EP1789135A1

EP1789135A1 - Irradiation apparatus comprising a retractable door

Info

Publication number: EP1789135A1
Application number: EP04790617A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eugen MÜNCH
Original assignee: Rhon-Klinikum AG
Current assignee: Rhon-Klinikum AG
Priority date: 2004-08-19
Filing date: 2004-10-19
Publication date: 2007-05-30
Also published as: WO2006021230A8; DE102004041063A1; WO2006021230A1

Abstract

Disclosed is an irradiation apparatus (1) comprising a source of radiation (3), at least one treatment chamber (19) which is provided with a shield (23) and a treatment point (21) and into which a therapeutic beam (13) is introduced, and at least one access (37) that leads into the treatment chamber (19). Said access (37) is characterized in that the same is equipped with at least one door (35) which is preferably movable in a vertical and/or a horizontal direction. Said door (35) is part of the shield (23) and is positioned on the same level as the treatment point (21) or upstream thereof in the direction of the beam from the perspective of the treatment point (21).

Description

Irradiation direction with retractable door

description

The invention relates to an irradiation device for proton and / or ion beam therapy according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such radiation devices, also referred to as ion-therapy accelerators, generally have an accelerator system for generating and accelerating the ions to the desired energy, ie an irradiation source, as well as patient treatment rooms and recreation rooms for the operating personnel.

In proton and / or ion beam therapy, ion beams, that is to say protons and heavy ions, are used for the irradiation of tumor tissues. In the US and in Europe, ion-therapy systems are planned for routine clinical use and are already being set up or are about to be completed. In an ion-exchange accelerator, secondary radiation is generated at various points, which are generated by slowing down processes of the high-energy ions with matter. In particular, in the irradiation of patients by the interaction of the highly energetic ions with the tissue of the patient, secondary radiation, in part also neutron radiation, is produced. The proportion of the charged secondary radiation can generally be easily shielded and therefore does not present a major problem. This neutron radiation has a strong directional dependence, that is to say it is directed downstream from the point of production and runs in a so-called radiation cone. essentially has an opening angle of approximately ± 20 ° with respect to the ion beam axis.

Since several persons are present at the same time in the irradiation device during patient irradiation, ie in the building and in the vicinity of the accelerator system and the treatment rooms, the shielding of the resulting radiation, in particular the neutron radiation, is of great importance.

In a routine clinical operation, several treatment rooms for patient irradiation will always be found in the immediate vicinity of one another, which must be shielded from one another. WO 01/3865 describes a shielded room, called the patient treatment or therapy room, for ion beam therapy. This is designed so that neutrons are shielded into the energy range GeV. The access to this space has at least two shielding elements which are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction and which originate from opposite walls of the access and cover more than half the clear width of the access. A disadvantage here is that the access is downstream, that is to say in the forward-looking neutron cone, that is to say in the region of the main radiation intensity of the neutrons. Furthermore, it is disadvantageous that the access to the patient treatment room, also referred to as access labyrinth, due to the arrangement of the walls serving to shield the neutrons, has a large spatial extent, thus occupying a not insignificant place. The object of the invention is therefore to design an irradiation device having at least one treatment space into which a therapy beam is introduced in such a way that the shielding of the treatment space is designed such that the access is better protected against neutron radiation and that for access space required is small and thus a very compact arrangement of the treatment space in the irradiation device can be realized.

To achieve this object, an irradiation device for proton and / or ion beam therapy is proposed which has the features mentioned in claim 1 and comprises a radiation source and at least one treatment room having a shield and a treatment site, wherein a therapy beam is introduced into the treatment space , The irradiation device is characterized in that the access comprises at least one-preferably-vertically and / or horizontally-movable door, which is part of the shield. Furthermore, the irradiation device is distinguished by the fact that the door seen from the treatment site-viewed in the direction of the therapy beam-is arranged at the same height as the treatment site or upstream of it. Since the main intensity of the neutron radiation generated at the treatment site, that is to say in the patient, is directed downstream, access at the level of the treatment site and / or in the area upstream of the jet is only burdened by relatively low neutron radiation. To shield the still occurring, albeit small, neutron radiation, the access has a door, which is part of the shield, and when it is closed, itself acts as a shield. The door, in the closed state, shields the building parts surrounding the treatment space from neutron radiation and performs the same function -A-

like a wall of shielding. The shielding of the access is realized only by means of the door and thus the required space for access is very small. The horizontal and / or vertical movement of the door allows space-saving opening and closing of the access. In comparison, when moving the door by pivoting additional space would be kept either in the treatment room or access. If the door is moved vertically, the movement is carried out perpendicular to the plane defined by the base of the door. When the door is moved horizontally, it is only moved to the right and / or left along the wall of the screen. Thus, no separate space is to be kept free in front of or behind the door and / or the wall. The access is virtually integrated into the wall of the shield and the space required is very small. Thus, the shielding of the treatment rooms can be made very compact.

Preferred is an embodiment in which the at least one door is retractable into the ground. If the door is completely lowered, patients can be brought into the treatment room or operators can enter it. Due to the sinking in the floor underneath the door, there is no room for a door in the open state on the level of the treatment room. This space would not be insignificant, since the door generally has a width of approximately 2.5 m and a considerable thickness. Thus, a space-saving access is realized. Both the treatment space and the access can be made optimally small and very compact.

In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one door is inserted into the wall of the shield located next to the door. retractable. Depending on the design of the treatment room, either the right or left wall can be provided for sinking the door. The wall of the shield next to the door is of course designed so that when the door is closed, that is to say when the door is not sunk in the wall, the shielding through this wall area is just as effective as the shielding of the remaining wall of the treatment room , This can be realized either by the fact that the wall is made thicker in these areas, or, if the thickness is the same, different, more effective material in the screening effect.

In a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the door can be moved horizontally on rollers and / or on rails. Due to the fact that the door, due to the density of the material serving for shielding, generally has a high weight of approximately 30 to 40 tons, it is advantageous to realize it horizontally movable on rails or on castors.

In a further preferred embodiment, the irradiation device is characterized in that the at least one door is divisible. Divisibility of the door means that it can be divided into, for example, two separately movable elements designated as door segments. Each of these door segments has a smaller weight than the entire door and is thus easier to move vertically and / or horizontally. It is also possible to realize different accesses if required. A wide access is necessary, for example, when the patient is pushed into the treatment room on the patient couch. If only the operator personnel, for example a nurse, enters the treatment space, a relatively narrow access is required and it is necessary will generally be enough to open only one door segment. Since the opening and closing of the door usually takes about 30 seconds due to the high weight, a faster access can be made possible by using door segments.

In a further preferred embodiment, the door is characterized by the fact that this material has the shielding. Since the door, like the walls, has shielding material, it ensures that the shielding effect of the door corresponds to the wall of the shielding. This means that the shielding through the door and the wall is equally effective and thus the neutron radiation generated in the treatment space is uniformly shielded by means of the shield, door and wall.

Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Show it:

1 shows an irradiation device with a Strahlungsquel¬ le and treatment rooms;

FIG. 2 shows a radiation source around which star-shaped treatment spaces are arranged;

Figure 3 shows an arrangement of a plurality of treatment rooms, which are arranged side by side at an angle of approximately 45 ° to a high energy beam. FIG. 1 shows an irradiation device 1 which comprises a radiation source 3 and a high-energy beam 5. The radiation source 3 is the source for the ions used for the irradiation of a patient, the ions emerging from the radiation source 3 having the energy necessary for the irradiation. The radiation source 3 comprises an ion source, which generates the ions, and a therapy accelerator, in which the ions are accelerated to the necessary energy. The radiation source 3 may comprise a synchrotron-comprising therapy accelerator or a cyclotron-comprising therapy accelerator. It is also possible to use other therapy accelerators. All that matters is that ions that emerge from the radiation source 3 have the ion species with the ion energy that is used for the tumor therapy. The ion beam emerging from the radiation source 3 is referred to as a high-energy beam 5 and extends in the direction indicated by the arrow 7 away from the radiation source 3 to the right. The direction indicated by the arrow 7 from the radiation source to the patient is referred to below as downstream. The opposite direction from the patient to the radiation source, indicated by the arrow 9, will be referred to as jet upward.

The high-energy beam 5 is guided in a main beam guide 11. From the main beam guide 11, a therapeutic beam 13 is deflected from the high-energy beam 5. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of therapy beams 13 are deflected out of the high-energy beam 5 at an angle α designated by 15. Four therapy beams 13 are shown here by way of example. Here, three therapy beams 13 are deflected at an angle 15 of approximately 45 °, and a therapy beam 13 is deflected at an angle 15 of FIG 0 °. At the end 17 of the respective therapy beam 13 is a treatment room 19, which has a treatment location 21. The treatment site 21 denotes the location at which the therapy beam 13 interacts with the patient, not shown here. This patient is, as also not shown here, during treatment on a patient bed. The treatment space 19 is surrounded by a shield 23, here represented only by a circle. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, the irradiation device 1 has at least one, here four treatment spaces 19. Each treatment room 19 is supplied with a separate therapy beam.

FIG. 2 shows the radiation source 3 with high-energy beams 5 deflected at different points of the radiation source 3. The arrangement is referred to as star-shaped. Identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that reference is made to the description of FIG. 1 in this respect. Different possibilities of arranging treatment rooms 19 at the high energy beam 5 are shown. The arrangement with the reference numeral 25 on the left in FIG. 2 has therapy beams 13 arranged on the right and left of the high energy beam 5 with treatment chambers 19 arranged at the end 17 thereof. Reference numeral 27 denotes an arrangement of a treatment space 19 on a therapy beam 13, which is deflected from the high-energy beam 5 at 0 °. This arrangement 27 can have a treatment space 19 which has a greater spatial extent than the other treatment spaces 19. This is made possible by the fact that more space is available through the singular arrangement of a single treatment space 19 on the high-energy beam 5. In the arrangement indicated by 29, it is shown that therapy beams 13 are deflected out of the particle beam 5 at adjoining points and treatment rooms 19 are arranged. The deflection takes place in each case at the same angle 15 of substantially 45 °, so that the treatment chambers 19 are arranged substantially parallel next to one another in a row. It is both possible to deflect these therapy beams 13 in an angle from the high-energy beam 5, and to deflect them such that the treatment rooms 19 are arranged next to each other, one row in one floor and the other row of treatment rooms 19 is arranged in an above or below floor, that is, in another level. In order to provide therapy beams 13 for treatment rooms 19 in different levels, so-called deflection bridges can be used.

From Figure 2 it is clear that the different arrangements 25, 27 and 29 of treatment rooms 19, in each of which a Thera¬ piestrahl 13 is introduced, allow a great flexibility in the structure of the irradiation device 1. This flexibility is achieved, in particular, by virtue of the fact that the therapy beam 13 is deflected in each case by a high-energy beam 5 at an angle 15. The shielding 23 arranged around the treatment rooms 19 and the walls 34 of the treatment rooms 19 serving for the shielding 23 allow patients to be accommodated in the treatment rooms 19 without being unnecessarily burdened by high neutron radiation from adjacent treatment rooms 19 and thereby endangered , At this point it should also be emphasized once again that the treatment spaces 19 do not have to be constructed identically. Preferably symmetrically structured treatment rooms 19 and asymmetrically constructed treatment rooms 19 are provided in the irradiation device 1.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of four treatment rooms 19. Identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that reference is made to the description of the previous figures. From the high-energy beam 5, a therapeutic beam 13 is deflected at three points in each case at an angle 15 of essentially 45 ° and respectively introduced into a treatment space 19. Below 0 °, ie downstream of the high-energy beam 5, there is a treatment space 19, in which the therapy beam 13 is generated without deflection from the high-energy beam 5. At the end 17 of the respective therapy beam 13, the treatment site 21 is to be recognized. The treatment site 21 has a patient couch 33 to which the patient, who is not shown here, lies during the treatment, ie the irradiation with ions.

Shield 23 is likewise shown. Shield 23 has walls 34 which have a hydrogen-containing material, preferably concrete and / or plaster and / or paraffin. At the height of the treatment location 21, a door 35 is arranged which closes a passage 37. At the downstream end 17 of the treatment site 19, the wall 34 is designed thicker than on the side walls of the shield 23. It can also be seen that in addition to the material of the walls 34 here additional Abschirmmate¬ material is provided. This has metal, preferably iron or lead. For the walls 34 is preferably also a Barith concrete designated monolithic concrete used. However, it is also possible, in addition to concrete, to use another water-containing material, in particular gypsum; That saves concrete. The proportion of water in this material is preferably about 25% by weight. The hydrogen nuclei in the water, ie the protons, ideally moderate the neutrons due to the almost identical mass and the associated maximum momentum transfer. Gypsum, preferably hardened or hardened gypsum, which has CaSO ₄ x 2H ₂ O chemically, is particularly suitable for absorbing radiation. The water bound in plaster, also called water of crystallization, with a weight proportion of 5% to 20%, provides, like concrete, protons. The fact that gypsum contains calcium (Ca) with an atomic number of 20, neutrons, but also relatively effective gamma radiation, shielded. In contrast to gypsum, regular concrete also has smaller amounts of metals such as calcium, aluminum, iron or barium and silicon in addition to the bound water. These impurities in the concrete can lead to undesired nuclear reactions and thus to the generation of additional secondary radiation. Furthermore, gypsum has a lower density of 2.1 g / cm ³ than regular Be¬ tone whose density varies depending on the version between about 2.3 g / cm ³ to 2.8 g / cm ³ . Thus, gypsum with the same shielding effect is lighter than concrete.

The walls 34 of the shielding 23 can be constructed of individual shielding elements, called shielding modules. The shielding elements can be constructed such that they have only one class of material, for example metal, or a material combination, for example concrete and metal. Through the use of shielding elements, the structure of the shield 23 is adjacent each other arranged treatment rooms 19 particularly platzspa¬ rend possible. Here, it is provided that the shielding 23 of a treatment space 19 preferably has only one wall 34 in the area in which the shields 23 of two adjacent treatment rooms adjoin one another, so that this wall 34 forms part of the shields 23 of two treatment spaces 19 is. In the area in which the treatment rooms adjoin one another, individual shielding elements are advantageously used and permit a flexible embodiment of the shielding 23 of all treatment rooms 19.

The access 37 of a treatment room is, as already mentioned, realized by the door 35 and disposed at the height of the treatment location 21 in the shield 23. It is also conceivable to arrange the access 37 further upstream. This is advantageous because secondary radiation, in particular neutron radiation, is produced at the treatment site 21 by the interaction of the high-energy ions with the tissue of the patient, not shown here. This neutron radiation is downstream. The cone of the neutron radiation is indicated here by the reference numeral 39 and has an opening angle with respect to the axis of the therapy beam 13 of approximately ± 20 °. The shielding of this neutron cone 39 with respect to regions outside the treatment space takes place downstream of the wall 34, which, as already mentioned, has metal.

The door 35 is part of the shield 23 and has the same material as the walls 34 of the shield 23. This has the advantage that, when the door 35 is closed, a closed shield 23 is created, which completely opens the treatment space 19 to the outside shields. The door 35 is designed to be vertically and / or horizontally movable. Preferably, the door is designed so that it can be lowered vertically into the floor of the treatment room. But it is also possible, the door 35 laterally, so either in the wall 34 of the shield Ab¬ 23 right or left of the door 35 to sink. Care must be taken in the construction of the wall 34 that the shielding of the wall 34 with the door closed 35, so if the door 35 is not recessed in the wall 34, as effective as that of the remaining walls 34 of the shield 23 of the treatment This can be achieved, for example, by a greater thickness of the wall 34 at the point at which the door 35 is sunk into the wall 34. It is also conceivable, by the combination of different materials which have different strong Abschirm¬ effects, the wall 34 in the area in which the door 35 is sunk in the wall 34, build differently than the walls 34 of the rest of the shield 23rd the treatment room 19.

It is further provided that the door 35 is divisible. The door 35 must have a certain minimum width due to the fact that the patient on the Patien¬ tenliege 33 is brought into the treatment room 19 by this, the patient to the treatment site 21. Because of this minimum width and a predetermined height, the door 35 is generally about 2 m wide and about 2.5 m high and has a thickness of about 2.5 m. The size and the materials used, with a density between 2.1 g / cm ³ and 11, 5 g / cm ^3, mean that the door 35 generally weighs several tons. Therefore, it is preferably provided that the door 35 can be divided into, for example, two elements designated as door segments, and the door segments can be moved separately. Thus, for example, an unillustrated sub-segment of the door 35 can be sunk into the right wall 34 of the shield 23 and the other sub-segment of the door 35 in the left wall 34 of the Ab¬ shield 23. The divisible door 35 allows, if not the entire width access is needed, so if, for example, only one person has to enter the treatment room, only a partial segment of the door 35 to open. Since, as already mentioned, the door 35 has a considerable weight and therefore requires the opening and closing of the door 35 a certain time, it may be very advantageous to open only a door segment and thus allow quick access to the treatment room.

Characterized in that the door 35 is integrated into the shield 23, so in the closed state is part of the shield 23, the arrangement of the treatment rooms 19 is particularly space-saving possible. Furthermore, the fact that the door 35 has the same material as the shield 23 guarantees optimum shielding of the neutron radiation generated in the treatment space.

Because of the high weight of the door 35, the movement of the door 35 must be effected in a suitable manner, preferably by an electric, pneumatic and / or hydraulic drive. It is further provided to realize the horizontal movement of the door 35 on rails or on wheels.

It is also conceivable that, instead of the one door 35 in the access 37, two doors can be arranged one behind the other, even at a distance from one another. This would also have the advantage that they would be easier and could be opened in succession. It is also possible to provide two doors and a small labyrinth to realize the access 37.

In any case, regardless of the design of the access 37 and the door 35, it is important to ensure that the door 35 in the closed state has the same shielding effect as the wall 34 of the screen 23. Above all, it should be emphasized at this point that regardless of the design of the door 35 and the walls 34 at any location outside the treatment room 19, the dose of neutron radiation must be equally low, so the shield 23 at all points essentially the same ensures a shielding effect.

It can also be seen from FIG. 3 that, in this arrangement of the treatment spaces 19, the walls 34 of the one space are used for shielding 23 of the respectively adjacent treatment space 19. It is therefore not necessary to provide twice the wall thickness between two adjacent treatment rooms. This saves costs and allows a relatively dense arrangement of the treatment spaces 19 around the high-energy beam 5.

Preferably, such an arrangement of treatment rooms 19 arranged side by side in a row is also provided in at least two levels of a building. For this purpose, the high-energy beam 5 is deflected not only in one plane, but at an angle to this plane. It is then preferably introduced into a treatment space 19 from above and deflected there, for example, into a horizontal beam or directed into a gantry 31, which permits the irradiation of a patient at different angles. In addition to the door 35 shown in FIG. 3, a door serving as an emergency and / or service access, which is not shown here, can still be provided at a different location of the screen 23.

Overall, it is clear that at least two, preferably a number of treatment rooms 19 practically parallel to each other - can be arranged in a very space-saving manner, virtually in a herringbone pattern, without the access 37 would be hindered. The movable door 35, in particular the retractable door 35, allows space-saving access 37. Thus, the Be¬ radiation device 1 can be constructed very compact without any loss of security. The use of the radiation device is therefore very intensive and cost-effective, because the individual treatment rooms 19 are supplied with separate, controllable, therefore also switchable, therapy beams 13. Since the treatment rooms 19 are optimally shielded from each other, a treatment room 19 can be entered by the medical operator, even if 19 irradiations are performed in adjacent treatment rooms.

Claims

claims

1. irradiation device (1) for proton and / or ion beam radiation therapy with a radiation source (3), with at least one shield (23) and a treatment site (21) having treatment space (19), in which a therapy beam ( 13), and with at least one access (37) leading into the treatment space (19), characterized in that the access (37) comprises at least one - preferably vertically and / or horizontally movable door (35) which Part of the shield (23), and seen from the treatment site (21) with respect to the Ther rapier jet (13) at the same height as the treatment site (21) or upstream of this is arranged.

2. irradiation device (1) according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that the at least one door (35) is retractable in the Bo¬.

3. irradiation device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, da¬ characterized in that the at least one door (35) in a next to the door (35) located wall (34) of the Abschir¬ determination (23) is retractable.

4. irradiation device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one door (35) on rollers and / or rails is horizontally be¬ wegbar.

5. irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the door (35) mit¬ means of an elastic, pneumatic and / or hydraulic drive is movable.

6. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one door (35) is divisible.

7. irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two doors hin¬ one behind the other, preferably at a distance from one another, a- north are bar.

8. irradiation device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Bestrah¬ ment space (19) additionally an emergency and / or service door auf¬.

9. irradiation device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one door (35) material of the shield (23).

10. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shield (23) has at least two shielding modules.

11. irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least two shielding modules are arranged side by side.

12. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least two shielding modules have different materials.

13. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment space (19) - seen in the beam direction of the therapy beam (13) - through the shield (23) is completed.

14. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the access (37) additionally has a labyrinth.

15. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the labyrinth is realized by separate walls.

16. Irradiation device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the labyrinth is at least partially realized by walls adjacent treatment spaces (19).

17. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment spaces (19) lie in series, preferably in parallel, next to one another,

18. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment spaces (19) in two rows in one plane - preferably parallel next to each other.

19. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment spaces (19) lie in different planes.

20. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment spaces (19) are arranged in a star shape around the radiation source (3).

21. Irradiation device (1) according to one of the preceding claims 14 to 17, characterized in that in je¬ the treatment chamber (19), a separate therapy beam (13) is initiated.