MRI magnet for radiation and particle therapy
First Claim
1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet structure for use with a radiation beam source that emits a radiation therapy beam, in combined MRI/radiation therapy, comprising:
- an assembly housing having a fixed patient bore tube extending therethrough;
a plurality of MRI magnet coils of varying diameters concentrically situated in said assembly housing along a same non-vertical magnet axis, which generate a static main magnetic field in said assembly housing, wherein the magnet coils do not share a common inner radius nor a common outer radius and at least some of said magnet coils circumferentially surround said fixed patient bore tube;
the plurality of magnet coils being installed in said assembly housing at fixed positions relative to each other in said assembly housing;
said fixed patient bore tube having a patient bore tube axis that is inclined to the magnet axis by an angle in a range of 30°
to 60°
, and said patient bore tube having a treatment region therein; and
at least one radiation therapy beam access cavity in said assembly housing that provides access from an exterior of said assembly housing for said radiation therapy beam to proceed along a straight line from said exterior of said assembly housing, through said static magnetic field, and into the treatment region in said patient bore tube, so as to allow said radiation therapy beam to be vertical and perpendicular to the patient bore tube when the radiation therapy beam is comprised of neutral particles and to allow said radiation therapy beam to be at a same angle as the magnet axis when said radiation therapy beam is comprised of charged particles.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an MRI magnet structure for use with a radiation beam source as an assembly, magnet coils of varying diameters are concentrically arranged along a magnetic axis, the magnetic coils not sharing a common inner or outer radius. Mechanical support is provided to retain the magnetic coils in necessary relative fixed positions. The patient bore tube is provided through the assembly and defines a patient bore axis in an essentially horizontal direction such that the magnetic axis is inclined to the patient bore axis by an angle of 30°-60°. At least one radiation therapy beam access cavity provides access in a straight line for a radiation therapy beam to reach a treatment region within the magnet structure.
25 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet structure for use with a radiation beam source that emits a radiation therapy beam, in combined MRI/radiation therapy, comprising:
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an assembly housing having a fixed patient bore tube extending therethrough; a plurality of MRI magnet coils of varying diameters concentrically situated in said assembly housing along a same non-vertical magnet axis, which generate a static main magnetic field in said assembly housing, wherein the magnet coils do not share a common inner radius nor a common outer radius and at least some of said magnet coils circumferentially surround said fixed patient bore tube; the plurality of magnet coils being installed in said assembly housing at fixed positions relative to each other in said assembly housing; said fixed patient bore tube having a patient bore tube axis that is inclined to the magnet axis by an angle in a range of 30°
to 60°
, and said patient bore tube having a treatment region therein; andat least one radiation therapy beam access cavity in said assembly housing that provides access from an exterior of said assembly housing for said radiation therapy beam to proceed along a straight line from said exterior of said assembly housing, through said static magnetic field, and into the treatment region in said patient bore tube, so as to allow said radiation therapy beam to be vertical and perpendicular to the patient bore tube when the radiation therapy beam is comprised of neutral particles and to allow said radiation therapy beam to be at a same angle as the magnet axis when said radiation therapy beam is comprised of charged particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for radiation beam therapy of a subject combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the subject, said apparatus comprising:
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an apparatus housing having a fixed patient bore tube extending therethrough; a radiation therapy beam source situated at an exterior of said apparatus housing; a plurality of MRI magnet coils of varying diameters concentrically situated in said assembly housing along a same non-vertical magnet axis, which generate a static main magnetic field in said assembly housing, wherein the magnet coils do not share a common inner radius nor a common outer radius and at least some of said magnet coils circumferentially surround said fixed patient bore tube; the plurality of magnet coils being installed in said assembly housing at fixed positions relative to each other in said assembly housing; said fixed patient bore tube having a patient bore tube axis that is inclined to the magnet axis by an angle in a range of 30°
to 60°
, and said patient bore tube having a treatment region therein; anda radiation therapy beam access cavity in said apparatus housing that provides access for a radiation therapy beam from said radiation therapy beam source to proceed along a straight line from said radiation therapy beam source, through said static magnetic field, and into the treatment region in said patient bore tube, so as to allow said radiation therapy beam to be vertical and perpendicular to the patient bore tube when the radiation therapy beam is comprised of neutral particles and to allow said radiation therapy beam to be at a same angle as the magnet axis when said radiation therapy beam is comprised of charged particles.
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11. An apparatus for administering radiation therapy to a subject combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the subject, said apparatus comprising, said fixed patent bore tube having a tube circumference, and a tube cross-section in a plane that contains said tube circumference:
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an apparatus housing having a fixed patient bore tube extending therethrough; a radiation therapy beam source situated at an exterior of said apparatus housing; a plurality of MRI magnet coils of varying diameters concentrically situated in said assembly housing along a same non-vertical magnet axis, which generate a static main magnetic field in said assembly housing, wherein the magnet coils do not share a common inner radius nor a common outer radius and at least some of said magnet coils circumferentially surround said fixed patient bore tube; the plurality of magnet coils being installed in said assembly housing at fixed positions relative to each other in said assembly housing; said fixed patient bore tube having a patient bore tube axis that is inclined to the magnet axis by an angle in a range of 30°
to 60°
, and said patient bore tube having a treatment region therein; anda first radiation therapy beam access cavity in said apparatus housing that provides access for a radiation therapy beam from said radiation therapy beam source to proceed vertically along a straight line perpendicularly to said patient bore tube axis, through said static magnetic field, and into said treatment region in said patient bore tube, when said radiation therapy beam is comprised of charged particles or neutral particles; a second radiation therapy beam access cavity in said apparatus housing that provides access for said radiation therapy beam from said radiation beam source to proceed along a straight line from said radiation therapy beam source along a same angle as the magnet axis, through said static magnetic field, and into said treatment region in said patient bore tube, when said radiation therapy beam is comprised of charged particles; and said radiation beam source being selectively positionable to radiate said radiation therapy beam through at least one of said first radiation therapy beam access cavity and said second radiation therapy beam access cavity. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification