Fast scanning of a target region

• US 8,471,228 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2009
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GSI Helmholtzzentrum FüR Schwerionenforschung GmbH (Government of Germany), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf E.V.
• Original Assignee: GSI Helmholtzzentrum FüR Schwerionenforschung GmbH (Government of Germany), Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf E.V., Siemens AG
• Inventors: Bert, Christoph, Haberer, Thomas, Rietzel, Eike
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Nikita
• Application Number:
  US13/120,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20110303857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,382 Days
• Field of Search: 250/505.1, 250/492.1, 250/492.3, 250/398, 250/393, 600/1, 315/500
• US Class Current: 250/505.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1085 characterised by the type of particles applied to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1043 Scanning the radiation beam, e.g. spot scanning or raster scanning

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for irradiating a target with a beam approaching target points, involving the following steps: Measuring at least one of the parameters relating to the position of the beam and the intensity of the beam, changing the beam as a function of the at least one measured parameter, particularly as a function of a variance relating to the at least one measured parameter. The method is characterized in that the at least one measured parameter is measured at the most once per target point. Furthermore, the invention concerns a device for irradiating a target in accordance with the invention-based method and a control system for controlling such a device.

Claims

1. Method for irradiating a target (102) with a beam (105) approaching target points, involving the following steps:

Measuring at least one of the parameters relating to the position of the beam and the intensity of the beam, changing the beam as a function of the at least one measured parameter, particularly as a function of a variance relating to the at least one measured parameter, characterized in that the at least one measured parameter is measured at the most once per target point;

wherein the approach of the successive target points is determined by the elapsed time or by the extraction profile.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the beam (105) is measured at the most once per target point.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the irradiation process is designed a multiple irradiation with at least two scans, wherein in each of the scans target points are approached successively.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the target (102) is moved.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one measured parameter is measured at the most once for at least two target points.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the points in time of the measurement of the at least one measured parameter is determined by the elapsed time.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beam position is measured as far in the direction of the source of the beam (104) that the cross-section of the beam (105) corresponds to at the most 80% of the cross-section of the beam directly before the target.

8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the beam (105) is measured with a beam width measuring module.

11. Device according to claim 9 or 10, designed to perform a method in accordance with claims 1 to 10.

9. Device for irradiating a target (102) with a beam (105) approaching target points comprising a measuring device (116, 117) for measuring at least one of the parameters relating to the position (117) of the beam (105) and the intensity (116) of the beam (105), and comprising a sequence control system (112) designed to change the beam (105) as a function of the at least one measured parameter, particularly as a function of a variance relating to the at least one measured parameter, characterized in that the device is designed to measure the at least one measured parameter at the most once per target point;

wherein the approach of the successive target points is determined by the elapsed time or by the extraction profile.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein several measuring devices are connected in series.

12. Control system (112) for controlling a device in accordance with any one of claims 9 to 11.