Scintillation array apparatus and method of use thereof

• US 9,974,978 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ProTom International Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: James Patrick Bennett, Lee W. Davis, Mark R. Amato, Stephen L. Spotts
• Inventors: Lee, W. Davis, Amato, Mark R., Spotts, Stephen L., Bennett, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCormack, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/239,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160354616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 2504923, 2504921, 2504931, 250397
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4014 arranged in multiple source-detector units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4092 for producing synchrotron radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4266 characterised by using a plurality of detector units A61B6/4014 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5205 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/105 using a laser alignment system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1054 using a portal imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1061 using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source
• 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 2005/1097 Means for immobilizing the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1037 taking into account the movement of the target, e.g. 4D-image based planning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1039 using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1067 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1069 : Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/107 : in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1077 : Beam delivery systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1082 : having multiple beam rotation axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/107 : protons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/203 : synchrotron
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/046 : using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/093 : by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 : with beam-forming means

Abstract

A scintillation material is longitudinally packaged in a circumferentially surrounding sheath, where the sheath has a lower index of refraction than the scintillation material, to form a scintillation optic or scintillation fiber optic. The scintillation material yields secondary photons upon passage of a charged particle beam, such as a positively charged residual particle beam having transmitted through a sample. The internally generated secondary photons within the sheath are guided to a detector element by the difference in index of refraction. Multiple scintillation optics are assembled to form a two-dimensional scintillation array coupled to a two-dimensional detector array, such as for use in determination of state of the residual charged particle beam, determination of an exit point of the particle beam from the sample, path of the treatment beam, and/or tomographic imaging.

Claims

1. A method for tomographic imaging of a tumor of a patient with positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:

transporting the positively charged particles along a beam transport line from an accelerator, through the tumor, and to a plurality of scintillation optics, each scintillation optic of said plurality of scintillation optics comprising;

a longitudinal length of a first scintillation material comprising a first index of refraction; and

a cladding circumferentially enclosing said longitudinal length of said first scintillation material, said cladding comprising a second index of refraction, said second index of refraction less than said first index of refraction;

detecting secondary photons emitted from said first scintillation material, resultant from energy transfer from the positively charged particles, with a two-dimensional detector array optically coupled to a two-dimensional matrix of said plurality of scintillation optics, said cladding comprising said second index of refraction repetitively reflecting a portion of the secondary photons back into said first scintillation material in an optical path to at least one detector element of said two-dimensional detector array;

said step of detecting producing a set of signals;

using the set of signals to determine a vector of the positively charged particles from the patient to said matrix of said plurality of scintillation optics;

determining an exit area of the positively charged particles from the patient using the vector;

using a first detection sheet positioned in a path of the positively charged particles between said accelerator and the patient to determine an input area of the positively charged particles into the patient; and

probabilistically determining a path of the positively charged particles from the input area to the exit area of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using a treatment delivery control system, communicatively linked to said accelerator, to approve continued treatment of the tumor using output from the step of probabilistically determining, the output comprising the path of the positively charged particles from the input area to the exit area of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

using a second detection sheet positioned in a path of the positively charged particles between the patient and the two-dimensional matrix of said plurality of scintillation optics to determine the exit area of the positively charged particles from the patient.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

providing the positively charged particles with an ion source;

providing a triode extraction system, comprising;

said ion source maintained at a first potential;

an extraction electrode maintained at a third potential differing from said first potential; and

a gating electrode positioned between said ion source and said extraction electrode;

alternatingly (1) suppressing extraction of the positively charged particles from said ion source and (2) extracting the positively charged particles from said ion source through changing a second potential of said gating electrode from proximate the first potential to a value between the first potential and the third potential; and

injecting the positively charged particles into said accelerator.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a second scintillation material emitting photons at a second wavelength, at least one of said set of scintillation optics comprising said second scintillation material; and

said secondary photons emitted from said first scintillation material comprising photons at a first wavelength, said second wavelength at least fifty nanometers longer than said first wavelength.