KR102558719B1 - C-arm image-guided heavy-ion therapy apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a table supporting an object, a C-arm frame rotatably disposed in a first direction on one side of the table, an X-ray irradiation unit connected to one end of the C-arm frame to radiate X-rays to the object, a heavy particle beam irradiation unit for radiating heavy particle beams to the object, and connected to the other end of the C-arm frame to detect X-rays passing through the object or irradiated to the object among the X-rays irradiated to the object A detector configured to detect gamma rays emitted from the object by heavy particle beams and a collimator disposed above the detector may be included.

Description

C-arm image-guided heavy ion therapy device {C-ARM IMAGE-GUIDED HEAVY-ION THERAPY APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a C-arm image-guided heavy ion therapy device.

X-ray therapy and gamma ray therapy, which account for most of the radiation therapy currently used for cancer treatment, leave radiation exposure to normal tissues that occur during the treatment process, so they often leave sequelae such as subsequent cancer development. This is because when X-rays or gamma rays are incident into the human body, a large amount is absorbed in the epidermis and the absorption decreases as they penetrate deeper.

In comparison, a particle beam (e.g. hydrogen, carbon) accelerated with high energy initially delivers a low dose when passing through a material, gradually loses energy, and then stops after delivering the maximum dose at a certain depth.

Heavy particle therapy using particles such as these heavy carbons has a greater relative biological effect ratio, that is, the effect of causing cell death, than proton therapy, and can deliver a more sophisticated dose to cancer tissues. Accordingly, heavy particle therapy can significantly reduce the number and duration of treatment because the side effects are relatively small after cancer treatment and the treatment effect is large.

However, if the dose drop point of the Bragg peak is not accurately predicted due to errors in the beam delivery device, treatment plan, patient setup, etc. during heavy ion therapy, the planned dose is not sufficiently delivered to the cancer tissue, or the surrounding radiation-sensitive organs. Excessive dose is delivered, which can cause cancer treatment to fail or cause side effects in major organs.

That is, in order to prevent biological damage to the patient's body and improve the patient's safety and treatment effect, sophisticated beam delivery and accurate body dose distribution verification technology are required.

JP 2014-000128 A

One embodiment of the present invention is to provide a C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device capable of real-time verification of image-guided heavy particle treatment and patient's body dose distribution.

C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a table supporting an object, a C-arm frame rotatably disposed in a first direction on one side of the table, an X-ray irradiator connected to one end of the C-arm frame to radiate X-rays to the object, an heavy particle beam irradiation unit connected to the other end of the C-arm frame to detect X-rays passing through the object or irradiated to the object among the X-rays irradiated to the object It may include a detector for detecting gamma rays emitted from the object by the particle beam and a collimator positioned above the detector.

A rotation unit connected to the C-arm frame and rotating the collimator may be further included.

The rotation unit formed to be rotatable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction may include a first rotation member formed to connect two inner points of the C-arm frame and a second rotation member having one end connected to the first rotation member and the other end fixed to the collimator and rotated by rotation of the first rotation member.

The second rotating member may rotate in a direction parallel to an upper surface of the detection unit.

The first rotation member and the second rotation member may be formed in a rod shape.

The collimator may include a plurality of first barrier ribs disposed side by side at regular intervals therein and a plurality of second barrier ribs perpendicularly connected to the first barrier ribs and disposed side by side at regular intervals, and a penetrating portion configured to allow the X-rays or the gamma rays passing between the first barrier rib and the second barrier rib to be incident to the detector.

The detector may include a first detector configured to detect the X-rays and a second detector disposed under the first detector, coupled to the C-arm frame, and configured to detect the gamma rays.

The second detection unit may have a thickness greater than that of the first detection unit.

The collimator may be moved above the detection unit when the detection unit detects the gamma ray, and may be moved beyond the detection unit when the detection unit does not detect the gamma ray.

The C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to the C-arm with an X-ray irradiator and a detection unit, so it can be installed flexibly according to the change in patient posture and the movement of the treatment table. It is possible to evaluate the patient's condition by taking a tomographic image with a low exposure dose.

C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to verify the body dose distribution in real time during heavy particle treatment, ensuring the safety of the patient and improving the treatment effect.

1 is a front view of a C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view of the C-arm shown in FIG. 1;
(a) of FIG. 3 is a plan view of the collimator shown in FIG. 2, and (b) is a cross-sectional view AA′ of FIG.
4 is a front view showing a state of use of the C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. This invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In order to clearly describe the present invention in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and the same reference numerals are attached to the same or similar components throughout the specification.

In this specification, the terms "comprise" or "having" are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but it should be understood that the presence or addition of one or more other features or numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not excluded in advance. In addition, when a part such as a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is said to be “on” another part, this includes not only the case where it is “directly on” the other part, but also the case where there is another part in the middle. Conversely, when a part such as a layer, film, region, plate, etc. is said to be "under" another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly below" the other part, but also the case where another part exists in the middle.

Figure 1 is a front view of a C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the C-arm shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 (a) is a plan view of the collimator shown in Figure 2, (b) is a cross-sectional view A-A 'of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a front view showing a state of use of the C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a treatment room 100, a table 200, a C-arm 300, and a heavy particle irradiation unit 400.

The treatment room 100 may form a predetermined space therein. In such a treatment room 100, a table 200 for supporting the object P, a C-arm 300 for taking a tomographic image of the object, and a heavy particle beam irradiation unit 400 for treating a specific region by irradiating particle beams can be installed.

The table 200 is disposed in the inner space of the treatment room 100 and can support the object P to be examined and treated. At this time, the table 200 has a plate shape, and the object P may be seated on the upper surface. The C-arm 300 and the heavy particle beam irradiation unit 400 are disposed adjacent to the table 200, and the X-ray 331 or the heavy particle beam 410 may be irradiated to the object P on the table 200.

1 and 2 , the C-arm 300 may include a main body 310, a C-arm frame 320, an X-ray radiator 330, a detector 340, a rotation unit 350, and a collimator 360.

The main body part 310 may include a main body 311 , a fixing part 312 , a connection part 313 and a support part 314 .

The main body 311 is disposed on one side of the table 200 and a C-arm frame 320 may be connected to the front. For example, the main body 311 may have wheels installed or connected to a track formed on the bottom surface to move the C-arm 300 to a desired position.

The fixing part 312 is formed on the upper surface of the body 311 and may be fixed with the body 311 .

The connection part 313 has a bar shape disposed in a direction parallel to the ground, and the rear end may be connected to the fixing part 312 and the support part 314 may be connected to the front end.

The support part 314 is connected to the front end of the connection part 313 and may have a C-shaped arc shape with an open front. A C-arm frame 320 may be seated on the front of the support part 314 to support it.

The C-arm frame 320 may have a C-shaped arc shape with an open front, and may be coupled to the front surface of the support part 314 . The C-arm frame 320 may have a mutually symmetrical shape based on the center of circular arc curvature. As the C-arm frame 320 is moved by the body 311, the table 200 may be positioned inside.

In addition, the C-arm frame 320 may be rotatably connected with respect to the support part 314 . For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the C-arm frame 320 may rotate in the first direction R1 while sliding along the support 314 . Accordingly, the C-arm frame 320 may rotate around the table 200 .

At this time, the C-arm frame 320 has an X-ray radiator 330 and a detector 340 installed at upper and lower ends, respectively, so that the X-ray radiator 330 and the detector 340 face each other and may be spaced apart from each other.

The X-ray radiator 330 may be installed at an upper end of the C-arm frame 320 to radiate the X-ray 331 toward the object P. To this end, the X-ray emitter 330 may include an X-ray source generating X-rays 331 therein.

In this case, the X-ray source may generate X-rays 331 that are electromagnetic waves having a short wavelength and strong penetrating power emitted when high-speed electrons accelerated by a high voltage collide with an object. These X-rays 331 may pass through the object P and be incident to the detector 340 .

The detection unit 340 may include a first detection unit 341 and a second detection unit 342 .

The second detection unit 342 may be installed at the lower end of the C-arm frame 320 , and the first detection unit 341 may be disposed above the second detection unit 342 .

The first detector 341 is disposed to face the X-ray emitter 330 and may detect X-rays emitted from the X-ray emitter 330 and transmitted through the object P. The second detector 342 may detect gamma rays 420 emitted from the object P when the object P is irradiated with the heavy particle beam 410 of the heavy particle beam irradiator 400 to be described later.

In this case, the thickness of the second detection unit 342 may be greater than that of the first detection unit 341 . Accordingly, low-energy X-rays 331 may be detected through the relatively thin first detector 341 and high-energy gamma rays 420 may be detected through the relatively thick second detector 342 . That is, the X-rays 331 and the gamma-rays 420 having different amounts of energy may be easily detected by varying the thicknesses of the first detector 341 and the second detector 342 .

At this time, the first detector 341 and the second detector 342 convert the detected X-rays 331 and gamma rays 420 into electrical signals, and based on the signals generated by the detector 340, a 3D image can be reconstructed.

The rotation unit 350 is formed to be rotatable in the first direction R1 and the second direction R2, and may include a first rotation member 351 and a second rotation member 352.

The first rotating member 351 may be rotatably connected to the C-arm frame 320 in a rod shape. For example, the first rotating member 351 may be disposed to cross the inside of the C-arm frame 320 so that both ends are connected to two points on the inner surface of the C-arm frame 320 .

As another example, both ends of the first rotating member 351 may be connected to mutually symmetrical portions of the inner surface of the C-arm frame 320 based on the center of arc curvature of the C-arm frame 320.

Accordingly, the first rotating member 351 can be rotated in the first direction R1 as the C-arm frame 320 rotates in the first direction R1, and the first rotating member 351 itself can rotate in the second direction R2. In this case, the first direction R1 and the second direction R2 may be perpendicular to each other.

The second rotating member 352 has a rod shape, and one end may be connected to the first rotating member 351 and the other end may be connected to the collimator 360 . For example, the second rotating member 352 may be disposed horizontally with the upper surface of the first detection unit 341 . As another example, the second rotation member 352 may be disposed perpendicular to the first rotation member 351 .

The second rotating member 352 can be rotated in the first direction R1 together with the rotation of the C-arm frame 320 in the first direction R1, and also can be rotated in the second direction R1 together with the rotation of the first rotating member 351 in the second direction R2. In this case, the first direction R1 and the second direction R2 may be perpendicular to each other.

At this time, as the first rotating member 351 is rotated, the second rotating member 352 may be rotated in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the first detection unit 341 . Accordingly, the second rotation member 352 may position the collimator 360 on the upper surface of the first detection unit 341 or outside the first detection unit 341 .

The collimator 360 may be connected to the C-arm frame 320 by the rotating part 350 . The collimator 360 may function as a collimator by passing only gamma rays of a specific direction among the gamma rays 420 emitted from the object P and blocking gamma rays coming from other directions. Accordingly, the collimator 360 may inject only gamma rays in a specific direction into the detector 340 .

Also, the collimator 360 may be rotated by the rotation unit 350 . For example, as the collimator 360 rotates in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the first detector 341, it may be disposed facing the first detector 341 or positioned outside the first detector 341.

Specifically, when the detector 340 is not in the process of detecting the gamma rays 420, the collimator 360 may be moved away from the upper part of the detector 340, and if the detector 340 is in the process of detecting the gamma rays 420, the collimator 360 may be moved to the upper part of the detector 340. Details of the rotation operation of the collimator 360 will be described later. Details of the rotation operation of the collimator 360 will be described later.

Referring to Figures 1 and 4, the heavy particle beam irradiation unit 400 is installed in a position spaced apart from the C-arm 300, by accelerating the heavy-ion to high energy, the heavy particle beam 410 to the object (P) can be irradiated.

For example, a gantry or rail is installed on the inner wall of the treatment room 100, and the heavy particle irradiation unit 400 is moved along the inner wall of the treatment room 100 by a moving unit (not shown) connected thereto. At this time, the moving unit may be a means for providing power for the movement of the heavy particle irradiation unit 400, such as a motor or a cylinder.

As another example, heavy particles may be particles such as carbon and hydrogen, and exhibit characteristics of a radiation dose distribution called a Bragg peak, which initially delivers a low dose and gradually loses energy, then stops after delivering a maximum dose at a specific depth.

Gamma rays 420 are emitted from the material within 1 ns immediately after the heavy particle interacts with a material in the body of the object P, such as an inelastic collision, and is referred to as a prompt gamma ray. Since the interaction of gamma rays 420 generated by heavy particles occurs in almost all areas of the heavy particle trajectory in the body, the gamma ray 420 emission distribution has a very close correlation with the heavy particle dose distribution.

In addition, gamma rays 420 generated as the heavy particle beam 410 of the heavy particle beam irradiation unit 400 is irradiated to the object P may be incident to the detector 340 through the collimator 360 .

Meanwhile, referring to FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) , the collimator 360 may include a collimator body 361 , a first partition wall 362 and a second partition wall 363 .

The upper and lower surfaces of the collimator body 361 may be open in a box shape. An end of the second rotating member 352 may be fixed to the side of the collimator body 361 . In addition, a plurality of first partition walls 362 and a plurality of second partition walls 363 may be disposed inside the collimator body 361 .

The first partition walls 362 are arranged in a vertical direction inside the collimator body 361, and a plurality of them may be arranged side by side at regular intervals.

The second barrier rib 363 is vertically arranged inside the collimator body 361 and may be vertically connected to the first barrier rib 362 . In this case, a plurality of second barrier ribs 363 may be arranged side by side at regular intervals.

Accordingly, the first barrier rib 362 and the second barrier rib 363 may form a lattice shape. In this case, the gamma rays 420 may pass through the through portion 364 formed between the first barrier rib 362 and the second barrier rib 363 . For example, the penetrating portion 364 may extend vertically, and may be arranged in parallel at regular intervals. Accordingly, the collimator 360 may cause the gamma ray 420 passing through the penetrating portion 364 to be incident on the detector 340 .

An operation process of the particle treatment device 1 during C-arm image induction according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 .

Referring to FIG. 1 , the C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform CT imaging of an object P through the C-arm 300 .

First, the C-arm 300 may be disposed adjacent to the table 200, and the collimator 360 may be disposed at a position away from the upper surface of the detection unit 340 by the rotating unit 350.

Thereafter, the X-ray irradiator 330 may be operated to radiate the X-ray 331 to the object P. At the same time, as the C-arm frame 320 is rotated around the object P, the X-rays 331 may be radiated toward the object P from various angles. For example, the rotation angle of the C-arm frame 320 is 200 degrees, and a lower exposure dose can be represented through rotation at a smaller angle than conventional 360-degree CT imaging.

In this case, the X-rays 331 may pass through the object P and be incident to the first detector 341 . The first detector 341 may generate a CT image of the object P by detecting the X-rays 331 radiated to the object P from various angles.

Accordingly, a low-dose CT scan may be performed on the subject P through the C-arm 300 immediately before treatment. Thereafter, the CT image taken at the initial stage of the treatment plan and the CT image taken by the C-arm 300 immediately before treatment are compared in real time to evaluate the position, posture, condition change of the object, condition of the tissue in the treatment area, etc., and the position and posture of the object P and the movement of the tissue in the treatment area can be corrected.

Referring to FIG. 4, the C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a three-dimensional gamma ray 420 generation distribution in real time during treatment of the subject P through the C-arm 300. Measurement and reconstruction can measure the dose distribution in the body of the subject P.

First, the collimator 360 may be rotated by the rotation unit 350 and placed at a position facing the upper surface of the detection unit 340 .

Thereafter, by moving the heavy particle beam irradiation unit 400, the nozzle may be positioned adjacent to the treatment area of the object P.

Thereafter, the heavy particle beam 410 may be irradiated to the treatment area of the object P by operating the heavy particle beam irradiation unit 400 . In this case, when the heavy particle beam 410 is irradiated to the object P, gamma rays 420 may be emitted from the object P.

At the same time, the C-arm frame 320 may be rotated around the object. In this case, the rotation path of the C-arm frame may be the same as the rotation path of the C-arm frame 320 during CT imaging using the X-ray 331 .

In this case, the gamma ray 420 emitted from the object P may pass through the collimator 360 and be incident to the second detector 342 . The second detector 342 detects the gamma rays 420 emitted from the object P at various angles, thereby measuring and reconstructing the three-dimensional instant gamma ray generation distribution in real time, thereby verifying the heavy particle dose distribution in the body of the object.

Then, by correcting the heavy particle beam delivery position and the delivered dose based on the verification of the heavy particle dose distribution in the body in real time, the precision and treatment efficiency of heavy particle therapy can be improved.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented herein, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention may easily suggest other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, adding, etc.

1: C-arm image-guided heavy ion therapy device
100: treatment room 200: table
300: C-arm 310: body part
311: main body 312: fixing part
313: connection part 314: support part
320: C-arm frame 330: X-ray irradiation unit
331: X-ray 340: detection unit
341: first detection unit 342: second detection unit
350: rotating part 351: first rotating member
352: second rotating member 360: collimator
361: collimator body 362: first bulkhead
363: second bulkhead 364: penetration part
400: heavy particle beam irradiation unit 410: heavy particle beam
420: gamma ray P: object
R1: first direction R2: second direction

Claims (9)

a table supporting an object;
a C-arm frame rotatably disposed on one side of the table in a first direction;
an X-ray emitter connected to one end of the C-arm frame to radiate X-rays to an object;
a heavy particle beam irradiation unit for irradiating heavy particle beams to the object;
a detector connected to the other end of the C-arm frame to detect X-rays passing through the object among the X-rays radiated to the object or to detect gamma rays emitted from the object by heavy particle beams radiated to the object; and
Including a collimator located above the detection unit,
The collimator,
C-arm image-guided heavy particle therapy device that moves to the upper portion of the detection unit when the detection unit detects the gamma rays and moves out of the upper portion of the detection unit when the detection unit does not detect the gamma rays. According to claim 1,
C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device further comprising a rotating part connected to the C-arm frame to rotate the collimator. According to claim 2,
A rotating part formed to be rotatable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,
a first rotating member formed to connect two inner points of the C-arm frame; and
One end is connected to the first rotating member and the other end is fixed to the collimator, C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device including a second rotating member rotated by the rotation of the first rotating member. According to claim 3,
The second rotating member is a C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device comprising rotating in a direction horizontal to the upper surface of the detection unit. According to claim 3,
The first rotating member and the second rotating member are C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device formed in a rod shape. According to claim 1,
The collimator,
a plurality of first partition walls disposed side by side at regular intervals therein; and
Including a plurality of second partition walls vertically connected to the first partition wall and arranged side by side at regular intervals,
The C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device in which a through portion is formed so that the X-ray or the gamma-ray passing between the first barrier rib and the second barrier rib is incident to the detection unit. According to claim 1,
The detecting unit,
a first detector that detects the X-rays; and
Disposed below the first detector and coupled to the C-arm frame, C-arm image-guided heavy particle treatment device including a second detector for detecting the gamma rays. According to claim 7,
The second detector,
C-arm image-guided heavy particle therapy device having a thickness greater than the thickness of the first detection unit. delete

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