Charged particle cancer therapy dose distribution method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for irradiating a tumor of a patient with charged particles, comprising:
- a charged particle therapy system, comprising;
a synchrotron, said synchrotron comprising;
a radio-frequency cavity system configured to induce and amplify betatron oscillation of the charged particles;
an extraction foil, said extraction foil comprising a thickness of between ten and one hundred fifty micrometers, said extraction foil consisting essentially of atoms comprising six or fewer protons per atom, said extraction foil configured to emit electrons when struck by the charged particles undergoing betatron oscillation;
an intensity controller configured to;
(1) receive a signal related to the emitted electrons and (2) instruct said radio-frequency cavity system to enhance the betatron oscillation when a pathlength through healthy tissue to the tumor decreases and to decrease the betatron oscillation when the pathlength through the healthy tissue to the tumor increases;
a charged particle beam path; and
a rotatable platform,wherein said charged particle beam path runs through said synchrotron and above a portion of said rotatable platform,said rotatable platform configured to rotate at least ninety degrees during an irradiation period,wherein, during use in said irradiation period, said rotatable platform rotates to at least five irradiation positions.
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Abstract
The invention relates generally to treatment of solid cancers. More particularly, a method and apparatus for efficient radiation dose delivery to a tumor is described. Preferably, radiation is delivered through an entry point into the tumor and Bragg peak energy is targeted to a distal or far side of the tumor from an ingress point. Delivering Bragg peak energy to the distal side of the tumor from the ingress point is repeated from multiple rotational directions. Beam intensity is proportional to radiation dose delivery efficiency. The multi-field irradiation process with energy levels targeting the far side of the tumor from each irradiation direction provides even and efficient charged particle radiation dose delivery to the tumor. Preferably, the charged particle therapy is timed to patient respiration via control of charged particle beam injection, acceleration, extraction, and/or targeting methods and apparatus.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for irradiating a tumor of a patient with charged particles, comprising:
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a charged particle therapy system, comprising; a synchrotron, said synchrotron comprising; a radio-frequency cavity system configured to induce and amplify betatron oscillation of the charged particles; an extraction foil, said extraction foil comprising a thickness of between ten and one hundred fifty micrometers, said extraction foil consisting essentially of atoms comprising six or fewer protons per atom, said extraction foil configured to emit electrons when struck by the charged particles undergoing betatron oscillation; an intensity controller configured to;
(1) receive a signal related to the emitted electrons and (2) instruct said radio-frequency cavity system to enhance the betatron oscillation when a pathlength through healthy tissue to the tumor decreases and to decrease the betatron oscillation when the pathlength through the healthy tissue to the tumor increases;a charged particle beam path; and a rotatable platform, wherein said charged particle beam path runs through said synchrotron and above a portion of said rotatable platform, said rotatable platform configured to rotate at least ninety degrees during an irradiation period, wherein, during use in said irradiation period, said rotatable platform rotates to at least five irradiation positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for irradiating a tumor of a patient with charged particles, comprising the steps of:
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providing a charged particle therapy system, comprising; a synchrotron, said synchrotron comprising; a radio-frequency cavity system configured to induce and amplify betatron oscillation of the charged particles, an extraction foil, said extraction foil comprising a thickness of between ten and one hundred fifty micrometers, said extraction foil consisting essentially of atoms comprising six or fewer protons per atom; said extraction foil emitting electrons when struck by the charged particles undergoing betatron oscillation; receiving to an intensity controller a signal related to the emitted electrons; instructing said radio-frequency cavity system to increase the betatron oscillation when a pathlength through healthy tissue to the tumor decreases and to decrease the betatron oscillation when the pathlength through the healthy tissue to the tumor increases; rotating a rotatable platform at least ninety degrees during an irradiation period; and rotating said rotatable platform to at least five irradiation positions during the irradiation period, wherein a charged particle beam path runs through said synchrotron and above a portion of said rotatable platform.
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Specification