Particle therapy system, method and device for requesting a particle beam

• US 7,763,867 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Particle Therapy GmbH & Company KG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Birgy, Denis, Breuninger, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIET TUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/520,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20070114471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.3, 250/398, 250/492.1, 378/65
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• 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

Abstract

A particle therapy system, method and device for requesting a particle beam is provided. The particle therapy system includes an accelerator that accelerates particles; a particle beam directing unit that directs particles to at least one irradiation location; and an assignment unit that assigns and monitors the correct particle beam direction. At least one of the irradiation locations has a control unit connected via a first link to the assignment unit and is operable to request a particle beam for an irradiating operation, so that the presence of the request signal at a signal input of the assignment unit establishes the requesting irradiation location.

Claims

1. A particle therapy system having:

an accelerator that accelerates particles;

a particle beam directing unit that is operable to route the particles to at least one irradiation location; and

an assignment unit that assigns and monitors a particle beam direction,

wherein at least one of the irradiation locations has a control unit connected via a first link to the assignment unit and is operable to request a particle beam for an irradiating operation via the first link, and

wherein the first link is connected only between the control unit and assignment unit, so that the presence of the request signal at a signal input of the assignment unit establishes the requesting irradiation location.

2. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second link is provided between the assignment unit and control unit of the irradiation location that conveys a confirmation signal from a signal output of the assignment unit to the control unit.

3. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the signal links is a direct hardware link.

4. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one irradiation location includes a control unit directly connected to a signal input of the assignment unit.

5. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least two control units are directly connected to at least one signal output of the assignment unit.

6. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the assignment unit and the at least one control unit are linked to a data bus system that conveys a confirmation signal.

7. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 6, wherein an accelerator control unit and the at least one control unit are linked to a data bus system that exchange parameters of the particle beam or parameters of the accelerator and particle beam directing unit, and wherein the parameters are established by the control system based on a therapy plan.

8. The particle therapy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second link is a direct and permanently assigned link.

9. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the signal links is a single signal lead.

10. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the irradiation locations is a treatment location where a patient is being irradiated with the particles.

11. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the irradiation locations is a checking device that checks parameters characterizing the particle irradiation operation.

12. The particle therapy system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assignment unit has a controlling unit that is controlled by a stored program.

13. The particle therapy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first link is a direct and permanently assigned link