Particle therapy system

• US 7,816,657 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hansmann, Thomas, Rietzel, Eike
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman; Jack I
• Application Number:
  US12/110,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20080290299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.3, 250/398, 250/505.1
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• 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: 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 1/10 Scattering devices; Absorbing devices; Ionising radiation filters
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 7/12 Arrangements for varying final energy of beam

Abstract

A particle therapy system is provided. The particle therapy system includes at least two acceleration units, with each of which acceleration units particles can be accelerated to at least an energy necessary for the irradiation; and a common energy selection system, connected downstream of the at least two acceleration units, with which system the energy of particles that have been accelerated by one of the acceleration units can be reduced.

Claims

1. A particle therapy system, comprising:

at least two acceleration units that are operable to accelerate particles to at least an irradiation energy level; and

a common energy selection system connected downstream of the at least two acceleration units, the common energy selection system being operable to reduce the energy of particles that have been accelerated by one of the acceleration units,

wherein the common energy selection system connects to and is upstream of a beam transporting system that is operable to carry the particles to at least one treatment room.

2. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least two acceleration units accelerate different types of particles.

3. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the acceleration units is a cyclotron acceleration system.

4. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein the common energy selection system includes at least one wedge-shaped or plate-shaped element.

5. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein the particle types are protons, carbon ions, pions, or helium ions.

6. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, wherein at least one of the acceleration units is a cyclotron acceleration system.

7. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, wherein the common energy selection system includes at least one wedge-like or platelike element.

8. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 2, wherein at least one of the particle types is protons or carbon ions.

9. The particle therapy system as defined by claim 1, wherein the common energy selection system is operable to reduce the energy of particles that have been accelerated by the acceleration units.

10. An energy selection system, comprising:

at least two beam transporting systems; and

a beam-shaping element that is operable to reduce an energy level of one or more accelerated particle beams,

wherein the at least two beam transporting systems carry at least two accelerated particle beams to the beam-shaping element, and

wherein the energy selection system connects to and is upstream of another beam transporting system that is operable to carry the at least two accelerated particle beams to at least one treatment room.

11. The energy selection system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least two beam transporting systems carry the at least two accelerated particle beams from two or more cyclotrons to the beam-shaping element.

12. The energy selection system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the beam-shaping element is a wedge-shaped beam-shaping element.

13. The energy selection system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the beam-shaping element is a plate-shaped beam-shaping element.

14. The energy selection system as claimed in claim 10, comprising a plurality of beam-shaping elements.