CN107583205B

CN107583205B - Collimator assembly and medical device comprising same

Info

Publication number: CN107583205B
Application number: CN201710740958.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 王清
Original assignee: Neusoft Medical Systems Co Ltd
Current assignee: Neusoft Medical Systems Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-08-25
Filing date: 2017-08-25
Publication date: 2020-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2037-08-25
Also published as: CN107583205A

Abstract

The present application provides a collimator assembly and a medical device including the same. The collimator assembly comprises a primary collimator, a secondary collimator and a filter positioned between the primary collimator and the secondary collimator, wherein at least one of the primary collimator and the secondary collimator is provided with a slot at one side close to the filter, and the filter is movably arranged in the slot.

Description

Collimator assembly and medical device comprising same

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a medical instrument, and more particularly, to a collimator assembly and a medical device including the same.

Background

The collimator assembly of the radiotherapy equipment is used for collimating the outline shape of rays to meet different clinical use requirements, realize adaptive therapy or intensity modulated therapy, achieve the aim of accurately treating tumors, improve the tumor treatment effect and reduce unnecessary ionizing radiation damage of patients. For example, collimator assemblies used in medical electron linear accelerators may collimate the beam profile into a circle, square, ellipse, etc. to meet clinical applications.

Disclosure of Invention

One aspect of the present application provides a collimator assembly. The collimator assembly comprises a primary collimator, a secondary collimator and a filter positioned between the primary collimator and the secondary collimator, wherein at least one of the primary collimator and the secondary collimator is provided with a slot at one side close to the filter, and the filter is movably arranged in the slot.

Another aspect of the present application provides a medical device. The medical device includes: a radiation source for emitting radiation; and a collimator assembly for collimating the radiation.

The filter of the collimator assembly of the present application in superimposed combination with at least one of the primary and secondary collimators may reduce the internal layout space of the collimator assembly, thereby increasing the external scanning treatment volume.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a medical device of the present application;

FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of a state of a collimator assembly of the medical apparatus of FIG. 1, with a filter of the collimator assembly in a first station;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the collimator assembly of FIG. 2 with a filter of the collimator assembly in a first station;

FIG. 4 is an elevational, cross-sectional view of the collimator assembly of FIG. 2 in another state with the filter of the collimator assembly in a second position;

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the collimator assembly shown in FIG. 4 with the filter of the collimator assembly in a second station.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, like numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. Unless defined otherwise, technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The use of "first," "second," and similar terms in the description and in the claims does not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but rather is used to distinguish one element from another. Also, the use of the terms "a" or "an" and the like do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one. "plurality" or "a number" means two or more. Unless otherwise indicated, "front", "rear", "lower" and/or "upper" and the like are for convenience of description and are not limited to one position or one spatial orientation. The word "comprising" or "comprises", and the like, means that the element or item listed as preceding "comprising" or "includes" covers the element or item listed as following "comprising" or "includes" and its equivalents, and does not exclude other elements or items. The terms "connected" or "coupled" and the like are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

A collimator assembly of the present application includes a primary collimator, a secondary collimator, and a filter (or "function") positioned between the primary and secondary collimators. At least one of the primary collimator and the secondary collimator is provided with a slot at one side close to the filter, and the filter is movably arranged in the slot. The filter can be combined with the primary collimator in an axial superposition mode, the internal arrangement space of the collimator assembly can be reduced, and therefore the external scanning treatment space is enlarged.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a medical device 10 according to one embodiment. The medical device 10 shown in the figure is a medical electron linac. The medical apparatus 10 includes a stationary gantry 11, a rotating gantry 12, a radiation head 13, a collimator assembly 14, and a couch 15.

A rotating gantry 12 is positioned on one side of the stationary gantry 11, the rotating gantry 12 is rotatable about a central axis of the stationary gantry 11, a radiation head 13 is coupled to a top portion of the rotating gantry 12 opposite the couch 15, the radiation head 13 includes a radiation source 131 for emitting imaging radiation, typically X-rays, and therapeutic radiation, typically β radiation, a collimator assembly 14 is coupled to the radiation head 13, the collimator assembly 14 is for collimating the radiation for conformal therapy or intensity modulated therapy, the couch 15 is for supporting a patient, typically with the patient lying thereon, the couch 15 is rotatable to adjust the position of the patient relative to the radiation head 13 to adjust the radiation exposure to a particular portion of the patient.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the collimator assembly 14, and FIG. 3 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the collimator assembly 14 shown in FIG. 2. Figure 4 illustrates a front cross-sectional view of the collimator assembly 14 of figure 2 in another state, and figure 5 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the collimator assembly 14 of figure 4. Referring to fig. 2-5, collimator assembly 14 includes a primary collimator 20, a secondary collimator 22, and a filter 21 disposed between primary collimator 20 and secondary collimator 22. The primary collimator 20 includes a sidewall 201, and the sidewall 201 surrounds the primary collimating aperture 202 to determine the maximum radiation field of the rays. The side walls 201 of the primary collimator 20 block radiation outside the maximum radiation field. In one embodiment, the primary collimation aperture 202 is a conical aperture through which the rays pass, forming a circular radiation field.

In one embodiment, primary collimator 20 is slotted 203 on its side adjacent to filter 21. The bottom of the side wall 201 of the primary collimator 20 is shown with a slot 203. Slots 203 open downward and into the interior of primary collimator 20, communicating with primary collimating aperture 202.

The filter 21 is movably disposed in the slot 203. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter 21 is mounted in the slot 203 of the primary collimator 20 from below. In one embodiment, the filter 21 is linearly movable within the slot 203. In another embodiment, the filter 21 is rotatably movable within the slot 203. Primary collimator 20 is stationary.

The filter 21 includes a plurality of shielding blocks 213, and the plurality of shielding blocks 213 form a plurality of

filter holes

214, 215. The filter 21 is movable relative to the primary collimator 20 to switch the

different filter apertures

214 or 215 below the primary collimating aperture 202. In some embodiments,

different features

210, 211 may be placed in

filter apertures

214 and 215, or one of

filter apertures

214 or 215 may be empty, i.e., not have any features placed therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter 21 is movable relative to the primary collimator 20 to switch the

different features

210 or 211 to be located below the primary collimation aperture 202. In one embodiment,

features

210 and 211 are different height monoliths that do different homogenization of the radiation passing through primary collimator 20. In other embodiments, the

functional components

210, 211 may include scattering foils, or other elements, which may be selected according to different usage requirements.

The filter aperture 214 of the filter 21 in fig. 2 and 3 is located below the primary alignment aperture 202 with the filter 21 in the first station. In fig. 4 and 5 the filter 21 is in the second position, with the filter aperture 215 of the filter 21 located below the primary alignment aperture 202. Only two filter holes are shown, but not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, three or more filter holes may be provided according to the actual application.

At least part of the shielding block 213 is located within the slot 203 of the primary collimator 20. In fig. 2 and 3 the filter aperture 214 is located below the primary collimating aperture 202 and the shielding block 213 forming the filter aperture 214 is located within the slot 203. In fig. 4 and 5 the filter aperture 215 is located below the primary collimating aperture 202 and the shielding block 213 forming the filter aperture 215 is located within the slot 203. Shielding blocks 213 are positioned within slots 203 to block radiation from entering slots 203 and to collimate radiation in cooperation with sidewalls 201 of primary collimator 20.

The inner wall 2141 or 2151 of the

filter hole

214 or 215 that moves below the primary alignment hole 202 coincides with the extending direction of the inner wall 2021 of the primary alignment hole 202. The inner walls 2141, 2151 of the filter holes 214, 215 are inner side walls of the shield block 213. The inner wall 2141 or 2151 of the

filter hole

214 or 215 extends downward below the inner wall 2021 of the primary collimating hole 202 to form a substantially continuous flat hole wall with the inner wall 2021 of the primary collimating hole 202, thus ensuring the collimating effect of the primary collimator 20 with the slot 203.

In one embodiment, the primary alignment hole 202 is a conical hole, the filter holes 214 and 215 are also conical holes, and the inner wall 2141 or 2151 of the

filter hole

214 or 215 moving below the primary alignment hole 202 and the inner wall 2021 of the primary alignment hole 202 extend on the same conical surface. In fig. 2 and 3, the filter holes 214 are located below the primary collimating holes 202, and the inner walls 2141 of the filter holes 214 and the inner walls 2021 of the primary collimating holes 202 extend in the same direction. In fig. 4 and 5, the filter aperture 215 is located below the primary alignment aperture 202, and the inner wall 2151 of the filter aperture 215 is aligned with the inner wall 2021 of the primary alignment aperture 202.

In one embodiment, the bottom surface of shield block 213 is flush with the bottom surface of primary collimator 20. This ensures that the radiation field obtained by the primary collimator 20 with the slits 203 is the same as the radiation field obtained by collimation by the un-slit primary collimator. In one embodiment, the side cross-section of the shielding block 213 is shaped to conform to the side cross-section of the slot and is approximately equal in size, as shown in fig. 3 and 5.

In one embodiment, the filter 21 further comprises a support plate 216 supporting the shielding block 213. In one embodiment, the support plate 216 may be pulled to move the filter 21. The radiation may pass through the support plate 216, and the support plate 216 provides no obstruction or filtering of the radiation. In the illustrated embodiment, support plate 216 is positioned below the bottom surface of primary collimator 20.

Secondary collimator 22 may further collimate the radiation passing through primary collimator 20 and filter 21. In one embodiment, the secondary collimator 22 includes two pairs of upper and lower rectangular collimators (not shown) that can be opened and closed to form a rectangular radiation field.

In one embodiment, the collimator assembly 14 includes an upper stop collimator 23 and a lower stop collimator 24 axially arranged below the secondary collimator 22. The primary collimator, the filter 21, the secondary collimator 22, the upper diaphragm collimator 23 and the lower diaphragm collimator 24 are arranged in sequence in a direction away from the radiation source. The upper diaphragm collimator 23 and the lower diaphragm collimator 24 further limit the radiation range of the rays. By moving the upper diaphragm collimator 23 and/or the lower diaphragm collimator 24, the size of the radiation field can be adjusted on the basis of the rectangular radiation field formed by the secondary collimator 22. The upper stop collimator 23 and/or the lower stop collimator 24 may be adjusted according to the size of the part of the patient to be irradiated in the actual application. In other embodiments, the collimator assembly may also include other elements, such as mirrors.

Fig. 2-5 are merely examples, and in another example, the slots 203 may be open at the top of the secondary collimator 22, with the filter 21 moving within the slots 203 of the secondary collimator 22. In this way the filter 21 overlaps the secondary collimator 22 in the axial direction, saving space. The radial dimension of the filter 21 in the embodiment shown in fig. 2-5 is smaller and therefore the radial dimension of the collimator assembly 14 is smaller and more space-saving than in the embodiment where the slots 203 are open at the top of the secondary collimator 22.

In yet another embodiment, the bottom of primary collimator 20 and the top of secondary collimator 22 are each provided with a slot, which may have a smaller depth in the longitudinal direction than slot 203, and a portion of filter 21 is in the slot at the bottom of primary collimator 20 and another portion is in the slot at the top of secondary collimator 22, so that filter 21 overlaps both primary collimator 20 and secondary collimator 22 in the axial direction, saving space.

The above description is only exemplary of the present application and should not be taken as limiting the present application, as any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A collimator assembly, characterized by: the device comprises a primary collimator, a secondary collimator and a filter positioned between the primary collimator and the secondary collimator, wherein at least one of the primary collimator and the secondary collimator is provided with a slot at one side close to the filter, and the filter is movably arranged in the slot;

the primary collimator comprises a side wall, the side wall surrounds to form a primary collimating hole, and the bottom of the side wall is provided with the slot;

the filter comprises a plurality of shielding blocks forming a plurality of filter holes, and the filter can move relative to the primary collimator to switch different filter holes below the primary collimator holes;

the bottom surface of the shielding block is flush with the bottom surface of the primary collimator;

at least part of the shielding block is located within the slot of the primary collimator;

the inner wall of the filter hole moved below the primary collimating hole is consistent with the extending direction of the inner wall of the primary collimating hole.

2. The collimator assembly of claim 1, wherein: the primary collimation hole is a conical hole, the filtering hole is also a conical hole, and the inner wall of the filtering hole which moves to the lower part of the primary collimation hole and the inner wall of the primary collimation hole extend on the same conical surface.

3. The collimator assembly of claim 1, wherein: the filter includes a support plate supporting the shielding block.

4. The collimator assembly of claim 1, wherein: the filter can move linearly or rotationally within the slot.

5. A medical device, characterized by: it includes:

a radiation source for emitting radiation; and

a collimator assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 for collimating said radiation.