Charged particle radiation therapy

• US 7,728,311 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mevion Medical Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Still River Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gall, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JOHNNIE L
• Application Number:
  US11/601,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20080093567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.3, 250/505.1, 250/306, 250/396.R
• US Class Current: 250/492.21
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 13/02 Synchrocyclotrons, i.e. frequency modulated cyclotrons
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 13/04 Synchrotrons
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2007/043 for beam focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 7/04 Magnet systems , e.g. undulators, wigglers free-electron laser H01S3/0903; Energisation thereof

Abstract

Among other things, an accelerator is mounted on a gantry to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on a patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in the patient from positions within the range. The proton or ion beam passes essentially directly from the accelerator to the patient. In some examples, the synchrocyclotron has a superconducting electromagnetic structure that generates a field strength of at least 6 Tesla, produces a beam of particles having an energy level of at least 150 MeV, has a volume no larger than 4.5 cubic meters, and has a weight less than 30 Tons.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising

a patient support, and

a gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support,

the accelerator being configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in the patient from positions within the range,

the proton or ion beam passing essentially directly from an accelerator housing to the patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the gantry is supported for rotation on two sides of the patient support.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the gantry is supported for rotation on bearings on the two sides of the patient support.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the gantry comprises two arms extending from an axis of rotation of the gantry and a truss between the two arms on which the accelerator is mounted.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the gantry is constrained to rotate within a range of positions that is smaller than 360 degrees.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the range is at least as large as 180 degrees.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the range is from about 180 degrees to about 330 degrees.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 also including radio-protective walls, at least one of which is not in line with the proton or ion beam from the accelerator in any of the positions within the range, the one wall being constructed to provide the same radio-protection than the other walls with less mass.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the patient support is mounted on a patient support area that is accessible through a space defined by a range of positions at which the gantry is constrained from rotation.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the patient support is movable relative to the gantry.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the patient support is configured for rotation about a patient axis of rotation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the patient axis of rotation is vertical.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 in which the patient axis of rotation contains an isocenter in a patient on the patient support.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the patient gantry is configured for rotation of the accelerator about a gantry axis of rotation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which the gantry axis of rotation is horizontal.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 in which the axis of rotation contains an isocenter in a patient on the patient support.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the accelerator weighs less than 40 Tons.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which the accelerator weighs in a range from 5 to 30 Tons.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the accelerator occupies a volume of less than 4.5 cubic meters.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 in which the volume is in the range of 0.7 to 4.5 cubic meters.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the accelerator produces a proton or ion beam having an energy level of at least 150 MeV.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 in which the energy level is in the range from 150 to 300 MeV.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the accelerator comprising a synchrocyclotron.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the accelerator comprises a magnet structure having a field strength of at least 6 Tesla.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 in which the field strength is in the range of 6 to 20 Tesla.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 in which the magnet structure comprises superconducting windings.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the proton or ion beam passes directly from the accelerator to the general area of the patient stand.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 also including a shielding chamber containing the patient support, the gantry, and the accelerator, at least one wall of the chamber being thinner than other walls of the chamber.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 in which at least a portion of the chamber is embedded within the earth.

30. An apparatus comprising

a medical synchrocyclotron having a superconducting electromagnetic structure that generates a field strength of at least 6 Tesla, produces, for delivery to a patient, a beam of charged particles having an energy level of at least 150 MeV, has a volume no larger than 4.5 cubic meters, and has a weight less than 30 Tons.

31. An apparatus comprising

an accelerator configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in a patient, the accelerator being small enough and lightweight enough to be mounted on a rotatable gantry in an orientation to permit the proton or ion beam to pass essentially directly from the accelerator to the patient.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 in which the accelerator comprises a superconducting synchrocyclotron.

38. The apparatus of claim 32 in which the magnetic field of the superconducting synchrocyclotron is in the range of 6 to 20 Tesla.

33. A structure comprising

a patient support;

a gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support, the range of positions exceeding 180 degrees around the patient;

the accelerator being configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in the patient from positions within the range; and

a walled enclosure containing the patient support, the gantry, and the accelerator.

39. The apparatus of claim 33 in which more than half of the surface of the walled enclosure is embedded within the earth.

34. An apparatus comprising:

a patient support; and

a gantry on which an accelerator is mounted, the gantry being supported on two sides of the patient support for rotation (a) about a horizontal gantry axis that contains an isocenter in the patient and (b) through a range of positions that exceeds 180 degrees;

the patient support being rotatable about a vertical patient support axis that contains the isocenter;

the accelerator comprising a synchrocyclotron configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level of at least 150 MeV to reach any arbitrary target in the patient directly from positions within the range, the synchrocyclotron having superconducting windings.

35. A method comprising

supporting a patient within a treatment space;

causing a beam of proton or ions to pass in a straight line direction from an output of an accelerator to any arbitrary target within the patient; and

causing the straight line direction to be varied through a range of positions around the patient, the range of positions exceeding 180 degrees around the patient.

36. An apparatus comprising

an accelerator configured to produce a charged particle beam and to be mounted on a gantry that enables the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on a patient support, the range of positions exceeding 180 degrees around the patient;

the accelerator being configured to produce a charged particle beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in the patient from positions within the range.

37. An apparatus comprising

a gantry configured to hold an accelerator and to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on a patient support, the range of positions exceeding 180 degrees around the patient;

and

the accelerator being configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach any arbitrary target in the patient from positions within the range.