Patent ID: 12194313

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings, to enable those skilled in the art to implement the embodiments with reference to texts of the description.

In order to make objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the invention more apparent and clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings and the embodiments. Words “connect”, “mount”, “fix”, or the like described in the following descriptions may indicate direct connection, mounting and fixation, or indicate indirect connection, mounting and fixation to allow to interpose third-party substance, or indicate detachable connection, mounting and fixation, or indicate non-detachable connection, mounting and fixation, unless indicated specifically.

Radiation ray therapy is a common means for treating cancers. As shown inFIG.1toFIG.3, a radiation ray therapy system for performing radiation ray therapy includes a radiation ray generation device1, an irradiation chamber2, a management chamber3, a carrying device4, and an irradiation parameter verification device5. The radiation ray generation device1is configured to generate radiation rays for therapy. The irradiation chamber2is configured to place a patient S subjected to irradiation of the radiation rays therein. The management chamber3is configured to implement irradiation control. The carrying device4is configured to transport and bear the patient S. The irradiation parameter verification device5is configured to determine whether the patient S is properly positioned.

Referring toFIG.1, the radiation ray generation device1is configured to generate the radiation rays outside the irradiation chamber2and may irradiate the radiation rays to the patient S placed in the irradiation chamber2. A collimator6is arranged in the irradiation chamber2, and includes an inlet61through which the radiation rays enter and a collimator outlet62through which the radiation rays emit, a center line X of the collimator outlet62is aligned with a to-be-irradiated part of the patient S. The collimator6is divided into two parts, that is, a section of the collimator close to the inlet61is defined as a front end portion64, a section collimator close to the collimator outlet62is defined as a rear end portion65, and the rear end portion65of the collimator6has a size of 1 mm to 10 mm in a direction parallel to the center line X of the collimator6. The management chamber3is a room for managing and controlling an overall therapy procedure of irradiating the radiation rays, for example, a manager confirms whether the patient S is positioned in place or not by his/her naked eyes from interior of the management chamber3. The carrying device4is configured to carry the patient S to perform rotation, translation and lifting movement.

Referring toFIG.2, the carrying device4includes a carrying member41, a driving member42, and a connection member43. The carrying member41is configured to carry the patient S. The driving member42is configured to drive the carrying member41to rotate and/or move. The connection member43is connected between the carrying member41and the driving member42. In the embodiment disclosed in the invention, the carrying member41is a flat bed plate, the connection member43is a mechanical arm, and the driving member42is a common power source or manual driver, such as a cylinder driving the mechanical arm to move, or the like. In other embodiments, the carrying member41may be configured as a carrying chair with a chair shape, and the connection member43may be configured as a linkage mechanism, of course, they are not limited to structures as listed above.

Before irradiation therapy is performed by the radiation rays, the manager needs to determine whether the patient S is positioned to a proper position, specifically, whether the patient S's position relative to the collimator outlet62is suitable to perform irradiation therapy by the radiation rays. When irradiation therapy is performed by the radiation rays based on a suitable position, the radiation rays may kill tumor cells in the patient S's body to a maximum extent and reduce damage caused by the radiation rays to normal tissues around the tumor cells as much as possible. Therefore, before irradiation therapy is performed by the radiation rays, the irradiation parameter verification device5is required to verify the patient S's position, to ensure that the patient S is located at a suitable to-be-irradiated position. The patient S's position refers to position parameters of the patient S's tumor center with respect to a coordinate origin, i.e., irradiation parameters. Each set of the irradiation parameters includes an irradiation point and an irradiation angle. In the embodiment disclosed in the invention, the irradiation parameters (X, Y, Z, (D) are determined by taking a center point of the collimator outlet62as the origin.

Referring toFIG.3, the irradiation parameter verification device5includes an image acquisition unit51, a storage unit52, a conversion unit53, a calculation unit54, and a comparison unit55. The image acquisition unit51is configured to acquire image data of the patient S and the collimator6. The storage unit52is configured to store the image data of the patient S and the collimator6obtained from the image acquisition unit51. The conversion unit53is configured to convert the image data of the patient S and the collimator6in the storage unit52into corresponding irradiation parameters. The calculation unit54is configured to calculate dose distribution of the radiation rays in the patient S's body at a position, in combination with the irradiation parameters in the conversion unit53. The comparison unit55is configured to compare the dose distribution calculated by the calculation unit54with a preset dose distribution. The preset dose distribution is stored in the storage unit52.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.4, a shape of the collimator6may be cylindrical, cuboid, conical, or the like, according to actual requirements. In the invention, a conical collimator6is used as an example, the collimator6has a length of 0 to 50 cm, the inlet61has a diameter of 0.5 to 30 cm, and an inlet of the image acquisition unit51has a size smaller than 100 cm. In a process of acquiring the image data of the patient S and the collimator6, when the collimator6has a large size, the whole collimator6cannot be transported together with the patient S to interior of the image acquisition unit51, to acquire images thereof. In an actual operation process, the conversion unit53only requires image data of a relative position between the collimator outlet62and the patient S, to obtain position parameters of the patient S's tumor center with respect to the coordinate origin (the center point of the collimator outlet62), i.e., irradiation parameters. Specifically, only shape and size of the collimator outlet62and image data of a relative position between an end face of the collimator outlet62and the patient S are provided to the conversion unit53, so that only a collimator model8capable of practically presenting the shape and size of the collimator outlet62is manufactured, and is transported together with the patient S to the interior of the image acquisition unit51for radiography. The collimator model8includes a collimator model inlet81and a collimator model outlet82, a direction perpendicular to the collimator outlet62and the collimator model outlet82is defined as a length direction, and then the collimator model outlet82has shape and size identical to the shape and size of the collimator outlet62respectively, but the collimator model8has a length smaller than the length of the collimator6.

In the invention, the collimator model8having shape and size completely identical to shape and size of the rear end portion65of the collimator6respectively is manufactured, and is transported together with the patient S to the interior of the image acquisition unit51for radiography. That is, in a direction parallel to the center line X of the collimator model8, the collimator model8has a size of 1 mm to 10 mm.

In other embodiments, a simulated collimator with shape and size completely identical to shape and size of the collimator6respectively may be manufactured, the simulated collimator has definitions consistent with the inlet61, the collimator outlet62, the front end portion64and the rear end portion65of the collimator6, and then the rear end portion65of the simulated collimator is taken as the collimator model8, to be placed together with the patient S into a working range of the image acquisition unit51for radiography. Specifically, in a direction parallel to the center line X of the simulated collimator, the rear end portion65has a size of 1 mm to 10 mm.

In other embodiments, a hollow cylinder with shape and size identical to shape and size of the collimator outlet62respectively may be manufactured as the collimator model8, to be placed together with the patient S into the working range of the image acquisition unit51for radiography, and in a direction parallel to the centerline X of the collimator model8, the collimator model8has a size of 1 mm to 10 mm.

Referring toFIG.4andFIG.5, in order to adjust and fix a relative position between the patient S and the collimator model8, the radiation ray therapy system further includes an adjustment mechanism9configured to adjust and fix the relative position between the patient S and the collimator model8. Before the patient S and the collimator model8are transported into the working range of the image acquisition unit51for radiography, a doctor or physicist adjusts and fixes the collimator model8to a suitable position through the adjustment mechanism9according to his/her experience, and in this position, the patient S's tumor center corresponds to a set of irradiation parameters. Structure of the adjustment mechanism9is not limited, as long as the relative position between the collimator model8and the patient S may be adjusted and fixed.

Before performing irradiation therapy by the radiation rays, it is required to determine, by the irradiation parameter verification device5, whether the patient S's position relative to the collimator model outlet82is suitable to perform irradiation therapy by radiation rays. Before verification, the doctor or physicist places and fixes the patient S at a corresponding position on the carrying member41according to his/her experience, and then adjusts a position of the collimator model8relative to the patient S and locks the collimator model8. Specific operations are as follows.

In operation S1, the carrying member41moves to a working area of the image acquisition unit51to acquire the image data of the patient S and the collimator model8.

In operation S2, the storage unit52stores the image data of the patient S and the collimator model8obtained from the image acquisition unit51.

In operation S3, the conversion unit53converts the image data of the patient S and the collimator model8in the storage unit52into irradiation parameters corresponding to the position.

In operation S4, the calculation unit54calculates dose distribution of the radiation rays in the patient S's body when the patient S is located at a position corresponding to the irradiation parameters, based on other information, such as beam intensity, tumor size, or the like, in combination with the irradiation parameters.

In operation S5, the comparison unit55compares the dose distribution calculated by the calculation unit54with the preset dose distribution.

In operation S6, a relative position between the collimator model and the patient is adjusted, and operations S1-S5are repeated, until a difference between the dose distribution obtained from the calculation unit54with the preset dose distribution is within an acceptable range.

After obtaining irradiation parameters to which a corresponding dose distribution is within the acceptable range, the driving member42of the carrying device4drives the carrying member41to move to the position corresponding to the irradiation parameters, to irradiate the radiation rays.

In the embodiment disclosed in the invention, the image acquisition unit51is a CT scanner, and in other embodiments, other devices may be selected to acquire images.

In a first embodiment, an inner cavity of the collimator model8has a cylindrical shape, and one collimator model8corresponds to one collimator model outlet82with a unique shape and size, and in second and third embodiments, multiple collimator model outlets82with different sizes are marked on one collimator model8′,8″, to achieve a purpose of obtaining multiple sets of irradiation parameters by radiography once. Specifically, referring toFIG.5, in the second embodiment, multiple cylindrical cavities82′ with different diameters are processed inside the collimator model8′, in a direction parallel to a center of the collimator model8′, and referring toFIG.6, in the third embodiment, multiple annular grooves82″ with different diameters are formed at intervals on an end face of the collimator model8″, here center lines of the multiple cylindrical cavities82′ coincide, and center lines of the multiple annular grooves82″ coincide. Each cylindrical cavity82′ and annular groove82″ with different diameters represent a corresponding collimator model outlet82. The cylindrical cavity82′ and the annular groove82″ correspond to a circular collimator outlet62, and when the collimator outlet62has a square shape or another shape, the cylindrical cavity82′ and the annular groove82″ are correspondingly replaced by a square cavity, a square groove, or the like. Preferably, in a direction from the collimator model outlet82to the collimator model inlet81, a diameter of the cylindrical cavity82′ processed inside the collimator model8′ gradually decreases.

According to the invention, a collimator model8including a collimator model outlet82with shape and size identical to shape and size of the collimator outlet62respectively but with a length smaller than a length of the collimator6is used, and is transported together with the patient S into the interior of the image acquisition unit51for radiography, it is unnecessary to place a complete collimator6into the image acquisition unit51, so that requirements for a size of a working range of the image acquisition unit51are reduced. Furthermore, multiple collimator model outlets82with different sizes are marked on one collimator model8′,8″, to achieve a purpose of obtaining multiple sets of irradiation parameters by radiography once, thereby greatly reducing cost of manufacturing the collimator model8′,8″ and cost of radiography of the collimator model8′,8″ and the patient S.

As an effective means for treating cancers, application of neutron capture therapy gradually increases in recent years, in which BNCT is most commonly seen, and neutrons supplied to BNCT may be supplied by a nuclear reactor or accelerator. Preferably, the radiation ray is a neutron beam, the radiation ray generation device1is a neutron beam generation device, the radiation ray therapy system is a neutron capture therapy system. More preferably, the neutron capture therapy system is a BNCT system, and further, the BNCT system is an accelerator BNCT system.

The above embodiments are only intended to explain the invention, rather than limiting technical solutions described in the invention, and understanding of the description should be based on those skilled in the art. Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments in the description, it should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that those skilled in the art may still make modifications or equivalent substitutions to the invention, and all technical solutions and modifications thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, shall fall within the scope of claims of the invention.