Abstract:
The invention relates to a displacement-detecting element ( 1 ) comprising a measuring resistance ( 2 ), voltage source ( 3 ) and a displacement-dependent voltage pick off ( 4 ). The measuring resistance ( 2 ) is embodied in the form of a strip. The length of the resistor ( 6 ) corresponds to at least the maximal length of displacement ( 7 ) of the component to be detected. The invention also relates to a multileaf collimator ( 23 ) having such a displacement-detecting element ( 1 ). The aim of the invention is to produce a displacement-detecting element (a) for detecting the position of the leaves ( 22 ) in a multileaf collimator ( 23 ) in a precise and faultless manner. The displacement detecting element ( 1 ) is designed for detecting the displacement ( 7 ′) of the leaves ( 22 ) in a multileaf collimator ( 23 ) in the following manner: the measuring resistance ( 2 ) or the voltage pick off point ( 4 ) are connected in a rigid manner to the leaves ( 22 ) in order to detect the displacement and another functioning element ( 4  or  2 ) is arranged in a fixed manner. At least one of these functioning elements ( 2, 4 ) is disposed in an area ( 33, 33′, 33 ″) of the leaves ( 22 ), which is not exposed to main radiation ( 34 ).

Description:
DESCRIPTION  
         [0001]    The invention concerns a displacement detecting element comprising a measuring resistance, a voltage source, and a displacement-dependent voltage pick-off, wherein the measuring resistance is in the form of a strip and this resistance strip is at least as long as the maximum displacement length of the structural part to be detected.  
           [0002]    The invention also concerns a multi-leaf collimator with displacement detecting elements of this type.  
           [0003]    The principle of function of displacement detecting elements of this type is known (DE 38 38 662 A1). Those displacement detecting elements are potentiometers which are too large to be able to be directly disposed on the leaves of a multi-leaf collimator for detecting its displacement. Multi-leaf collimators are used to define a high-energy beam for tissue irradiation and have a plurality of thin, laminar leaves, which delimit and shape the beam from two sides. The leaves must be individually and exactly positioned, which requires precise detection of their positions. Conventional potentiometers do not permit detection of the position directly on the leaves due to the limited space and the disturbing influence of the radiation.  
           [0004]    The company leaflet “Motorized Micro Multileaf Collimator 06/98” of the company Leibinger discloses arranging drives alternately above and below and opposite to the leaves in an offset and fanned-out fashion due to the limited space at the densely packed thin leaves. Each of these drives has an associated potentiometer, which serves as a displacement-detecting element. In this fashion, the displacement of the leaves is indirectly detected via determination of the position of the leaf drives.  
           [0005]    In addition to the space requirements of the potentiometer, which increases the size of the collimators, this indirect measurement has the disadvantage that the error tolerances of the drive elements also falsify the position detection and the hysteresis produced by the play of the drive elements must be considered when the position detection adjusting direction is reversed. Since the adjusting motion must be extremely precise to protect the patient, the error tolerances of the drive elements must be kept extremely small and the hysteresis must be compensated for. In addition to its size, the stationary hysteresis-compensated arrangement of the displacement detecting elements in the above-mentioned prior art has the disadvantage that the possibilities for disposition on the leaves are limited. Moreover, if such an electrical displacement-detecting element is subjected to increased radiation of electrically charged parts, measuring errors may be produced by radiation-induced currents.  
           [0006]    It is therefore the underlying purpose of the invention to design a displacement-detecting element of the above-mentioned type such that the position of the leaves of a multi-leaf collimator can be precisely detected, without errors.  
           [0007]    This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the displacement detecting element detects the displacement of the leaves of a multi-leaf collimator by securely connecting either the measuring resistance or voltage pick-off to the leaf to be detected, with the other functional element being fixed, and at least these two functional elements are disposed in a region of the leaves which is not exposed to the main radiation.  
           [0008]    This object is achieved with the multi-leaf collimator in that each leaf is provided with at least one displacement-detecting element of this type and all displacement detecting elements can be connected to the multi-leaf collimator control.  
           [0009]    The invention permits position detection directly at the very thin leaves although these are densely packed next to each other without sideward gaps. In accordance with the invention, this arrangement is moreover provided in a region of the leaves, which is subjected to only relatively low radiation since the main radiation is shielded in this region. There are two possible principles of shielding which will be explained in further developments of the invention. Direct mounting of the measuring resistance or the voltage pick-off on the leaf prevents propagation of measurement errors by transmission elements and hysteresis must not be taken into consideration when the motion is reversed. A secure arrangement on the structural part to be detected is effected through direct mounting of a functional element (measuring resistance or voltage pick-off) or secure mounting of a carrier or housing. This produces an extremely high precision in a simple and inexpensive fashion.  
           [0010]    When the multi-leaf collimators are provided with inventive displacement detecting elements, a high measuring accuracy in the region of {fraction (1/10)} to {fraction (2/10)} mm is easily obtained. This provides high precision and safety for intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The collimators can also be decreased in size since there are no potentiometers disposed on the drives.  
           [0011]    The displacement detecting elements can be securely connected to the leaves without hysteresis via an extension on their rear side. It is particularly advantageous to directly connect them to the leaves, since the space on the rear side of the leaves thereby remains free.  
           [0012]    Arrangement of the device components in a region of the leaves which is not exposed to the main radiation is effected by disposing the functional electrical elements of the displacement detecting element on that side of the leaves facing away from the beam to thereby shield the main radiation with full leaf thickness.  
           [0013]    Since the leaves must have a certain length to be guided safely, they are only partially loaded with the main radiation. This permits arrangement of the electrical functional elements in the rear region of the leaves, which is not subjected to the main radiation. In contrast to the prior art arrangement, the thickness of the leaves is advantageously thereby not increased by the arrangement of the displacement detecting elements. The shielding effect of the leaves can be weakened in this region via an appropriate recess, since the leaves need not shield the main radiation at this location. This rear region of the leaves is usually shielded from the main radiation by a pre-collimator, which consists of two pairs of shielding blocks, forming a rectangle. This shielding may, of course, also be provided by a window at the radiation source.  
           [0014]    A further development of the invention provides simple and precise adjustment of the displacement-detecting element through compensation by partial removal of material of the measuring resistance strip.  
           [0015]    The displacement-detecting element may be directly mounted to the leaf. Since the leaves are made from radiation-absorbing metal, a non-conducting base layer must be initially disposed onto which the resistance layer is arranged. It is also possible to provide the displacement detecting element with a separate, preferably thin housing, which can be directly and rigidly mounted to the leaf. The housing may e.g. be inserted into a recess of the leaf. The housing may be designed such that it defines a recess extending along its length. A fixed tongue is displaceably disposed in this recess, wherein the displacement corresponds to at least the length of displacement of the leaf. The housing and tongue are thereby each associated with one of the functional elements, i.e. the measuring resistance or the voltage pick-off. The strip of the measuring resistance may be disposed e.g. on the tongue and the voltage pick-off on the housing. Ideally, the housing and tongue are designed as flat plastic parts. The electrical functional elements, which have at least the maximum length of displacement performed by the leaf, are located in a gap between the housing and tongue and are therefore well protected and wear and inaccuracy due to mechanical loading is prevented. In addition to the measuring resistance, the functional elements may include a conductor path for connection of the measuring resistance and a second slide contact path.  
           [0016]    In a possible embodiment, the measuring resistance is connected to the voltage source by disposing a terminal at one end of the resistance strip and a conductor path communicates with the other end and extends parallel to the resistance strip to the other terminal of the voltage source. The resistance strip and the conductor path may moreover be disposed on the tongue wherein the resistance strip is formed as first slide contact path and a second slide contact path with a terminal is disposed parallel thereto, wherein voltage is picked-off by disposing two electrically connected wipers on the housing which slide on the slide contact paths and with means disposed between the terminals of the second slide contact path and the voltage source for converting an associated signal into displacement information.  
           [0017]    The above-mentioned arrangement provides for a particularly advantageous further development when the wipers are disposed on the outer side of the housing and penetrate through a window in the housing to slide on the slide contact paths. This design provides a particularly flat housing potentiometer. The height can be 1.4 mm or even less. This extremely thin construction is useful in particular for the above-mentioned use in multi-leaf collimators since increasingly thinner leaves are being used to obtain more precise formation of the shape of the region to be irradiated.  
           [0018]    Measurement may be performed e.g. in that the means for converting the signal into displacement information is a voltage meter which is calibrated to the displacement to be detected and which picks off the measured voltage at a resistance disposed between the terminal of the second slide contact path and one of the terminals of the first slide contact path or the conductor path.  
           [0019]    If the displacement detecting element is provided with its own housing as described above, a shielding conducting layer may be disposed on its outer surface which may be set to a certain potential, e.g. the potential of the structural component, or be grounded.  
           [0020]    In order to create very flat displacement detecting elements and/or avoid space needed for screws, the mounting is advantageously effected by providing the housing with a dovetailed outer contour, which is inserted into a complementary recess of the leaves.  
           [0021]    The displacement-detecting element may of course be spatially designed in the most different ways in dependence on the intended use. The actual displacement detecting element circuit may also have different designs. It is essential to the invention that the functional elements are directly mounted on the leaf to be measured and are designed such that they require little space, i.e. are very flat. Direct mounting to the leaves of a multi-leaf collimator is advisable to optimize position measurement. This also permits rapid and exact change of the contours of the regions to be irradiated as defined by the multi-leaf collimators. In this fashion, a region, e.g. a tumor, can be irradiated from different directions with a rapidly and precisely adjusted shape and without time delays caused by correction of hysteresis errors when the motion is reversed. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    The invention is explained below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a leaf of a multi-leaf collimator equipped in accordance with the invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 1 a  shows the leaf section I-I;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 b  schematically shows a multi-leaf collimator;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 c  shows an alternative arrangement of a displacement-detecting element on a leaf;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the inventive displacement-detecting element;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 shows a housing;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 shows a tongue of the displacement detecting element; and  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 shows further advantageous embodiments of the displacement-detecting element. 
     
    
       [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a leaf  22  of a multi-leaf collimator  23  configured in accordance with the invention. A displacement detecting element  1  formed as potentiometer comprising electrical functional elements, i.e. measuring resistance  2  or  15 , voltage pick-off  4 , conductor path  13  and slide contact path  16 , is disposed in a region  33 ,  33 ′ of a leaf  22  which is not subjected to the main radiation  34  of a radiation source  45  since this region  33 ,  33 ′ is located in the shadow of a pre-collimator  36  which delimits the main radiation  34  corresponding to the lines  46  and  46 ′ or another line—depending on the setting. Another setting of the leaf  22  is shown with dashed lines in which the front edge  44  was adjusted through an adjusting motion  38 . To safeguard the shielding region  33 ′, the pre-collimator  36  must also be displaced corresponding to the adjusting motion  39  (shown with dashed lines). In this embodiment, the housing  9  must be shielded in regions where no electrical functional elements are provided since the shielding material should not be weakened in areas where only the leaves  22  shield the main radiation  34 . Of course, a fixed delimitation of the main radiation  36  could be provided instead of the pre-collimator  36 . The displacement-detecting element  1  should then be arranged such that no electrical functional element of the displacement-detecting element  1  can move into this main radiation  46 .  
         [0032]    This embodiment also shows that the housing  9  of the displacement-detecting element  1  has a dovetailed outer contour  31 , which is inserted into a complementary recess  32  of the leaf  22 . The housing  9  of the displacement detecting element  1  is rigidly connected to the leaf  22  by screwing it into a recess  37  and surrounds a tongue  11  which is fixed to the collimator housing by means of a mounting  43  at its bore  27 . The housing  9  may e.g. also be glued, soldered, riveted or mounted in a different fashion. In this manner, the tongue  11  can move in the housing  9  when the leaf  22  performs the adjusting motion  38  to produce, as described in detail below, a signal that is converted into displacement information through a means  5  and is processed by the control of a multileaf collimator  23 . Clearly, the latter can also effect the displacement information conversion.  
         [0033]    The illustration also shows the guidance  41  of the leaf  22  and a drive  42 , which is indicated by a bar and a double arrow. The leaf  22  has an adjustment path with indicated maximum length  7 . 7 ′ thereby shows the position on the adjusting path to be detected. It is thereby advantageous to be able to adjust the leaf  38  past the centerline  40  of the multi-leaf collimator  23  to produce desired shapes. The functional principle of shaping using the multi-leaf collimator  23  is also explained below. The front edge  44  of the leaf  22  is advantageously inclined parallel to the main radiation  34 . The corresponding device is, however, not subject matter of this application.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 1 a  shows the leaf  22  in section I-I. The leaf  22  is a thin plate (shown in larger scale than in FIG. 1). One sees that the displacement-detecting element  1  must be extremely flat. It preferably has an extremely flat housing  9  to permit insertion of the housing  9  of the displacement-detecting element  1  into a recess  37  laterally disposed in the leaf  22 . The housing  9  should not protrude since the next leaf borders at that location although it could also partially extend in a groove in the neighboring leaf.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 1 b  schematically shows a multi-leaf collimator  23  in plan view, opposite to the direction of irradiation, wherein the delimitation  24  is shown within which the leaves  22  set the opening  25  for the radiation  34 . This is effected by the drives  42  of the leaves  22  with precise positioning being obtained by the inventive displacement-detecting element  1 . Since the leaves  22  are formed as densely packed lamellas of minimum width, it is important that the displacement detecting elements  1  detect the positions of the leaves  22  while having an extremely flat construction. They can be disposed e.g. in a recess  37  on the side of the leaves  22 , above or below the material required for shielding. In this fashion, their positions can be directly detected and they can be protected from the main radiation  34  thereby avoiding error sources and obtaining an inexpensive solution requiring little space.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 1 c  shows an embodiment with an alternative arrangement of a displacement-detecting element  1  on a leaf  22 . In this case, the housing  9  of the displacement detecting element  1  is disposed on the lower side of the leaf  22  so that it is completely shielded by the leaf  22  and therefore positioned in a region  33 ′ where the main radiation  34  is largely shielded for each position of the leaf  22 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the inventive displacement-detecting element  1 . This displacement-detecting element  1  comprises a housing  9  and a tongue  11 , wherein the housing  9  has a recess  10  extended along the housing  9  in which the tongue  11 , formed in correspondence with the recess  10 , is displaceably disposed. The housing  9  can be mounted to the structural component  22  being measured via bores  28  and the bore  27  fixes the tongue  11 . In this fashion, the housing  9  is displaced relative to the tongue  11  corresponding to the position changes of the leaf  22  to which the housing  9  is mounted.  
         [0038]    To detect the position changes, the tongue  9  has a measuring resistance  2  formed as resistance strip  6 . The irregular edge of the resistance strip  6  constitutes a compensation  8 , which is provided by removing part of the material from the resistance strip  6  to serve for precise adjustment of the displacement-detecting element  1 . The measuring resistance  2  has a terminal  12  at one end and its other end is connected to a conductor path  13  which extends parallel to the resistance strip  6  to the second terminal  14  of the measuring resistance  2 , disposed next to the first terminal  12 . The voltage source  3  is connected to these terminals  12  and  14 . A second slide contact path  16  is disposed on the tongue  11  which extends parallel to the resistance strip  6  and the conductor path  13  and which has a terminal  17 . The resistance strip  6  serves as first slide contact path  15 .  
         [0039]    The voltage pick-off  4  is effected in that the housing  9  has a first wiper  18  and a second wiper  19  which are electrically connected to thereby produce an electrical connection between the measuring resistance  2  and the second slide contact path  16  at the respective position. For this reason, all the terminals  12 ,  14  and  17  are located on the fixed tongue  11 . This avoids cable connections subjected to motion, which could cause cable breakage. To increase the reliability of the contact, the wipers  18 ,  19  are fork-shaped and have several contact zones. In the position detected herein, the wipers  18 ,  19  are disposed on the partial length  7 ′ of the full displacement path  7  of a leaf  22  to be detected. Advantageously, the first and second wiper  18  and  19  pass through a window  21  of the housing  9 . The two wipers  18  and  19  can be resiliently disposed without requiring too much height. This embodiment permits flat construction of the displacement-detecting element  1  and mounting to very flat leaves  22 .  
         [0040]    The voltage pick-off  4  permits measurement between the terminal  17  and one of the terminals  12  or  14  by means of which the length of the respective displacement  7 ′ and therefore the position of a leaf  22  can be determined. The measurement can be effected by disposing a resistance  20  between the terminals  17  and  12  or  14  where the voltage is picked off using a means for converting the signal into displacement information  5 . This may be a voltage meter calibrated to the displacement. The resistance  20 , the means  5  for converting a signal into displacement information and the voltage source  3  are symbolically drawn here. This or a corresponding function is generally integrated in the overall electronics of the device. The signals of the displacement detecting elements of all leaves are advantageously passed on to the control device of the multi-leaf collimator to thereby form the desired contours in a rapid and exact fashion.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 2 shows a conducting layer  26 , which is mounted on the housing  9  for shielding. A further conducting layer  26 ′ serves for soldering on the wipers  18  and  19 . This layer  26 ′ is very thin.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 3 shows a housing  9  of the inventive displacement-detecting element  1  which must be sufficiently long to permit a pushing motion of the tongue  11  relative to the housing  9 , which corresponds, to the length of maximum displacement  7  of the leaf  22  to be detected. The other structural components correspond to those already described in FIG. 2.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 4 shows a tongue  11  of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 wherein the measuring resistance  2  must have the above-mentioned length of displacement  7 . Compensation  8  of the measuring resistance  2  was effected within this region. The figure also shows the connection between the end of the resistance strip  6  opposite to the terminal  12  and the conductor path  13 , which leads to the other terminal  14 . The second slide contact path  16  must also have the same length  7 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 5 shows advantageous embodiments of the displacement-detecting element  1 . In one embodiment, electrical functional elements such as the measuring resistance  2 , the conductor path  13  and the second slide contact path  16  are disposed in a gap  29  between the housing  9  and the tongue  11  to protect them from wear and soiling. Such a gap  29  can be realized e.g. by two steps  30  in the recess  10 .  
         [0045]    A further advantageous embodiment has the above-mentioned dovetailed outer contour  31  of the housing  9  to be able to insert the housing  9  into the leaf  22  to be detected. In this manner, a very flat displacement-detecting element  1  can be mounted to very flat leaves  22  of multi-leaf collimators  23 .  
         [0046]    This embodiment is of course only one possible realization of the invention. Depending on the design of the leaves  22 , it is also possible to dispose the electrically insulated measuring resistance  2  directly on a leaf  22  and make the voltage pick-off  4  stationary. The housing  9  and tongue  11  can also have other designs. The functional elements  2  and  4  may also be disposed vice versa. Other shapes are also feasible. One leaf can have several displacement detecting elements  1  to increase the operating safety through a checking measurement and/or via increased precision of displacement detection.  
         [0047]    Displacement Detecting Element  
         [0048]    List of Reference Numerals  
         [0049]    [0049] 1  displacement-detecting element (potentiometer)  
         [0050]    [0050] 2  measuring resistance (functional element)  
         [0051]    [0051] 3  voltage source  
         [0052]    [0052] 4  voltage pick-off (functional element)  
         [0053]    [0053] 5  means for converting the signal into displacement information  
         [0054]    [0054] 6  resistance strip  
         [0055]    [0055] 7  maximum length  
         [0056]    [0056] 7 ′ part of the displacement (displacement to be detected)  
         [0057]    [0057] 8  balance  
         [0058]    [0058] 9  housing  
         [0059]    [0059] 10  recess  
         [0060]    [0060] 11  tongue  
         [0061]    [0061] 12  terminal of the measuring resistance  
         [0062]    [0062] 13  conductor path  
         [0063]    [0063] 14  connection of the measuring resistance (via conductor path)  
         [0064]    [0064] 15  first slide contact path (measuring resistance)  
         [0065]    [0065] 16  second slide contact path  
         [0066]    [0066] 17  terminal of the second slide contact path  
         [0067]    [0067] 18  first wiper (at the measuring resistance)  
         [0068]    [0068] 19  second wiper (at the second slide contact path)  
         [0069]    [0069] 20  resistance  
         [0070]    [0070] 21  window  
         [0071]    [0071] 22  leaf  
         [0072]    [0072] 23  multi-leaf collimator  
         [0073]    [0073] 24  delimitation  
         [0074]    [0074] 25  opening for radiation  
         [0075]    [0075] 26 ,  26 ′ conducting layers  
         [0076]    [0076] 27  bore for mounting the tongue  
         [0077]    [0077] 28  bore for mounting the housing  
         [0078]    [0078] 29  gap  
         [0079]    [0079] 30  steps  
         [0080]    [0080] 31  dovetailed outer contour  
         [0081]    [0081] 32  complementary recess for dovetailed outer contour  
         [0082]    [0082] 33   33 ′,  33 ″ region of the leaves, which is not subjected to main radiation  
         [0083]    [0083] 33  region shielded by the pre-collimator  
         [0084]    [0084] 33  region of shielding in a different position of the pre-collimator  
         [0085]    [0085] 33  region shielded by the leaves  
         [0086]    [0086] 34  main radiation  
         [0087]    [0087] 35  side of the leaves facing away from radiation  
         [0088]    [0088] 36  pre-collimator  
         [0089]    [0089] 37  recess on the leaves for insertion of the housing  9   
         [0090]    [0090] 38  double arrow: adjusting motion of the leaf  
         [0091]    [0091] 39  double arrow: adjusting motion of the pre-collimator  
         [0092]    [0092] 40  center line of the multi-leaf collimator  
         [0093]    [0093] 41  guidance of the leaf  
         [0094]    [0094] 42  drive of the leaf  
         [0095]    [0095] 43  mounting of the tongue  
         [0096]    [0096] 44  front edge of the leaves  
         [0097]    [0097] 45  radiation source  
         [0098]    [0098] 46   46 ′ delimitation of the main radiation