JPH01305969A - Linear accelerator for medical use - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible not only to treat a patient in a conventional way but also to diagnose and inspect his affected part while maintaining him at the same place without moving by providing a radiation detector that rotates synchronously with a radiator unit and detects radiation transmitted through the affected part. CONSTITUTION:For obtaining a projection image, X-ray 12 must be radiated along the cross-section of a patient (perpendicular to page surface). With a linear accelerator for medical use, X-ray is radiated for instance over an affected part to a total rectangle of about 40cmX40cm in area, then radiation of X-ray 12 given perpendicularly to page surface provides necessary information, and thus the X-ray 12 passing through a patient 1 can be detected with an X-ray detector 13. For measurement at a certain place of rotation, a single pulse-like radiation of X-ray permits collection of necessary projection data. For constructing a cross-sectional image, signals should be collected 180 times at least once every 1 degree angle during a period when the X-ray radiator 4 and X-ray detector 13 are rotated round for 180 degree angle. It is possible to obtain a cross-sectional image from X-ray transmission quantity thus collected, by means of the same algorithm and cross-sectional image unit as in X-ray CT.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a medical linear accelerator in which radiation is irradiated to an affected area of a patient from a radiation irradiation unit provided on a rotating gantry.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional medical linear accelerator device, in which (1) is a patient, (2) is a treatment table on which the patient (1) is placed, and (3) is this treatment table (2). ) support stand, (4
) is the X-ray irradiation unit that irradiates X-rays toward the patient (1), (5) is the opposing plate made of lead, and (6) is the X-ray irradiation unit.
a rotating pedestal that supports the ray irradiation unit (4) and the opposing plate (5);
(7) is a large rotating gear attached to this rotating pedestal (6), and (8) supports this large gear (7) and rotating pedestal (6), and serves as the rotation center of the rotating pedestal (6). Rotating axis, (9
) is a small gear that meshes with the large gear (7) and rotates the large gear (7), (10) is the motor that rotates this small gear (9), and (11) is the motor (10) and the rotating shaft ( 8), and (12) is the X emitted from the irradiation part (4).
It is a line.

Next, the operation will be explained. The affected area of the patient (1) is placed on the extension of the rotation axis (8) of the medical linear accelerator at the X-ray irradiation unit (
The treatment table (2) is set so as to be below 4), and the treatment is performed by irradiating the affected area with X-rays (12) from the irradiation unit (4).

The transmitted X-rays (12) are absorbed and blocked by the opposing plate (5). The affected area is effectively irradiated with X-rays (12), but
If X-rays (12) are irradiated from one direction, the patient (1)
Since the damage to the body surface is large, KX-rays (12
) must be treated while rotating.

Therefore, the motor (10) rotates the small gear (9) and the large gear (7) around the rotation axis (8), thereby rotating the rotating mount (6).
The X-ray irradiation unit (4) and the opposing plate (5) supported by the X-ray irradiation unit (4) and the opposing plate (5) rotate. In this way, the X-ray irradiation part (4) and the opposing plate (5)
) is rotated to effectively irradiate the affected area with X-rays (12) for treatment.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

Conventional medical linear accelerators are configured as described above, so they can only treat the affected area with XL irradiation, and require another device, such as a magnetic resonance imaging device, to investigate the location and size of the affected area. It was necessary to make a diagnosis. Therefore, it is necessary to move the patient (1) to the device, check the location and size of the affected area, mark the affected area, and then move the patient (1) to the medical linear accelerator. The affected area must be positioned by moving the patient's body to the affected area, resulting in problems such as inaccurate positioning of the affected area.

This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a medical linear accelerator that can perform conventional treatment, as well as diagnose and examine the affected area without moving the patient in the same place. With the goal.

[Means for solving problems]

The medical linear accelerator according to the present invention includes a radiation detector that rotates in synchronization with the radiation irradiation unit and detects radiation that passes through the affected area.

[For production]

The medical linear accelerator according to the present invention irradiates the affected area with radiation while rotating the radiation irradiation section, and the radiation transmitted through the affected area is detected by a radiation detector.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1st
In the figure, symbols (1) to 12) are the same as those in the conventional example, and (13) is an X-ray ( 12
) is an X-ray detector that detects This X-ray detector (13
) is connected to a tomographic image unit (not shown) that forms a tomographic image from an X-ray transmitter.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.
4), but seven X-ray detectors (1
3) It is better to have a larger number in order to improve the resolution of the fault line.
A sufficient number, for example about 128, are arranged.

The operation of the medical linear accelerator of the present invention will be explained below. The operation for treating the affected area is the same as that described in the conventional example, and the explanation thereof will be omitted, and diagnosis or fixation of the affected area will be performed as follows.

The X-rays (12) irradiated from the X-ray irradiator (4) are directed toward the patient (
1) and is detected by an X-ray detector (13). In order to obtain a projected image, an X-ray (12) must be irradiated along the cross section of the patient (in the case of FIG. 1, perpendicular to the plane of the paper). In a medical linear accelerator, the X-rays irradiated cover the entire rectangular group of about 40α x 40 cm at the affected area, so it is sufficient to use the X-rays (12) that are irradiated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. The patient (1) is detected by the line detector (13).
) is detected. For measurements at a certain rotational position, the necessary projection data can be collected by emitting X-rays once in a pulsed manner. K constituting the tomographic image is at least 180 degrees from the X-ray irradiation unit (4) and the X-ray detector (13)
During rotation, for example, 180 times, signals are collected every 1°. From the amount of X-ray transmission collected in this way,
A tomographic image is obtained using the same algorithm as line CT and a single-layer image section.

Although the above embodiment shows the case where the X-ray detectors (13) are installed in one row, the X-ray detectors (13) may be arranged in multiple rows such as 4th and 5-. (If multiple rows are arranged, data and images for the number of arrays can be obtained at once,
It is possible to diagnose the spread of the affected area. In addition, the opposing plate (5
) over the entire area irradiated with X-rays (12)
By placing the radiation detector (13), it is possible to collect cross-sectional image data of the entire treatment area, and in this case, information on the amount of X-ray irradiation of each part of the affected area can also be obtained.
It also becomes possible to calculate the therapeutic effect.

In addition, a plurality of X-ray detectors (13
), but other than the opposing plate (5) can also be used as a position K X-ray detector ( 13) may be provided.

Furthermore, although the above embodiments have been described using X-rays, the present invention can also be applied to, for example, medical linear accelerators that are irradiated with neutrons.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, since a radiation detector capable of detecting radiation used for treatment is provided, diagnosis and treatment can be performed without moving the patient at the treatment location, and highly accurate treatment can be performed. There is an effect that it can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a medical linear accelerator according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the main part of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional medical linear accelerator. In the figure, (1) is a patient, (2) is a treatment table, (4) is an X-ray irradiation unit, (6) is a rotating pedestal, and (13) is an X-ray detector. In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A medical linear accelerator comprising a rotating pedestal that can rotate around a patient lying on a treatment table, and a radiation irradiation unit provided on the rotating pedestal and irradiating radiation to an affected area of the patient, the radiation irradiation unit A medical linear accelerator comprising a radiation detector that rotates in synchronization with the radiation detector and detects the radiation that has passed through the affected area.