Abstract:
A transport unit with a support system for transporting a patient from a first room in at least one second room is provided. The transport unit includes a positioning device which interacts with the support system such that the transportation of the patient from the first into the second room is able to be undertaken in a tilted and/or rolled position. Accordingly, internal organs of the patient remain in their previously assumed position during transportation of a patient.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of DE 10 2008 057 145.8 filed Nov. 13, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present embodiments relate to transporting a patient. 
         [0003]    The application of ionizing radiation in medicine is referred to as radiation therapy. Within the medical field, high-energy radiation (e.g., x-ray radiation, gamma radiation) or particle radiation (e.g., electrons, protons, carbon ions, etc.) is directed to the body of a patient to be treated. However, an application of radiation can also be used in non-therapeutic areas, such as in the irradiation of phantoms or non-living bodies within the framework of research work or in the irradiation of materials. 
         [0004]    For particle therapy high-energy particle radiation is generated with an accelerator installation. The particles accelerated to high energies are formed into a particle beam and subsequently directed onto the tissue to be irradiated. The particles penetrate into the tissue to be irradiated and emit their energy there in a prescribed area. The penetration depth in the tissue to be irradiated primarily depends on the energy of the particle beam. The higher the energy of the particle beam, the deeper the particles penetrate into the tissue to be irradiated. By comparison with conventional irradiation methods which operate with x-rays, particle therapy is characterized by the energy of the particles being emitted in a prescribed and delimitable area. This enables a tumor for example to be irradiated more precisely and surrounding tissue can be better protected. 
         [0005]    Particle therapy is usually undertaken in a special particle therapy system in which the particle beam is generated in one area and directed to a number of radiation rooms. The radiation rooms may be available in a different area in which patients are prepared for subsequent radiation treatment or are irradiated during an irradiation session. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic overview of a structure of a particle therapy system  10  in accordance with the subsequently published DE 10 2008 005 068 A1. Ions such as protons, helium ions or carbon ions are primarily used as particles. The particles are generated in a particle source  11 . If, as shown in  FIG. 1 , two particle sources  11  are available which generate two different types of ion, a switchover can be made within a very short time between these two types of ion. A switching magnet  12  is typically used for this purpose, which is arranged between the ion sources  11  and a pre-accelerator  13 . This allows the particle therapy system  10  to be operated with protons and with carbon ions at the same time. 
         [0007]    The ions generated by the ion source or by one of the ion sources  11 , and if necessary selected by the switching magnet  12 , are accelerated in the pre-accelerator  13  up to a first energy level. The pre-accelerator  13  may be a linear accelerator. Subsequently the particles are fed into an accelerator  15 , for example, a synchrotron. In the accelerator  15  they are accelerated to high energies as are required for irradiation. After the particles have left the accelerator  15 , a high-energy beam transport system  17  conducts the particle beam to one or more irradiation rooms  19 . In an irradiation room  19  the accelerated particles are directed onto a part of the body to be irradiated. Depending on the design this is done from a fixed direction or from different directions via a gantry  21  that permits rotational movement around an axis  22 . 
         [0008]    The particle therapy system  10  features additional (further) rooms  23  in which example patients are prepared for a subsequent irradiation session or for a subsequent examination. These additional rooms  23  and the irradiation rooms  19  are connected to each other via corridors  25 . A patient may be prepared in one room and is subsequently taken into another room. Preparation generally includes positioning of the patient on a transport unit  27  so that the patient positioned on the transport unit  27  can then be moved into another room. The transport unit  27  in such cases is both a patient support system and also patient transport system, since a patient is both supported on the transport unit and also transported by a transport unit from room to room. 
         [0009]    If patients are prepared for an irradiation session, they are usually positioned on a patient holder system and may be fixed so that later in a radiation room a precise orientation of the patient can be undertaken in relation to the particle beam. Patient transport units are used to arrange the treatment of the patient to be as effective as possible. These types of transport units are patient support and patient transport facilities on which a patient is supported and can, if necessary, be fixed and with which a patient is subsequently able to be moved from one room into another room, for example, from a preparation room into an irradiation room. 
         [0010]    In the preparation room, the patient position and especially the position of the area of the patient&#39;s body to be irradiated can if necessary be verified by medical imaging. X-ray tomographic imaging, such as computed tomography, may be used to verify the position. Planning is undertaken with a dataset from computed tomography. In such cases, the patient is positioned on a table, the table plate of which is aligned as horizontally as possible. 
         [0011]    During planning, it may be determined that treatment in a tilted and/or rolled (i.e., canted or angled or slanted) position would be a good idea. By changing the body position, such as tilting or rolling, the positions of the internal organs also change and a discrepancy thus arises between the original planning and the current position of the patient. This problem can be resolved using a robot in planning computed tomography and with a robot in treatment, with the robots rotating the surfaces on which the patient is lying accordingly. 
         [0012]    Before an irradiation treatment, the patient will be prepared in a preparation room for the treatment. To this end the patient is laid on a horizontal table. To increase the accuracy of the treatment, an x-ray image may be taken. Depending on the installation equipment the x-ray image may be taken in the treatment room or outside in a separate CT room. In a second case, the patient must first be taken into the treatment room after the position verification before the treatment can take place. 
         [0013]    After a position verification outside the treatment room in a tilted/rolled position determined from the planning, the transport of the patient in a horizontal position from the imaging/preparation room into the treatment room produces displacements of the organs and of the tumor and thereby errors in the irradiation. 
       SUMMARY AND DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    The present embodiments may obviate one or more of the drawbacks or limitations in the related art. For example, in one embodiment, a transport unit and a method for transporting patients in which no displacement of the organs results from patient transport may be provided. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, a transport unit (e.g., system) is provided. The transport unit includes a support system (e.g., facility or device) for transporting (e.g., conveying or moving) a patient from a first room into at least one second room. The transport unit includes at least one means which interoperates with the support system in order to undertake the transportation of the patient from the first room into the second room in a tilted and/or rolled position. 
         [0016]    Position verification may be undertaken outside a treatment room. Accordingly, a computer tomography device may be used with an improved resolution compared to a standard robot imager system, as is currently planned in treatment rooms. Smaller treatment rooms, as compared to planning in which a computer tomograph is to be accommodated in a treatment room, may be used. The usage time of treatment rooms may be improved since the process of position verification takes place in another room and the treatment room can be used in the interim for another treatment. 
         [0017]    The early positioning of the patient in the planning and treatment position enables the planning and the treatment to be undertaken with high precision. 
         [0018]    In one embodiment, the transport unit may include a transportation (e.g., conveyance) device to accommodate and transport (e.g., convey or move) the support system. Accordingly, the support system may be separated from the transportation system. 
         [0019]    The positioning device may be a part of the transportation system. This offers the advantage of height adjustments also being able to be undertaken without the support system. 
         [0020]    The transport unit may include at least an immobilization device which interoperates with the support system such that the patient can be immobilized on the support system. Accordingly, the patient and their organs retain the position assumed and set even during transportation. 
         [0021]    The positioning device may include two vertically-movable first carriers and two second carriers, with the second carriers each being rotatably supported on a first carrier. The support system may be detachably arranged on the second carriers and the tilting may be undertaken by a different height adjustment of the first carriers and the rolling being undertaken by rotating the second carriers. The advantage of this is a robust and simple adjustment process. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the support system may include half-shell elements on the underside in at least three corners in which corresponding ball heads of height-adjustable third carriers engage such that as a result of different heights of the ball heads the support system can be tilted and/or rolled. This enables the support system to be adjusted in a simple and safe manner. 
         [0023]    The transport unit may include the first holder module. A robot arm may use the first holder module to receive the support system. This offers the advantage of the support system being able to be transferred safely and precisely by a robot system. 
         [0024]    The transport unit may include a second holder module. A support system may be fixed detachably to the transportation system using the second holder module. The fixing may be detached automatically on transfer of the support system by a robot arm. The support system is connected by this securely to the transportation system during movement and may be automatically transferred by a robot system. 
         [0025]    The transport unit may include a display unit which outputs current values of rolling and tilting, required values of rolling and tilting and/or deviations between the actual values and the required values. This enables an operator to detect the status of the orientation of the support system at any time. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment, the transport unit may include an electromechanical drive and associated controls which affect the tilting and/or rolling. This offers a secure operation which saves operators effort. 
         [0027]    In one embodiment, the transport unit may include a rechargeable battery arranged in the transportation unit for supplying power to the electromechanical drive. The advantage of this is independence from a stationary power supply. 
         [0028]    The present embodiments may also include the use of a transport unit for conveying immobilized patients between rooms of a radiation therapy installation. This offers the advantage of the exact radiation treatment in a tilted and rolled position of the patient. 
         [0029]    Furthermore, the present embodiments may also include a method for conveying a patient from a first room into at least one second room. The method may include immobilizing the patient on a support system, tilting and/or rolling the support system into a predeterminable position, and transporting (e.g., conveying or moving) the support system in the predeterminable position from the first room into the second room. 
         [0030]    The first room may be a preparation room and the second room an irradiation room of the radiation therapy installation. Accordingly, after preparation of a patient, their organs remain in an unchanged position during transportation. 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, the transportation of the support system can be undertaken on a mobile transportation system, with the tilting and rolling of the support system being undertaken by the transportation system. 
         [0032]    Furthermore, the method may include transferring the support system from the transportation system by a robot positioning system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  illustrates an overview of a particle therapy system, 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a transport unit with movable carriers, 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a transport unit with ball heads, and 
           [0036]      FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of a transportation method. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a transport unit  27  for transporting patients from a room of a radiation treatment system into another room of the radiation treatment system. The radiation treatment system may be a particle therapy system. The transport unit  27  may be a patient shuttle. 
         [0038]    The transport unit  27  comprises a transportation system  29  on which a support system  28  is arranged. Both facilities are connected to each other with a second holder module  36  so that they are detachably movable in relation to each other. The transportation system  29  comprises a frame  40  and four wheels  41  arranged below the frame  40  for moving the transport unit  27 . The wheels  41  may be rail wheels for rolling on a rail system. 
         [0039]    To change the spatial orientation of the support system  28  in parallel to a floor surface, two first carriers  30  are each attached to one end of the frame  40  with height adjustment. On the two carriers  30  second carriers  31  are rotatably supported in an initial position horizontal to the surface of the floor. On the two second carriers  31  lies the support system  28 . By an unequal height adjustment of the two first carriers  30  the support system  28  is tilted. In other words, the support system  28  is rotated around a transverse axis. A rotational movement of the second carrier  31  allows the support system  28  to be rolled. In other words, the support system  28  is rotated around a longitudinal axis. The tilting is also referred to as “roll”; the rolling is also referred to as “tilt” or “pitch”. 
         [0040]    With the aid of an immobilization device  26  a patient can be immobilized on the support system. Immobilized includes fixed in a preferred position for a treatment. Thus the patient can be transported in the tilted and rolled position from, for example, a preparation room of the particle therapy system into a treatment room or an irradiation room of the particle therapy system. On a display unit  37  mounted on the transportation device  29  the different angles of inclination of the tilting and rolling can be output. The height adjustment of the first carrier  30  and the inclination of the second carrier  31  can be undertaken manually by mechanical levers not shown in the diagram. A first holder (e.g., retaining) module  35  connected to the support system  28  serves as a gripping point for a robot arm to enable it to lift the support system  28  away from the transportation system  29 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows the perspective view of a further transport unit  27  for transporting patients from a room of a radiation treatment system into a further room of the radiation treatment system. The transport unit  27  includes a transportation system  29  on which the support system  28  is arranged. The transportation system  29  and support system  28  are connected movably detachably to each other with the aid of a second holder module  36 . The transportation system includes a frame unit  40  and four wheels  41  arranged below the frame unit  40  for moving the transport unit  27 . 
         [0042]    To change the spatial orientation of the support system  28  in parallel to a floor surface, half-shell-shaped openings  33  are made in the four corners of the underside of the support system  28  into which corresponding ball heads  34  of height-adjustable third carriers engage precisely. The four third carriers  32  are connected via an electromechanical drive  39  to the frame unit  40 . The electromechanical drive is supplied with electrical energy by a rechargeable battery  42  of the transportation system  29 . The heights of the ball heads  34  can be controlled by a control element. The support system  28  can be tilted and/or rolled in relation to a floor surface by different heights of the ball heads  34 . The immobilization device  26  may be used such that a patient can be immobilized on the support system  28 . A first retaining module  35  serves as a gripping point for a robot arm to lift the storage system  28  away from the transportation system  29 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  shows the flow diagram of an inventive method for conveying a patient from a preparation room into a treatment room. The method may include acts  100 - 113 . 
         [0044]    In act  100 , a treatment region may be planned, for example, with a patient support system being able to assume tilt and/or roll positions. In act  101 , the patient may be immobilized on a transport unit. In act  102 , the patient may be transported on the transport unit into the preparation room for position verification, for example, with a computed tomography system with robot system for positioning the patient support system. The patient position may be set with a robot also in tilt and/or roll angles, as shown in act  103 . Position verification in the treatment position may be performed in act  104 . As shown in act  105 , the roll and/or tilt angle may be set at a transportation system of the transport unit. The patient support system may be transported from the robot to the transportation unit in act  106 . During transportation, the tilt and/or roll position of the support system may be retained. The patient may be transport with the transport unit into the treatment room, as shown in act  107 . In act  108 , transfer of the patient on the support system by a robot positioning system in the treatment room may be performed. In act  109 , the patient may be positioned in the treatment position in front of a particle beam output. In act  110 , the patient may be treated. In act  111 , the patient may be laid with the support system on the transportation unit in a substantially horizontal position or laying the patient in the tilted and rolled position and moving the support system into a horizontal position. In act  112 , the patient may be transported out of the treatment room. In act  113 , the patient may be mobilized. 
         [0045]    There may be, for example, several days between step  100  and  101 . The patient positioning and imaging can also take place in the same room. 
         [0046]    The system described above and the method can accordingly also be used in an irradiation device with ionizing radiation. 
         [0047]    Various embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. The forgoing detailed description has described only a few of the many possible implementations of the present invention. For this reason, this detailed description is intended by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation. It is only the following claims, including all equivalents that are intended to define the scope of this invention.