A system for treating a target tissue with a charged particle beam, wherein the target tissue includes tumoral cells surrounded by or encloses healthy cells of healthy tissue, the system comprising a computer configured to receive a total target dose, receive a fraction number irradiation fractions for treating, receive a maximum healthy fraction dose and a maximum healthy total dose, receive an equivalence coefficient (α), divide the total target dose into the target fraction doses, and determine a ratio of a target fraction dose to be deposited at a conventional deposition rate and a complementary ratio of the target fraction dose to be deposited at a high deposition rate based on an equivalent fraction dose, the maximum healthy fraction dose, a total equivalent dose, and the maximum healthy total dose.
The invention discloses a method for measuring and checking the irradiation of a product by a radiation source using a measuring device. After conveying the product in front of the radiation source, the radiation beam irradiates the front of the product and passes through to hit the at least two detectors, which are pointing to the same target zone of the radiation source by a collimator. Finally, the recorded signal of each detector is compared with the signals determined in the performance qualification.
The present invention concerns a radiation treatment station comprising a dynamic shaping device for shaping a series of pencil beams. The dynamic shaping device comprises a dynamic ridge filter and a dynamic range shifter. The ridge filter comprises filter rows, each composed of a same selection of filter modules of different energy spreading properties distributed along a length of the filter row parallel to the Y-axis. The range shifter comprises shifter rows, each composed of a same selection of shifter modules of different range shifting properties distributed along a length of the shifter row parallel to the Y-axis. The filter rows and shifter rows can be translated along the Y-axis independently of one another to yield radiation modules formed by a filter module and a shifter module aligned along a corresponding irradiation axis. By translating the filter rows and shifter rows during scanning of the pencil beams, the dynamic shaping device adapts dynamically to a predefined treatment plan.
METHOD FOR DEFINING A SCANNING SEQUENCE FOR RADIATION TREATMENT OF A TARGET VOLUME, BY PENCIL BEAM SCANNING (PBS) AT ULTRA HIGH DOSE DEPOSITION RATE (HDR)
The present disclosure concerns a method for defining an irradiation scanning sequence of spots characterizing a target area (At) of a target volume (Vt) of complex geometry, ensuring that doses (Dj) are deposited at an ultra-high dose deposition rate (HDR) onto a significant fraction of specific volumes (vi) defining a critical volume (Vc). An array of spots (Sj) is defined covering at least the target area (At). A pseudo-mediatrix (M) is determined, defining a backbone of the geometry of the target area. The spots are joined to one another to define an irradiation path (IP) as a function of the trajectory of the pseudo-mediatrix (M), to define the irradiation scanning sequence.
The present disclosure discloses a method for measuring and checking the irradiation of a product by a radiation source using a measuring device. After conveying the product in front of the radiation source, the radiation beam irradiates the front of the product and passes through to hit the at least two detectors, which are pointing to the same target zone of the radiation source by a collimator. Finally, the recorded signal of each detector is compared with the signals determined in the performance qualification.
A computer-based method for updating risk analysis parameters of a proactive risk analysis of a technical system, such as of an FMEA analysis for example. The method uses incident report data obtained during posterior operation of the technical system, compares these incident report data with data of the proactive risk analysis, and updates the said risk analysis parameters in function of said comparison.
The present invention concerns a method for designing a ridge filter for a charged particle accelerator, for depositing with beams of accelerated particles (100.i) specific doses (Dij) into specific locations within a treatment volume (V) of tissue comprising tumoral cells (3t) by single layer pencil beam scanning (PBS), according to a predefined treatment plan (TP), the method comprising the following steps,
Defining an array of spots (Si) defining the bases of cylindrical subvolumes (Vi) defining the treatment volume (V); the subvolumes (Vi) are divided into N cells (Cij).
The ridge filter is designed comprising the same number of energy degrading units (11.i) as there are spots (Si). Each energy degrading unit (11.i) is formed by N cylindrical degrading subunits (11.ij) of lengths (Lij) and area (Aij).
The lengths (Lij) of each degrading subunit (11.ij) are calculated as Lij=Wij/Wu, and Wij=W0−dij, wherein
Wij is the desired subunit water equivalent thickness (Wij),
Wu is the subunit water equivalent thickness per unit length (Wu),
W0 is the maximum beam range and
dij is the desired position of the Bragg peak along the irradiation axis (X).
The area (Aij) of each degrading subunit (11.ij) is obtained by determining the area boundary (Aij) of the integral at the numerator satisfying the following Equation (1).
The present invention concerns a method for designing a ridge filter for a charged particle accelerator, for depositing with beams of accelerated particles (100.i) specific doses (Dij) into specific locations within a treatment volume (V) of tissue comprising tumoral cells (3t) by single layer pencil beam scanning (PBS), according to a predefined treatment plan (TP), the method comprising the following steps,
Defining an array of spots (Si) defining the bases of cylindrical subvolumes (Vi) defining the treatment volume (V); the subvolumes (Vi) are divided into N cells (Cij).
The ridge filter is designed comprising the same number of energy degrading units (11.i) as there are spots (Si). Each energy degrading unit (11.i) is formed by N cylindrical degrading subunits (11.ij) of lengths (Lij) and area (Aij).
The lengths (Lij) of each degrading subunit (11.ij) are calculated as Lij=Wij/Wu, and Wij=W0−dij, wherein
Wij is the desired subunit water equivalent thickness (Wij),
Wu is the subunit water equivalent thickness per unit length (Wu),
W0 is the maximum beam range and
dij is the desired position of the Bragg peak along the irradiation axis (X).
The area (Aij) of each degrading subunit (11.ij) is obtained by determining the area boundary (Aij) of the integral at the numerator satisfying the following Equation (1).
ω
ij
∑
j
ω
ij
=
∫
∫
Aij
F
(
y
,
z
)
·
dy
·
dz
∫
∫
Abi
F
(
y
,
z
)
·
dy
·
dz
,
wherein
(
1
)
ωij/Σjωij is the normalized beam weight,
F(y,z) is the fluence of the beam,
Abi is the base area (Abi) of the degrading unit (11.i).
The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania (USA)
Inventor
Hotoiu, Lucian
Labarbe, Rudi
Vander Stappen, François
Pakela, Julia
Teo, Boonkeng Kevin
Zou, Wei
Abstract
The present invention concerns a method for assessing a quality of a beam shaping device (11) manufactured according to a planned device design (11d) for shaping a beam (100.i) of accelerated particles emitted by a particle accelerator system, the method comprising,
(a) establishing with a treatment planning system (TPS) the planned device design (11d) of the beam shaping device,
(b) manufacturing the beam shaping device according to the planned device design,
(c) establishing a CT-scan of the beam shaping device to yield an actual CT-image (11a),
(d) determining dimensions and local materials densities from the actual CT-image,
(e) determining a calculated dose distribution in the treatment volume (V) obtained by virtually irradiating the treatment volume with the beam through a virtual beam shaping device having a geometry and a density defined by the device actual CT-image,
(f) comparing the calculated dose distribution (cDD) with a reference dose distribution (rDD).
G01N 23/046 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups , or by transmitting the radiation through the material and forming images of the material using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
B33Y 80/00 - Products made by additive manufacturing
G01N 9/24 - Investigating density or specific gravity of materialsAnalysing materials by determining density or specific gravity by observing the transmission of wave or particle radiation through the material
G01N 23/06 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups , or by transmitting the radiation through the material and measuring the absorption
9.
DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TUNING A CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM POSITION
A particle therapy apparatus configured to scan a charged particle beam over a target according to a pre-defined treatment field which covers a treatment surface in an isocenter plane of the apparatus. The apparatus is capable of scanning the beam over a reachable surface which covers and is larger than the treatment surface. A beam stopper is arranged downstream of the scanning magnets of the apparatus, at a position to prevent the beam from reaching at least a portion of the reachable surface and to allow the beam to reach any portion of the treatment surface. A control system is configured to control the apparatus to direct the beam to the beam stopper and to meanwhile measure a position of the beam, to calculate a difference between a desired position and the measured position of the beam when directed to the beam stopper, and to scan the beam over the target according to the pre-defined treatment field by taking into account the calculated difference.
An RF power combiner/divider that combines a plurality of inputs into a combined output and comprises an isolating circuit coupling the inputs to a common floating point is provided. The isolating circuit includes a grounded resonant cavity inside which transmission lines are arranged, each of the transmission lines having a first end respectively connected to one of the inputs and an opposite second end connected to a grounded resistor arranged outside of the resonant cavity. Each of the transmission lines is coupled to a coupling portion of the resonant cavity, one end of the coupling portion being connected to ground and an opposite end of the coupling portion forming the common floating point.
COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR REDUCING THE RISK OF INTERRUPTING AN IRRADIATION TREATMENT SESSION DUE TO A DEVIATION FROM A PLANNED VALUE OF AN OPERATING PARAMETER OF A PARTICLE ACCELERATING SYSTEM
A computer implemented method for optimizing tolerance values of operating parameters of a particle accelerating system allowing a plurality of beamlets of particles accelerated along an irradiation axis, to deposit doses by pencil beam scanning into a structure of interest of a patient according to a treatment plan. The method calculates the dose (rate) volume histograms for a statistically representative number N of values randomly selected within a defined confidence level in preselected tentative statistical distributions of the operating parameters and compares the obtained calculated dose (rate) volume histogram with an acceptable band of variation of a target dose (rate) volume histogram. Once a tentative statistical distribution yields N calculated dose (rate) volume histograms which all fall within the acceptable band of variation, it is set as the final statistical distribution, and the particle accelerating system can be programmed with the final statistical distribution.
A system for converting an electron beam into a photon beam includes an electron accelerator configured for generating an electron beam of accelerated electrons along an irradiation axis (Z); a scanning unit; a focusing unit for forming a focused beam converging towards a first focusing point (Fx) located on the irradiation axis (Z); a converting unit located between the focusing unit and the first focusing point (Fx), and comprising one or more bremsstrahlung converters, configured for converting the focused beam into a photon beam, wherein the one or more bremsstrahlung converters are curved such that the focused beam intersects each of the one or more bremsstrahlung converters with an intersecting angle comprised between 65° and 115° at all points, preferably between 75° and 105° at all points; and a target holder configured for holding a target.
G21G 1/12 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by electromagnetic irradiation, e.g. with gamma or X-rays
H01J 35/14 - Arrangements for concentrating, focusing, or directing the cathode ray
13.
SYSTEM FOR PRODUCTION OF RADIOISOTOPES BY BREMSSTRAHLUNG COMPRISING A CURVED CONVERTER
The present invention concerns a system for converting an electron beam into a photon beam comprising,= an electron accelerator (1) configured for generating an electron beam (10) of accelerated electrons along an irradiation axis (Z),= a scanning unit (2)= a focusing unit (3) for forming a focused beam (10f) converging towards a first focusing point (Fx) located on the irradiation axis (Z),= a converting unit (4) located between the focusing unit (3) and the first focusing point (Fx), and comprising one or more bremsstrahlung converters (4.1-4.n), configured for converting the focused beam (10f) into a photon beam (11x),= a target holder (5h) configured for holding a target (5),Characterized in that, the one or more bremsstrahlung converters (4.1-4.n) are curved such that the focused beam (10f) intersects each of the one or more bremsstrahlung converters (4.1-4.n) with an intersecting angle (a) comprised between 65 and 115 at all points, preferably between 75 and 105 at all points.
A particle therapy system that is adapted to irradiate a target volume (1) with charged particles in compliance with a desired 3-D dose distribution. Such a desired 3-D dose distribution is achieved while delivering a plurality of particle energy distributions at the output of an energy-shaping device (10) crossed by an incident mono-energetic charged particle beam (6). The energy-shaping device comprises a plurality of groups (12, 22) of energy-shaping elements (11, 21), each of them comprising an individual layer of fluid or solid material (13), which thickness is adapted individually by a control unit (14). The use of configurable layers of fluids or solid materials makes the energy-shaping device reusable for treating different patients.
A computer-based method for generating one or more FTA fault trees from an FMEA table of a technical system or vice versa. The method includes defining a common data set for both the FMEA table and the one or more FTA fault tree(s) of the technical system, obtaining data of the common data set for the technical system, selecting a representation of the technical system as a FMEA table or as one or more FTA fault tree(s), and using the data of the common data for generating and displaying on a graphical user interface the FMEA table of the technical system or one or more FTA fault tree(s) of the technical system, depending on the selected representation.
th flash spot (Si) the beam commutes from the ith flash spot (Si) to a next (i+1)th flash spot according to a flash scanning subsequence to deposit a jth dose into the cells spanned by each of the subsequent flash spots of the flash scanning subsequence, until returning to the ith flash spot to deposit a (j+1)th dose (Di(j+1)), and so on When all the cells spanned by all the flash spots of a set have received their corresponding target dose, the beam moves to a next set of combined flash spots and repeats the foregoing pulse deposition steps.
A radiotherapy apparatus for the delivery of an energetic beam to a target tissue in a treatment zone, including: a rotatable gantry for rotating the end of a beam delivery system about a circle centered on an isocentre and normal to an axis of rotation Z1 of the gantry, the path between the end of the beam delivery system and the isocentre defining a central beam axis Z2 at every rotation angle of the gantry about the axis of rotation Z1; an imaging ring having a central bore and an imaging system for acquiring images of a patient in an imaging zone of the imaging system, wherein the imaging ring is located in the radiotherapy apparatus such that its imaging zone intersects the axis of rotation Z1 of the gantry, and wherein the imaging ring is mechanically coupled to the rotatable gantry through a mechanical structure.
The present invention concerns an apparatus for irradiating goods with a radiation (11x) selected from X-rays or electron beam, comprising.cndot. a source (11) of radiation (11x) configured for emitting the radiation (11x) along an irradiation volume (Xv) centred on an irradiation axis (X),.cndot. a conveyor (3) configured for driving the goods loaded in two or more transport units (1.i) of unit height (h1i) measured along a vertical axis (Z) through the irradiation volume such as to expose a first portion of the goods to the radiation,wherein, the transport units (1.i) are loaded in totes (5) of tote height, and wherein the conveyor (3) is configured for driving the totes (5) carrying N transport units (1.i) loaded with the goods, such that a tote (5) holds N transport units, with N .epsilon. N and N .gtoreq. 1, arranged on top of one another extending over a total height (ht) and wherein, each transport unit (1.i) is held in place in a tote (5) by one or more support elements (5s), such that.smallcircle. The total height (ht) is comprised between 40% and 100% of the tote height (h5) (i.e., 40% h5 ht h5),.smallcircle. The N transport units (1.1-1.N) loaded in a tote span over at least 70%, preferably at least 80% of the total height (ht) (i.e., .SIGMA.~, h1. i .gtoreq.70% ht),.smallcircle. The total height (ht) is centred relative to the tote height (h5) within ~20% (i.e., (Ht1 ¨ 1/2 ht) = 1/2 h5 ~ 20%)..
An apparatus includes a radiation source configured to emit a radiation along an irradiation volume, and a conveyor configured to drive goods loaded in two or more transport units through the irradiation volume so as to expose a first portion of the goods to the radiation. The transport units may be loaded in totes of a tote height, and the conveyor may be configured to drive the totes. The totes may be arranged on top of one another, and each transport unit may be held in place in a tote by one or more support elements such that a total height of the totes is between 40% and 100% of the tote height, the transport units are loaded in a tote span over at least 70% of the total height, and the total height is centered relative to the tote height within about 20%.
The present invention concerns an apparatus for irradiating goods with X-rays, comprising a first source of X-rays configured for emitting X-rays along a first irradiation volume centered on a longitudinal axis (X), and a conveyor configured for driving goods such as to expose a first portion of the goods through the first irradiation volume,
wherein, the conveyor is configured for driving the target products through the irradiation volume along a vertical axis (Z).
The present invention concerns an apparatus for irradiating goods (1g) with X-rays (11x, 12x), comprising= A first source (11) of X-rays configured for emitting X-rays along a first irradiation volume (11x) centred on a longitudinal axis (X),= A conveyor (3h, 3v) configured for driving goods such as to expose a first portion of the goods (1g) through the first irradiation volume,wherein, the conveyor (3v) is configured for driving the target products (1) through the irradiation volume (11x) along the vertical axis (Z).
A particle therapy system that is adapted to irradiate a target volume (1) with charged particles in compliance with a desired 3-D dose distribution. Such a desired 3-D dose distribution is achieved while delivering a plurality of particle energy distributions at the output of an energy- shaping device (10) crossed by an incident mono-energetic charged particle beam (6). The energy-shaping device comprises a plurality of groups (12, 22) of energy-shaping elements (11, 21), each of them comprising an individual layer of fluid or solid material (13), which thickness is adapted individually by a control unit (14). The use of configurable layers of fluids or solid materials makes the energy-shaping device reusable for treating different patients.
A treatment planning system for generating a plan for treatment by radiation with charged particles beams applied by pencil beam scanning onto a target tissue comprising tumoral cells is provided. The treatment planning system performs a dose definition stage defining the doses to be deposited within the peripheral surface, a beam definition stage defining positions and dimensions of the beamlets of the PBS during the at least one high rate fraction, the beams definition stage including a dose rate definition stage comprising at least one high rate fraction, and a beamlets scanning sequence stage defining a scanning sequence of irradiation of the beamlets. The beamlets scanning sequence stage optimizes a time sequence of beamlets emission such that at the end of a fraction j, a dose is deposited onto at least a predefined fraction of each specific volume at a mean deposition rate superior or equal to a predefined value.
A treatment planning system for generating a plan for treatment with charged particles beams, of a target tissue including tumoral cells enclosed within a peripheral surface, which is surrounded by healthy cells the plan including N fractions of irradiation including irradiation of volumes including tumoral cells and healthy cells at a conventional dose deposition rate, irradiation of volumes including tumoral cells and healthy cells at an ultra-high dose deposition rate, wherein an equivalent healthy fraction dose does not exceed a maximum equivalent healthy fraction dose for preserving the healthy cells after each fraction, and a total equivalent healthy dose delivered to and cumulated in a volume of a healthy tissue at the end of N fractions does not exceed a maximum equivalent healthy dose for preserving the healthy cells at the end of the N fractions.
The present disclosure relates to scintillating detector systems for radiation therapy beams. In one implementation, a detector system for evaluating radiation delivered by a radiation beam output from a beam generator may include a phantom enclosing an internal volume and having an outer surface, extending around the internal volume, for exposure to radiation, and an inner surface coated, at least in part, with a scintillating material and facing the internal volume. The system may further include a camera external to the enclosed volume and configured to view at least a portion of the inner surface, through an opening of the hollow phantom, when radiated by the radiation beam. The system may further include at least one processor configured to receive images from the camera and calculate, based on the received images, a spatial dose distribution produced by the radiation delivered by the radiation beam to the hollow phantom.
A synchrocyclotron for extracting charged particles accelerated to an extraction energy includes a magnetic unit comprising N valley sectors and N hill sectors, and configured for creating z-component of a main magnetic characterized by a radial tune of the successive orbits. The synchrocyclotron includes a first instability coil unit and a second instability coil unit configured for creating a field bump of amplitude increasing radially. The amplitude of the field bump may be varied to reach the value of the offset amplitude at the average instability onset radius. The offset amplitude may be the minimal amplitude of the field bump at the average instability onset radius required for sufficiently offsetting the center of the orbit of average instability onset radius to generate a resonance instability to extract the beam of charged particle at the average instability onset radius.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
41 - Education, entertainment, sporting and cultural services
Goods & Services
Computer software platforms, recorded or downloadable; Computer platforms for sharing scientific and medical files; Collaborative software platforms in the scientific and medical field; Electronic downloadable publications in the medical and scientific sector. Publishing of scientific papers, publication of medical papers; Further training, In relation to the following fields: Provision of teaching classes, medicine; Organisation of Webinars, Arranging of colloquiums, Arranging of lectures, Organisation of seminars, Organizing of symposia, In relation to the following fields: Provision of teaching classes, medicine.
The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for producing Ac-225 from Ra-226, comprising submitting Ra-226 to a photo-nuclear process, collecting an electrochemical precipitation of an Ac-225 on a cathode in a recipient, removing the cathode from the recipient after the electrochemical precipitation of the Ac-225, transferring the cathode to a hot cell environment, and extracting the Ac-225 from the cathode in the hot cell environment. The Ra-226 may comprise a liquid solution in the recipient, and submitting Ra-226 to the photo-nuclear process may comprise irradiating the Ra-226 to produce Ra-225. The Ra-225 may decay into Ac-225 upon irradiation of the Ra-226.
G21G 1/00 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes
G21G 1/12 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by electromagnetic irradiation, e.g. with gamma or X-rays
G21G 4/04 - Radioactive sources other than neutron sources
- 14 - Abstract A method for producing Ac-225 from Ra-226 A method for producing Ac-225 from Ra-226, wherein said Ra-226 is present as a liquid solution in a recipient, said Ra-226 being submitted to a photo-nuclear process wherein the Ra-226 (y,n) is irradiated to produce Ra-225 which then decays into the Ac-225, the formed Ac-225 being collected by an electrochemical precipitation of it on a cathode present in said recipient, said cathode being removed from said recipient after said precipitation occurred and brought into a hot cell environment where said Ac-225 is extracted from said cathode. Fig. 2 Date Recue/Date Received 2020-11-03
G21G 1/12 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by electromagnetic irradiation, e.g. with gamma or X-rays
30.
Phantom and method for the quality assurance of a hadron therapy apparatus
The disclosure provides a phantom and method for quality assurance of a hadron therapy apparatus used in the intensity modulated particle therapy mode. The phantom comprises a frame structure comprising a base plate, one or more energy wedges, an energy wedge first face inclined with respect to said base plate and an energy wedge second face perpendicular to said base plate, said one or more energy wedges being mounted on said base plate, a 2D detector; said one or more wedges, and 2D detector being in known fixed positions in relation to said frame structure. Said phantom comprises in addition a Spread-Out Bragg Peak wedge, said SOBP wedge having an SOBP wedge first face inclined with respect to said base plate, and a SOBP wedge second face, perpendicular to said base plate, said SOBP wedge being made of a material having a relative density higher than 1.3 preferably 1.5, more preferably 1.7, the distance between the SOBP wedge first face and SOBP second face varying between the penetration depth of a beam having an energy between the high and low limit energy of the beam of said hadron therapy apparatus. The disclosure also provides a method for determining the compliance of the planned SOBP with the actual SOBP.
In accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, a rack comprising a frame having first vertical posts on a first side and second vertical posts on a second side, between which a plurality of RF amplifier modules are mounted, is provided. The RF power outputs of the RF amplifier modules are connected to inputs of an RF power combiner to deliver a combined RF power output. The RF power combiner is arranged at least partially in at least one of a first volume between the first vertical posts of the frame or a second volume between the second vertical posts of the frame, thereby reducing a footprint of the rack.
A vario-energy electron accelerator includes a resonant cavity consisting of a closed conductor, an electron source injecting a beam of electrons into the resonant cavity, an RF system coupled to the resonant cavity and generating an electric field in the resonant cavity, magnet units centred on a mid-plane and generating a field in a deflecting chamber in fluid communication with the resonant cavity, the magnetic field deflecting along a first deflecting trajectory of adding length an electron beam exiting the resonant cavity along a first radial trajectory to reintroduce it into the resonant cavity along a second radial trajectory, an outlet for extracting along an extraction path an accelerated electron beam from the resonant cavity towards a target, wherein at least one of the magnet units is adapted for modifying the first deflecting trajectory to a second deflecting trajectory, allowing a variation of the energy of the electron beam.
H05H 13/10 - Accelerators comprising one or more linear accelerating sections and bending magnets or the like to return the charged particles in a trajectory parallel to the first accelerating section, e.g. microtrons
G21K 1/093 - Deviation, concentration, or focusing of the beam by electric or magnetic means by magnetic means
G21K 5/04 - Irradiation devices with beam-forming means
H05H 7/02 - Circuits or systems for supplying or feeding radio-frequency energy
A particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator for generating a charged particle beam, a beam delivery device, a beam transport system for transporting the beam from the particle accelerator to the beam delivery device, and a supporting device for supporting a subject. The beam delivery device is rotatable around the target and with respect to the supporting device, so as to be able to deliver the beam to the target according to a plurality of irradiation angles. The system also includes a controller configured to make the beam delivery device rotate at a beam-on speed and meanwhile to irradiate the target with the beam. The controller is configured to make the beam delivery device rotate at at least two different beam-on speeds with respect to the supporting device, a first speed corresponding to a first irradiation angle and a second speed corresponding to a second irradiation angle.
The invention relates to off-center detector X-ray tomography reconstruction of an image of an object on the basis of projection data acquired during a rotation of an X-ray source and the off-center detector around the object in two rotational passes of less than 360°, wherein a focus point of the X-ray beam travels along largely overlapping arcs (401, 402) in the two rotational passes, the off-center detector being positioned asymmetrically with respect to a central of the X-ray beam and a direction of a detector offset being reversed between the passes. According to the invention, redundancy weighting of the projection data with respect to a redundant acquisition of projection values during each of the rotational passes is made using a redundancy weighting function determined on the basis of a union of the arcs (401, 402).
G01N 23/046 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups , or by transmitting the radiation through the material and forming images of the material using tomography, e.g. computed tomography [CT]
44 - Medical, veterinary, hygienic and cosmetic services; agriculture, horticulture and forestry services
Goods & Services
Medical radiation apparatus; radiation therapy devices; radiation therapy machines and related software sold as a unit; medical dose meter that measures the total radiation dose received by a patient during a diagnostic procedure; medical procedure tables. Radiation oncology services.
37.
System and method for detecting hardware degradation in a radiation therapy system
An electron accelerator including a resonant cavity, an electron source, an RF system, and at least one magnet unit is provided. The resonant cavity further includes a hollow closed conductor and the electron source is configured to radially inject a beam of electrons into the cavity. The RF system is configured to generate an electric field to accelerate the electrons along radial trajectories. The at least one magnet unit further-includes a deflecting magnet configured to generate a magnetic field that deflects an electron beam emerging out of the resonant cavity along a first radial trajectory and redirects the electron beam into the resonant cavity along a second radial trajectory. The resonant cavity further includes a first half shell, a second half shell, and a central ring element.
A capsule for the transfer of a target material in a conveying system between a target irradiation station and a collecting station comprising: a beamline channel for the passage of an energetic beam irradiating the target material, a target holder holding the target material or a substrate backing the target material at a glancing angle with respect to the beamline channel axis, a degrader foil positioned across the beamline channel for degrading an energy of the energetic beam upstream of the target material, a target cooling inlet and a target cooling outlet for passage of a cooling fluid in a target cooling duct in a vicinity of the target holder such that the target material can be cooled during an irradiation, and a degrader foil cooling inlet and a degrader foil cooling outlet for passage of a cooling gas in a vicinity of the degrader foil.
G21G 1/00 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes
G21G 1/10 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by bombardment with electrically-charged particles
System for the irradiation of a target material Capsule for the transfer of a target material (2) in a conveying system between a target irradiation station and a collecting station, such as a hot cell, comprising: - a beamline channel (4) for the passage of an energetic beam irradiating said target material (2), - a target holder (1) for holding the target material (2) or a substrate backing the target material (2), - a housing (3) for enclosing said target holder (1), said housing being openable such that the target material (2) can be inserted in or removed from the target holder (1) when the housing (3) is opened, - a degrader foil (5a, 5b, 5c), said degrader foil being positioned across the beamline channel (4), - at least one target cooling inlet (14) and one target cooling outlet (15), - at least one degrader foil cooling inlet (20) and one degrader foil cooling outlet (21).
The present disclosure relates to scintillating detector sytems for quality assurance of radiation therapy beams. In one implementation, a detector system for evaluating radiation delivered by a radiation beam output from a beam generator may include a phantom enclosing an internal volume and having an outer surface, extending around the internal volume, for exposure to radiation, and an inner surface coated, at least in part, with a scintillating material and facing the internal volume. The system may further include a camera external to the enclosed volume and configured to view at least a portion of the inner surface, through an opening of the hollow phantom, when radiated by the radiation beam. The system may further include at least one processor configured to receive images from the camera and calculate, based on the received images, a spatial dose distribution produced by the radiation delivered by the radiation beam to the hollow phantom.
A cyclotron for accelerating a beam of charged particles and extracting the beam. The cyclotron includes a vacuum chamber; a target support element sealed and coupled to the vacuum chamber and including a tubular channel leading to a target; first energy specific extraction kit including a first stripper assembly with a stripper located at a first stripping position for stripping charged particles at a first energy and a second energy specific extraction kit for driving modified charged particles of second energy along a second extraction path towards a target holder, wherein the energy specific extraction kit includes: a second stripper assembly with a stripper located at a second stripping position for stripping charged particles at a second energy and an insert for modifying an orientation of the tubular channel to match the second extraction path such that the modified charged particles of second energy intercept the target holder.
A cyclotron for accelerating charged particles includes: a first and second superconducting main coils arranged parallel to one another on either side of a median plane; and at least a first and second field bump modules arranged on either side of the median plane, and extending circumferentially over a common azimuthal angle for creating a local magnetic field bump in the main magnetic field. Each of the field bump modules includes at least one superconducting bump coil locally generating a broad magnetic field bump having a bell-shape defined by a first gradient of the z-component in a radial direction, r. Each of the field bump modules further includes at least one superconducting bump shaping unit positioned such as to locally steepen the first gradient produced by the at least one superconducting bump coil, when said at least one superconducting bump shaping unit is activated.
The present invention relates to a particle therapy apparatus used for radiation therapy. More particularly, this invention relates to a gantry for delivering particle beams which comprises means to analyse the incoming beam. Means are integrated into the gantry to limit the momentum spread of the beam and/or the emittance of the beam.
The present invention concerns a cyclotron for accelerating a beam of charged particles over an outward spiral path until the beam of charged particles reaches a desired energy, and for extracting said beam to hit a target (20t), said cyclotron comprising: .cndot. A vacuum chamber circumscribed by a peripheral wall (8) and comprising an opening (8o), .cndot. a target support element (20) sealingly coupled to a downstream end of the opening (8o), outside the vacuum chamber, and comprising a tubular channel (20c) leading to a target holder for holding a target (20t), .cndot. a first stripper assembly (10i) with a stripper located at a first stripping position, Pi, for stripping charged particles at a first energy, Ei, Characterized in that, the cyclotron comprises an energy specific extraction kit for driving modified charged particles of second energy, Ej, with j .noteq. i, along a second extraction path, Sj, through the opening in the peripheral wall, along the tubular channel, and towards the target holder, wherein the energy specific extraction kit comprises, .cndot. a second stripper assembly (10j) with a stripper located at a second stripping position, Pj, for stripping charged particles at a second energy, Ej,: and .cndot. an insert (21j) to be sandwiched between the downstream end of the opening (80) and the target support element (20) with an insert channel (21c) for modifying an orientation of the tubular channel to match the second extraction path, Sj, such that the modified charged particles of second energy, Ej, intercept the target holder.
68Ga isotope in hydrochloric acid solution. The present disclosure also relates to a disposable cassette for performing the steps of purification and concentration of the process.
G21G 1/00 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes
B01J 47/00 - Ion-exchange processes in generalApparatus therefor
B01J 41/05 - Processes using organic exchangers in the strongly basic form
G21G 1/10 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by bombardment with electrically-charged particles
A magnet for transporting a particle beam in a target magnet field may include a first set of coils and a second set of coils. According to some aspects, the first and second set of coils may be configured to generate a combined desired magnetic field within the bore and may be configured to generate a combined magnetic field weaker than the desired magnetic field outside the bore.
This disclosure is related to an apparatus and method for commissioning or performing a quality assurance (QA) verification of a radiation therapy (RT) device. The device may comprise: (a) a motorised water phantom; (b) a RT controller configured for obtaining operation parameters of fields, and causing the RT device to emit a beam according to said operations parameters; (c) a QA controller having a memory for storing a measurements plan, the measurements plan including data defining a sequence of fields, and d) a reference radiation detector adapted and positioned for intercepting said radiation beam and for measuring the dose rate of said radiation beam. The reference radiation detector may be substantially transparent to the radiation beam. The QA controller may include an acquisition interface for acquiring and storing the dose rate from the reference radiation detector. The device may also include a processor configured to check the synchronism between the dose rate from the field radiation detector and the dose rate from the reference radiation detector.
In accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, a rack comprising a frame having first vertical posts on a first side and second vertical posts on a second side, wherein the first side is opposite the second side, between which a plurality of RF amplifier modules are mounted, is provided. The RF power outputs of the RF amplifier modules are connected to inputs of an RF power combiner to deliver a combined RF power output. The RF power combiner is arranged at least partially in at least one of a first volume between the first vertical posts of the frame or a second volume between the second vertical posts of the frame, thereby reducing a footprint of the rack.
The invention relates to off-center detector X-ray tomography reconstruction of an image of an object on the basis of projection data acquired during a rotation of an X-ray source and the off-center detector around the object in two rotational passes of less than 360°, wherein a focus point of the X-ray beam travels along largely overlapping arcs (401, 402) in the two rotational passes, the off-center detector being positioned asymmetrically with respect to a central of the X-ray beam and a direction of a detector offset being reversed between the passes. According to the invention, redundancy weighting of the projection data with respect to a redundant acquisition of projection values during each of the rotational passes is made using a redundancy weighting function determined on the basis of a union of the arcs (401, 402).
The invention relates to off-center detector 3D X-ray or proton radiography reconstruction. Redundancy weighting with a steep weighting function around the iso-axis typically leads to artifacts in the reconstruction, for example, if inconsistencies between two nominal redundant projections occur, e.g. due to slightly incorrect detector calibration or scatter correction, etc. With the present invention, an approach is presented for overcoming or mitigating these problems.
A particle therapy apparatus for irradiating a diseased part of a patient's eye with a charged particle beam comprises a particle accelerator to generate the particle beam, a movable irradiation nozzle adapted to direct the particle beam towards the patient's eye according to different beam directions, and a patient support adapted to receive and hold the patient in a treatment position. The apparatus further comprises a pencil beam scanning subsystem configured to scan the particle beam over the diseased part of the patient's eye, a movable marker arranged in such a way that it is visible by the patient while he is in the treatment position and a controller configured to move said marker to a pre-determined and patient-specific position before starting an irradiation of the eye with the particle beam.
A61B 3/14 - Arrangements specially adapted for eye photography
A61B 90/00 - Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups , e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
53.
Compact electron accelerator comprising permanent magnets
An electron accelerator is provided. The electron accelerator comprises a resonant cavity comprising a hollow closed conductor, an electron source configured to inject a beam of electrons, and an RF system. The electron accelerator further comprises a magnet unit, comprising a deflecting magnet. The deflecting magnet is configured to generate a magnetic field in a deflecting chamber in fluid communication with the resonant cavity by a deflecting window. The magnetic field is configured to deflect an electron beam emerging out of the resonant cavity through the deflecting window along a first radial trajectory in the mid-plane (Pm) and to redirect the electron beam into the resonant cavity through the deflecting window towards the central axis along a second radial trajectory. The deflecting magnet is composed of first and second permanent magnets positioned on either side of the mid-plane (Pm).
H05H 13/10 - Accelerators comprising one or more linear accelerating sections and bending magnets or the like to return the charged particles in a trajectory parallel to the first accelerating section, e.g. microtrons
H05H 7/02 - Circuits or systems for supplying or feeding radio-frequency energy
H05H 7/08 - Arrangements for injecting particles into orbits
H05H 13/00 - Magnetic resonance acceleratorsCyclotrons
54.
Compact electron accelerator comprising first and second half shells
An electron accelerator comprising a resonant cavity, an electron source, an RF system, and at least one magnet unit is provided. The resonant cavity further comprises a hollow closed conductor and the electron source is configured to radially inject a beam of electrons into the cavity. The RF system is configured to generate an electric field to accelerate the electrons along radial trajectories. The at least one magnet unit further comprises a deflecting magnet configured to generate a magnetic field that deflects an electron beam emerging out of the resonant cavity along a first radial trajectory and redirects the electron beam into the resonant cavity along a second radial trajectory. The resonant cavity further comprises a first half shell, a second half shell, and a central ring element.
H05H 13/10 - Accelerators comprising one or more linear accelerating sections and bending magnets or the like to return the charged particles in a trajectory parallel to the first accelerating section, e.g. microtrons
G21K 1/093 - Deviation, concentration, or focusing of the beam by electric or magnetic means by magnetic means
55.
Phantom and method for quality assurance of a particle therapy apparatus
A phantom and method for quality assurance of a particle therapy apparatus used in the intensity modulated particle therapy (IMPT) mode is provided. The phantom comprises a frame structure having a first face and a second face that is parallel to the first face. The phantom further comprises one or more wedges, and a first and second block of material each having a first block face and a second block face parallel thereto. In addition, the phantom further includes an absolute dosimeter arranged at the first block face. A plurality of beads of high density material is located in the first or second block, and a 2D detector is arranged at the second face of the frame structure.
The present disclosure relates to a particle therapy apparatus for irradiating a target with a charged particle beam. In one implementation, the apparatus includes an isocentric gantry rotatable about an axis and configured to direct a particle beam towards an isocenter of gantry and according to a final beam direction, a magnetic resonance imaging system configured to generate a main magnetic field parallel to the final beam direction, and a passive magnetic shield surrounding the magnetic resonance imaging system, the passive magnetic shield and the magnetic resonance imaging system being synchronously rotatable with the gantry about the axis.
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for the synthesis of chemical compounds, e.g., radiopharmaceutical compounds. In one implementation, the apparatus may include a synthesis module and a loading module configured to receive multiple chemical cassettes having reagents and a transfer mechanism. The apparatus may further include a shifter configured to move the cassettes from a location on the loading module to a location connected to the synthesis module on an interface configured to connect to the cassette.
The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and system for controlling the extraction of ion beam pulses produced by a synchrocyclotron. The synchrocyclotron comprises electrodes configured to be placed in a magnetic field. An alternating voltage is applied between the electrodes, and the frequency of the alternating voltage is modulated in a cyclic manner. In other embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of starting an acceleration cycle of the synchrocyclotron, generating a reference signal when the modulated frequency reaches a predefined value, communicating the time, at which the reference signal is generated, to the beam control elements, assessing one or more status parameters of the one or more beam control elements, and cancelling or proceeding with the extraction of the beam pulse depending on the results of the assessment.
The present disclosure relates to a radiation sensor. In one implementation, the sensor may include a radiation detector array having a plurality of pixels; at least two readout connectors having a plurality of contacts, each readout connector being configured for receiving a readout module; a routing circuit having conductors configured for routing electrical signals from each of the plurality of pixels to a corresponding contact of one of the readout connectors. The plurality of pixels is grouped in two or more groups of pixels, at least two pixels of a first group of pixels being separated by at least one pixel from another group of pixels. The routing circuit is configured for leading pixels of the first group of pixels to a first readout connector, and pixels from the other group of pixels to a second readout connector.
The present disclosure relates to a magnet pole for an isochronous sector-focused cyclotron having hill and valley sectors alternatively distributed around a central axis, Z, each hill sector having an upper surface bounded by four edges: an upper peripheral edge, an upper central edge, a first and a second upper lateral edges. The upper surface of at least one hill sector may further include: a recess extending over a length between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis intersecting the upper peripheral edge and the upper central edge. The recess may be separate from the first and second upper lateral edges over at least 80% of its length, and a pole insert having a geometry fitting in the recess may be positioned in, and reversibly coupled to the recess.
The present disclosure relates to a magnet pole for an isochronous sector-focused cyclotron having hill and valley sectors alternatively distributed around a central axis, Z, each hill sector having an upper surface bounded by four edges: an upper peripheral edge, an upper central edge, a first and a second upper lateral edges, and a peripheral surface extending from the upper peripheral edge to a lower peripheral line. The upper peripheral edge of at least one hill sector may further include a concave portion with respect to the central axis defining a recess extending at least partially over a portion of the peripheral surface of the corresponding hill sector.
The present disclosure relates to a magnet pole for an isochronous sector-focused cyclotron having hill and valley sectors alternatively distributed around a central axis, Z, each hill sector having an upper surface bounded by four edges: an upper peripheral edge, an upper central edge, a first and a second upper lateral edges. The upper peripheral edge of a hill sector may be an arc of circle whose center is offset with respect to the central axis, and whose radius, Rh, is not more than 85% of a distance, Lh, from the central axis to a midpoint of the upper peripheral edge. Furthermore, the midpoint may be equidistant to the first and second upper distal ends.
The present disclosure relates to compact isochronous sector-focused cyclotrons having reduced dimensions and weight compared with state of the art cyclotrons of same energies. In one implementation, a cyclotron may include two pole magnets facing each other in a chamber defined by a yoke having base plates and flux return yokes forming a lateral wall of the chamber. The magnet poles may include between three and eight hill sectors alternating with a same number of valley sectors distributed about a central axis. The lip of the abyssal opening may be positioned at a distance from the corresponding valley peripheral edge. The flux return yoke may have a thickness in the portions facing valley sectors, such that the ratio of the product of the distance times the thickness to the square of the distance of the peripheral edge to the central axis is less than 5%.
H05H 13/10 - Accelerators comprising one or more linear accelerating sections and bending magnets or the like to return the charged particles in a trajectory parallel to the first accelerating section, e.g. microtrons
A magnet pole for an isochronous sector-focused cyclotron comprising hill and valley sectors alternatively distributed around a central axis, Z, each hill sector comprises an upper surface bounded by four edges: an upper peripheral edge, an upper central edge, a first and a second upper lateral edges, and a peripheral surface extending from the upper peripheral edge to a lower peripheral line. The upper peripheral edge of at least one hill sector further comprises a concave portion with respect to the central axis defining a recess extending at least partially over a portion of the peripheral surface of the corresponding hill sector
A magnet pole for an isochronous sector-focused cyclotron comprising hill and valley sectors alternatively distributed around a central axis, Z, each hill sector comprises an upper surface bounded by four edges: an upper peripheral edge, an upper central edge, a first and a second upper lateral edges. The upper surface of at least one hill sector further comprises: a recess extending over a length between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis intersecting the upper peripheral edge and the upper central edge; said recess being separate from the first and second upper lateral edges over at least 80% of its length, and a pole insert having a geometry fitting in said recess and being positioned in, and reversibly coupled to said recess.
The present invention concerns compact isochronous sector-focused cyclotrons having reduced dimensions and weight compared with state of the art cyclotrons of same energies. A cyclotron according to the present invention two pole magnets 2 facing each other in a chamber defined by a yoke comprising base plates 5 and flux return yokes 6 forming a lateral wall of the chamber. The magnet poles comprise N = 3 to 8 hill sectors 3 alternating with a same number of valley sectors 4 distributed about a central axis, Z. The valley sectors comprise a bottom surface 4B, defined by a valley peripheral edge 4vp and provided with an abyssal opening 11, extending through a thickness of the base plates. The lip of the abyssal opening is positioned at a distance, Lap, of the corresponding valley peripheral edge. The flux return yoke 6 has a thickness, Tv, in the portions facing valley sectors, such that the ratio, (Lap .times. Tv) / Lv2, of the product of the distance, Lap, of the abyss perimeter to the valley peripheral edge of each valley sector times the flux return yoke thickness, Tv, to the square of the distance, Lv, of the peripheral edge to the central axis. Z, is less than 5%, wherein each of Lap, Tv, and Lv are measured along an abyss radial axis, Lar. This allows more compact and lighter cyclotrons to be produced than hitherto available.
A magnet pole for an isochronous sector-focused cyclotron comprising hill and valley sectors alternatively distributed around a central axis, Z, each hill sector comprises an upper surface bounded by four edges: an upper peripheral edge, an upper central edge, a first and a second upper lateral edges. The upper peripheral edge of a hill sector comprises an arc of circle which centre is offset with respect to the central axis, and which radius, Rh, is not more than 85% of a distance, Lh, from the central axis to a midpoint of the upper peripheral edge, which is equidistant to the first and second upper distal ends (Rh / Lh .ltoreq. 85%).
The invention relates to a method for quality assurance of a radiation field (30) emitted by a radiation therapy apparatus (10), comprising the steps of: (i) providing an ionization chamber (40) detector as reference detector for measuring the dose of the radiation field (30) at the exit of the radiation head (20), said ionization chamber (40) having a size and being positioned for being traversed by said radiation beam (30), said ionization chamber (40) having an attenuation equivalent to less than 1 mm Al; (ii) providing one or more field detectors (50); moving the field detector (50) across the radiation field (30) and measuring simultaneously the dose from the field detector (50) and from the ionization chamber (40); (iii) computing the ratio of the dose from the field detector (50) to the dose of the ionization chamber (40). The invention also relates to a device for performing the method.
The present disclosure relates to a particle therapy system for irradiating a target with a scanning beam technique. In one implementation, the system includes an irradiation planning device with a planning algorithm configured to associate a particle beam energy E(i) to each spot of the irradiation plan and organize the spots in a sequence of spots according to energy. The system may further include a control system configured for controlling in parallel, from spot to spot, a variation of an output energy of a beam generator, a variation of a magnetic field of one or more electromagnets of a beam transport system and a variation of a magnetic field of the scanning magnet.
The present invention relates to a process for purifying and concentrating 68Ga isotope produced by the irradiation with an accelerated particle beam of a 68Zn target in solution. The process according to the invention allows for the production of pure and concentrated 68Ga isotope in hydrochloric acid solution. The present invention also relates to a disposable cassette suitable to perform the steps of purification and concentration of the process.
G21G 1/10 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by bombardment with electrically-charged particles
71.
PHANTOM AND METHOD FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF A PARTICLE THERAPY APPARATUS
The invention provides a phantom and method for quality assurance of a particle therapy apparatus used in the intensity modulated particle therapy mode. The phantom comprises a frame structure; one or more wedges; a first and second block of material each having a first block face and a second block face parallel thereto; an absolute dosimeter arranged at said first block face; a plurality of beads of high density material located in said blocks and a 2D detector. The components are arranged in a known fixed position in relation to the frame structure. A central bead is maintained in a central known fixed position in relation to the frame structure. The components are arranged in the frame structure so that a beam will traverse the phantom, through the central bead, without traversing any material besides said central bead.
An apparatus comprising a wireless communication device for enabling the remote control of a medical apparatus The apparatus includes a remote control enable device comprising a transmitter and one or more switches, actuatable by enable buttons. The buttons allow an operator to close the switch(es), causing the transmitter to send a status signal related to the status (open or closed) of the switch(es), to a receiver configured to communicate said status signal to a control unit. The control unit verifies the signal on a number of criteria. When all required criteria have been met, remote control of the medical apparatus is allowed. In an embodiment the remote control enable device is configured to maintain the power supply to a transmitting chip sufficiently long, upon opening a switch, so that a check can be performed on the correct functioning of the switch after the switch has been opened.
The present invention relates to a particle therapy apparatus used for radiation therapy. More particularly, this invention relates to a gantry for delivering particle beams which comprises means to analyze the incoming beam. Means are integrated into the gantry to limit the momentum spread of the beam and/or the emittance of the beam.
A radiation sensor (1) comprises a radiation detector array (21) comprising a plurality of pixels (33, 34); at least two readout connectors (11, 12) having a plurality of contacts, each of said readout connectors being configured for receiving a readout module; a routing circuit (10) having conductors configured for routing electrical signals from each of said plurality of pixels (33,34) to a corresponding contact of one of said readout connector (11,12). The plurality of pixels is grouped in two or more groups of pixels (33, 34), at least two pixels of a first group of pixels (33) being separated by at least one pixel from another group of pixels (34) in the radiation detector array (21). The routing circuit is configured for leading pixels of said first group of pixels (33) to a first readout connector (11), and pixels from said other group of pixels (34) to a second readout connector (12). A corresponding method associated thereto is also disclosed.
Disclosed systems and methods may include an imaging system. The imaging system may include a 4D-CBCT apparatus able to generate a plurality of CBCT images corresponding to different temporal phases. The imaging system may also include a radiographic apparatus able to generate a radiograph. Further, the imaging system may include a synchronization device for correlating a radiograph of said radiographic apparatus with a CBCT image generated by said 4D-CBCT apparatus, such that a reference radiograph can be determined.
Cyclotron for accelerating charged particles around an axis, comprising an electromagnet with an upper pole and a lower pole, producing a magnetic field in the direction of said axis; a Dee electrode assembly and a counter Dee electrode assembly separated from each other by a gap for accelerating said charged particles and a pair of ion sources located in a central region of the cyclotron. Said ion sources are located at a distance of said axis such that the particles emitted from the first ion source pass between said first and second ion sources after a path of half a turn, and radially outwards of the second ion source after a path of three half-turns, and reciprocally.
Disclosed embodiments include an electron accelerator, having a resonant cavity having an outer conductor and an inner conductor; an electron source configured to generate and to inject a beam of electrons transversally into the resonant cavity; a radio frequency (RF) source coupled to the resonant cavity and configured to: energize the resonant cavity with an RF power at a nominal RF frequency, and generate an electric field into said resonant cavity that accelerates the electrons of the electron beam a plurality of times into the cavity and according to successive and different transversal trajectories; and at least one deflecting magnet configured to bend back the electron beam that emerges out of the cavity and to redirect the electron beam towards the cavity.
H05H 13/10 - Accelerators comprising one or more linear accelerating sections and bending magnets or the like to return the charged particles in a trajectory parallel to the first accelerating section, e.g. microtrons
H05H 7/02 - Circuits or systems for supplying or feeding radio-frequency energy
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Scientific apparatus and instruments; Apparatus for the production of ionising radiation, X-rays for industrial irradiation, X-ray imaging, non-destructive testing, ionisation of foodstuffs.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
10 - Medical apparatus and instruments
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
Scientific apparatus and instruments for industrial and research use, and in particular computer software and equipment (in particular particle accelerators) for sterilisation, ionisation and treatment of materials, transmutation, dosimetry and measuring, production of energy, production of radioisotopes, particle physics research, detection of explosives and smuggled goods; Computer software for medical use or integrated computer software in the context of medical applications. Medical apparatus and instruments or integrated apparatus and instruments in the context of medical applications, and in particular particle accelerators for medical use, proton therapy and radiotherapy equipment, brachytherapy apparatus and equipment, instruments for medical purposes, for dosimetry, equipment for the production of radioisotopes, targets (devices comprising a precursor of the radioisotope to be obtained), for the production of radioisotopes, radioisotopes, radiopharmaceuticals, used in particular in medical imaging, oncology and nuclear medicine; Radioactive artificial implants; Display markers (being implants visible to X-rays or via other means of medical imaging), for medical diagnosis. Scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; Industrial analysis and research services; Software design and development; Engineering, all the aforesaid in connection with the goods claimed in classes 9 and 10.
The present disclosure relates to an accessory holder attachable to or integrated in the nozzle of an apparatus for particle beam irradiation treatment. The accessory may be an aperture piece, a range shifter or any other element that can be placed in the beam path between the outer end of the nozzle and the irradiated target. The accessory holder may be equipped with first displacement means for moving the accessory away from or towards the nozzle, thereby moving the accessory forwards and backwards in the direction of the beam and second displacement means for moving the accessory into or out of the beam path. Measurements or treatment steps may be performed with and without the accessory in the beam path, without interrupting the treatment.
The invention relates to a method for quality assurance of a radiation field (30) emitted by a radiation therapy apparatus (10), comprising the steps of: (i) providing an ionization chamber (40) detector as reference detector for measuring the dose of the radiation field (30) at the exit of the radiation head (20), said ionization chamber (40) having a size and being positioned for being traversed by said radiation beam (30), said ionization chamber (40) having an attenuation equivalent to less than 1 mm Al; (ii) providing one or more field detectors (50); moving the field detector (50) across the radiation field (30) and measuring simultaneously the dose from the field detector (50) and from the ionization chamber (40); (iii) computing the ratio of the dose from the field detector (50) to the dose of the ionization chamber (40). The invention also relates to a device for performing the method.
A multiple energy single electron beam generator (1) comprising a generator system (2) adapted to deliver a first beam of electrons (13) at a first energy (E1) along a first axis (A1) at a first output (14) and a second beam of electrons (23) at a second energy (E2) along a second axis (A2) at a second output (24), the second energy being different from the first energy and the second axis being different from the first axis, a controller (40) configured to pilot the generator system (2) so that the first and second beams of electrons are delivered alternatively, and a beam redirection magnet (30) positioned to receive the first and the second beams of electrons (13, 23) according to said first axis (A1) and second axis (A2) respectively and configured to redirect the first and second beams of electrons (13, 23) along a third axis (A3).
Institut National des Science Appliquées de Lyon (France)
Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) (France)
Inventor
Freud, Nicolas
Roellinghoff, Frauke
Testa, Etienne
Pinto, Marco
Smeets, Julien
Abstract
The disclosure is related to an apparatus and method for charged hadron therapy verification. The apparatus comprises a collimator comprising a plurality of collimator slabs of a given thickness, spaced apart so as to form an array of mutually slit-shaped openings, configured to be placed at a right angle to the beam line, so as to allow the passage of prompt gammas from the target, the collimator being defined at least by three geometrical parameters being the width and depth of the slit-shaped openings and a fill factor. The disclosure is also related to a method for charged hadron therapy verification with a multi-slit camera.
The invention relates to a hadron therapy installation that comprises an irradiation unit (1) supported by a rotary support structure, so as to be able to rotate around a target volume (15) centered on the axis of rotation (22), to deliver a treatment beam (17) from different angles on the target volume (15). An imaging device (3, 4) is secured in rotation with the irradiation unit (1) and translatable relative to the irradiation unit (1) between a retracted position at the irradiation unit (1) and a lateral deployed position relative to the target volume (15), such that in its deployed position, the imaging device (3, 4) can rotate around the target volume (15) together with the irradiation unit (1). Such an installation can be used for a cone beam computed tomography method and/or a fluoroscopic imaging method on a patient to be treated in the hadron therapy installation.
The present disclosure relates to a hadron therapy installation comprising a moving floor in the form of a deformable band guided in a guide structure. The moving floor comprises a lower segment and an upper segment. The lower segment can be pulled by the irradiation unit from a lower docked position to a position in which the lower segment forms a substantially horizontal floor surface when the irradiation unit is in a first angular position. The upper segment can be pulled by the irradiation unit from an upper docked position to a position in which the upper segment at least partially forms the substantially horizontal floor surface when the irradiation unit is in a second angular position. The lower segment and the upper segment may have a finite length and a counterweight further connected to the free end of the upper segment.
The present invention relates to a dosimetry device (10) for determining a spatial distribution of a quantity of radiation incident on the dosimetry device. The device comprises a segmented electrode assembly (12) comprising an electrically non- conducting substrate (13) having a plurality of electrode elements (14) provided thereon, surrounded by ground electrodes. The device further comprises an electrically conducting sheet (16) comprising a protrusion (17) arranged such as to define a plurality of ionization chamber cavities (18) between the segmented electrode assembly (12) and the electrically conducting sheet (16). The device also comprises a voltage applying means (28) for applying a voltage difference between the electrically conducting sheet (16) and the plurality of electrode elements (14) and a routing means (25) for routing a plurality of ionization currents corresponding to the plurality of electrode elements (14) to a processing means.
The present invention is related to an apparatus and method for hadron beam verification. The apparatus allows to verify a number of different characteristics in a brief time span. The apparatus comprises at least one main degrader element and associated therewith a multiple thickness degrader element. The latter may comprise a number of patches of beam degrading material, the patches having constant but mutually different thicknesses. Alternatively, it may be a wedge-shaped element. By aiming a pencil beam at the various thicknesses, data points can be obtained which allow to make an estimation of the beam range. In addition to this, the apparatus comprises a zone where no degrader material is present, and where a measurement of the spot size can be obtained, without moving or replacing the apparatus.
The present invention is related to an apparatus for transporting a charged particle beam. The apparatus may include means for scanning the charged particle beam on a target, a dipole magnet arranged upstream of the means for scanning, at least three quadrupole lenses arranged between the dipole magnet and the means for scanning and means for adjusting the field strength of said at least three quadrupole lenses in function of the scanning angle of the charged particle beam. The apparatus can be made at least single achromatic.
G21K 1/08 - Deviation, concentration, or focusing of the beam by electric or magnetic means
G21K 5/04 - Irradiation devices with beam-forming means
G21K 5/10 - Irradiation devices with provision for relative movement of beam source and object to be irradiated
H05G 2/00 - Apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays, not involving X-ray tubes, e.g. involving generation of a plasma
H01J 37/30 - Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects
H01J 37/317 - Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects for changing properties of the objects or for applying thin layers thereon, e.g. ion implantation
H01J 37/147 - Arrangements for directing or deflecting the discharge along a desired path
H01J 37/304 - Controlling tubes by information coming from the objects, e.g. correction signals
A charged hadron therapy system for delivering charged hadron radiation to a target is provided. The system comprises a target positioning couch for supporting the target being moveable along a translation direction and a beam delivery system comprising a beam scanning means for scanning a hadron pencil beam over said target in a first scanning direction and a second scanning direction being substantially parallel with the translation direction. The beam scanning means is limited for providing a maximum scanning amplitude AY in the second scanning direction. The system comprises an irradiation controller configured for simultaneously and synchronously performing the moving of the couch and the scanning, so as to deliver charged hadron radiation to a target over a target size being larger in the Y direction than the maximum scanning amplitude AY.
The invention is related to a method for monitoring a range of a particle beam in a target. The method is using gamma detectors for detecting prompt gammas produced in the target. The time differences between the time of detecting a gamma quantum and a time of emission of a particle or a bunch of particles from the radiation device are determined. A statistical distribution of those time difference is used to deduce information related to the range of the beam. The invention is also related to an apparatus for monitoring a range based on measured time profiles of detected prompt gammas.
The invention relates to a device and a method for the monitoring of the range of a particle radiation (3) of a radiation device (1) for radiation therapy with at least one detector (2) being able to detect single gamma particles (4) and at least one analyzer (7), characterized in that when detecting a gamma particle (4), furthermore denominated as event, a signal is created in the detector (2), whereby the signal is correlated in time with the arrival of the gamma particle (4) in detector (2), the analyzer (7), analyzing the signal of the detector (2), does assign either every event or selected events a time of detection, the radiation device (1) or a separate particle detector (8) does provide a reference signal, which is correlated to the emersion of single particles or particle bunches from the radiation device (1) out of the radiation device (1) with an uncertainty in time of equal or smaller than 10 ns, a time is obtained from the reference signal for each event or each of the selected events in the analyzer (7), at which the particle or the particle bunch, which has produced the gamma particle (4) detected by the detector (2), further described as event triggering particle or particle bunch, has passed a reference plane perpendicular to the direction of the beam of the radiation device (1), the time difference between the time of the detection of the gamma particle (4) in the detector (2) and the time of the passing of the reference plane by the event triggering particle or particle bunch is calculated for each event or the selected events within the analyzer (7), at least one statistic distribution (6) of the time differences is obtained in the analyzer (7), furthermore described as time distribution (6), and that the time distribution (6) is analyzed and information about the range of the particle beam (3) is derived therefrom, so that a statement with respect to the conformity of the therapy to be monitored with the apparatus with the therapy plan can be obtained mainly from that time distribution (6).
The invention relates to a method for producing a radioisotope, which method comprises irradiating a volume of radioisotope-precursor fluid contained in a sealed cell of a target using a beam of particles of a given current, which beam is produced by a particle accelerator. The target is cooled and the internal pressure in the sealed cell is measured. During the irradiation, the internal pressure (P) in the sealed cell is allowed to vary freely. The irradiation is interrupted or its intensity is reduced when the internal pressure (P) in the sealed cell departs from a first tolerated range defined depending on various parameters that influence the variation in the internal pressure in the sealed cell during the irradiation. These parameters for example comprise, for a given target, particle beam and radioisotope-precursor fluid: the degree of filling of the hermetic cell, the cooling power used to cool the given target, and the beam current (I). The invention also relates to an installation for implementing the method.
G21G 1/10 - Arrangements for converting chemical elements by electromagnetic radiation, corpuscular radiation, or particle bombardment, e.g. producing radioactive isotopes outside of nuclear reactors or particle accelerators by bombardment with electrically-charged particles
94.
Magnet structure for an isochronous superconducting compact cyclotron
The invention relates to a magnet structure for a superconducting isochronous cyclotron for use in particle therapy. The cyclotron according to the invention is using two sets of three or more superconducting sector coil elements for generating an azimuthally varying magnetic field across the acceleration region. In this way, high-field (e.g. above 4 T) isochronous cyclotrons are provided which do not suffer the problem of a low flutter amplitude.
The invention concerns methods for adjusting the position of a main coil assembly in a cyclotron with respect to a median plane (M) and/or to a central axis (Z) of the cyclotron.
A gantry structure (16) designed for pivoting about an axis of rotation (18) and for delivering a hadron beam on a target comprises a beam delivery line (24) receiving the hadron beam in a direction essentially parallel to the axis of rotation (18), deviating it away from said axis of rotation (18) and delivering it so that the axis of the beam intersects the axis of rotation (18). The beam delivery line (24) is a self-supporting structure supported by a pivotable support arm (32) in proximity of the center of gravity of the beam delivery line (24). A counterweight (42) is supported by a support arm extension (40) on the other side of the axis of rotation (18) for compensating the moment of force due to the weight of the beam delivery line (24) and the support arm (32).
The present invention relates to an RF system (1) able to generate a voltage for accelerating charged particles in a synchrocyclotron, the RF system (1) including a resonant cavity (2) comprising a conducting enclosure (5) within which are placed a conducting pillar (3) of which a first end is linked to an accelerating electrode (4) able to accelerate the charged particles, a rotary variable capacitor (10) coupled between a second end opposite from the first end of the pillar (3) and the conducting enclosure (5), the said capacitor (10) comprising fixed electrodes (11) and a rotor (13) comprising mobile electrodes (12), the fixed electrodes (11) and the mobile electrodes (12) forming a variable capacitance able to vary a resonant frequency of the resonant cavity (2) in a cyclic manner over time, an exterior layer of the rotor (13) having a conductivity of greater than 20,000,000 S/m at 300 K. At least one part of the exterior surface (15) of the rotor (13) is a surface possessing a normal total emissivity of greater than 0.5 and less than 1, thereby allowing better cooling of the rotor and/or making it possible to dispense with a system for cooling the rotor by conduction and/or by convection.
RF device (1) able to generate an RF acceleration voltage in a synchrocyclotron. The device comprises a resonant cavity (2) formed by a grounded conducting enclosure (5) and enveloping a conducting pillar (3) to a first end of which an accelerating electrode (4) is linked. A rotary variable capacitor (10) is mounted in the conducting enclosure at a second end of the pillar, opposite from the first end, comprising at least one fixed electrode (stator) (11) and a rotor (13) exhibiting a rotation shaft (14) supported and guided in rotation by galvanically isolating bearings (20), said rotor (13) comprising one moveable electrode (12) possibly facing the stator (11). When the shaft (14) rotates, the stator and the moveable electrode together form a variable capacitance whose value varies cyclically with time. The rotor (13) is galvanically isolated from the conducting enclosure (5) and from the pillar (3). The stator (11) is connected to the second end of the pillar (3) or to the conducting enclosure (5). The rotor is respectively coupled capacitively to the conducting enclosure or to the pillar. This makes it possible to dispense with sliding electrical contacts between the rotor and respectively the conducting enclosure or the pillar.
The present disclosure relates to a cyclotron. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include an upper and lower magnet pole, an upper and lower superconducting coil arranged around each of the magnetic poles, a ring-shaped magnetic return yoke, a beam chamber between the upper and lower magnetic poles having one or more electrodes configured to accelerate ions moving substantially in the median plane, and a cryostat. The ring-shaped magnetic return yoke and the coils may form a cold mass contained within the cryostat. Further, the cryostat may not contain the upper and lower poles.
The present invention is related to an accessory holder attachable to or integrated in the nozzle of an apparatus for particle beam irradiation treatment. The accessory may be an aperture piece, a range shifter or any other element that can be placed in the beam path between the outer end of the nozzle and the irradiated target. The accessory holder is equipped with first displacement means for moving the accessory away from or towards the nozzle, thereby moving the accessory forwards and backwards in the direction of the beam and second displacement means for moving the accessory into or out of the beam path. Measurements or treatment steps can thus be performed with and without the accessory in the beam path, without interrupting the treatment. According to a preferred embodiment, the first displacement means comprises an eccentrically placed axle equipped with actuator arms which are designed to actuate a linear movement of support rods which supports the second displacement means, the latter comprising a slidable drawer into which the accessory can be inserted.
