charged particle beam and a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus,

wherein said charged particle beam irradiation apparatus comprises a casing, a range modulation wheel device arranged in said casing and through which the charged particle beam emitted from said charged particle beam generator passes, a holding member for holding said range modulation wheel device in such a manner that the range modulation wheel device can be inserted into and removed from said holding member, and a range modulation wheel driver having a first rotary shaft,

said range modulation wheel device comprising a range modulation wheel having a second rotary shaft in contact with said first rotary shaft and through which the charged particle beam passes, and a housing in which said range modulation wheel is disposed and rotatably mounted and configured to position said range modulation wheel in the charged particle beam irradiation apparatus by contact with said casing or said holding member.

2. A charged particle therapy system according to claim 1, wherein said charged particle beam irradiation apparatus further comprises a pushing device for pushing said range modulation wheel device against said holding member in a releasable way.

3. A charged particle therapy system according to claim 1, wherein an identifier is attached to said housing and given with identification information for identifying said range modulation wheel device, and said charged particle therapy system further includes an erroneous installation determining unit for receiving the identification information and determining erroneous installation of said range modulation wheel device.

4. A charged particle therapy system according to claim 1, wherein said range modulation wheel has a blade having a thickness different stepwise in the direction of passing of the charged particle beam.

5. A charged particle beam generator according to claim 4, wherein said range modulation wheel has a plurality of blades and an opening between two blades adjacent in the circumferential direction.

6. A range modulation wheel device comprising a range modulation wheel having a rotary shaft and through which a charged particle beam passes, and a housing in which said range modulation wheel is disposed and rotatably mounted and configured to position said rotary shaft of the range modulation wheel in a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus by contact with a casing of said charged particle beam irradiation apparatus or a holding member provided in said casing for holding said range modulation wheel device.

7. A range modulation wheel device according to claim 6, wherein said housing includes an identifier attached thereto.

8. A method of installing a range modulation wheel device, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a range modulation wheel device comprising a housing and a range modulation wheel disposed in said housing and rotatably mounted thereto;

inserting said range modulation wheel device into a holding member provided in a casing of a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus;

positioning said range modulation wheel device in the charged particle beam irradiation apparatus by causing said housing to contact with said casing or said holding member so as to align a second rotary shaft of said range modulation wheel with a first rotary shaft of a range modulation wheel driver provided in said charged particle beam irradiation apparatus; and

pushing said housing against said holding member by a pushing member.

9. A method of installing a range modulation wheel device according to claim 8, further comprising the step of determining erroneous installation of said range modulation wheel device based on identification information attached to said housing by using an erroneous installation determining unit.