KR20180136881A - Ion beam treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an ion beam therapy device which comprises: a laser generation part; a splitting part for splitting a pulsed laser beam generated in the laser generation part into a first laser beam and a second laser beam; a first target part for receiving the first laser beam from the splitting part to generate a first ion beam; a second target part for receiving the second laser beam from the splitting part to generate a second ion beam; a first path adjusting part adjusting a path of the first ion beam to irradiate a subject with the same; and a second path adjusting part adjusting a path of the second ion beam and irradiating the subject with the same.

Description

[0001] ION BEAM TREATMENT APPARATUS [0002]

The present invention relates to an ion beam treatment apparatus, and more particularly, to an ion beam treatment apparatus using a laser-based proton beam.

X-ray therapy and gamma-ray treatment, which account for the majority of the radiation therapy currently used for cancer treatment, often leave aftereffects such as subsequent cancer development because they leave radiation exposure to normal tissues occurring during the treatment process. Because the essence of X-rays or gamma rays is light rays, a large amount is absorbed in the epidermis when entering into the human body, and the amount of absorption decreases as the depth of the body increases. In contrast, when particles are accelerated into the human body, the particles progress to the inside of the human body, losing their energy while ionizing the particles in the human body, but continue to progress to the cross-sectional area indicating the probability of particles in the human body absorbing the particles cross section) increases, and the density of the incident particles immediately before stopping shows the maximum value (Bragg peak).

Recently, a proton beam treatment method has been studied as a method for application to cancer treatment in the internal organs of the human body. For example, research is underway to treat cancer cells by treating the periphery of cancerous areas using proton beams. Proton beams could be obtained through particle accelerators at the beginning of the study. In the hospital, large accelerators are installed to control and treat the protons generated by the gantry.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ion beam treatment apparatus capable of irradiating a plurality of ion beams.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an ion beam treatment apparatus with improved treatment efficiency.

The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for treating an ion beam, comprising: a laser generator; a splitter for splitting a pulsed laser beam generated by the laser generator into a first laser beam and a second laser beam; A first target portion receiving the first laser beam from the branching portion to generate a first ion beam, a second target portion receiving a second laser beam from the branching portion to generate a second ion beam, A first path adjusting unit adjusting a path of the first ion beam and irradiating the path of the first ion beam to the examinee, and a second path adjusting unit adjusting the path of the second ion beam to irradiate the examinee with the path of the second ion beam.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a laser processing apparatus comprising a first amplification unit for amplifying the first laser beam between the branching unit and the first target unit, and a second amplifying unit for amplifying the second laser beam between the branching unit and the second target unit And a second amplifying unit.

According to an embodiment, a pulse of the first laser beam amplified by the first amplification unit and a pulse of the second laser beam amplified by the second amplification unit are included in one period range of pulses of the pulse laser beam Lt; / RTI >

According to an embodiment, the pulse of the first laser beam amplified by the first amplification unit and the pulse of the second laser beam amplified by the second amplification unit are 1/2 of the pulse of the pulsed laser beam / RTI >

According to an embodiment, the first laser beam and the second laser beam can proceed in directions opposite to each other with respect to the branching portion.

According to an embodiment, the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster may rotate with the same rotation axis. The first path adjuster and the second path adjuster may rotate about the examinee.

According to an embodiment, the rotation path of the first path control unit and the rotation path of the second path control unit may not overlap with each other.

According to an embodiment, the apparatus may further include focusing means disposed between the first target portion and the first path control portion or between the second target portion and the second path control portion.

According to one embodiment, the bifurcation may comprise a switching mirror.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the light amplifying unit may further include a light collecting unit disposed between the first amplifying unit and the first target unit or between the second amplifying unit and the second target unit.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for treating an ion beam, including: a switching mirror for receiving a pulsed laser from a laser generator; a first laser beam for receiving the laser beam from the switching mirror; Wherein the target portion receives a first laser beam and a second laser beam to generate a first ion beam and a second ion beam and controls a path of the first ion beam and the second ion beam to irradiate And a patient support portion in which the examinee is located.

According to an embodiment, the path adjuster may include a first path adjuster for providing a path along which the first ion beam advances, and a second path adjuster for providing a path through which the second ion beam advances .

According to an embodiment, the traveling path of the first ion beam may not overlap the traveling path of the second ion beam.

According to an embodiment, the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster may face each other with respect to the test subject.

According to an embodiment, the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster may rotate about the examinee.

According to one embodiment, the laser generator, the switching mirror, and the target portion may be provided in a beam generator below the patient support.

The ion beam therapy apparatus according to the embodiments of the present invention can generate a plurality of ion beams from one pulse laser and can simultaneously irradiate a plurality of ion beams to a test subject. In addition, the ion beam therapy apparatus can have different energies of the ion beams irradiating the examinee simultaneously. Further, the ion beam therapy apparatus can irradiate a plurality of ion beams to the examinee at various angles. Accordingly, the ion beam therapy apparatus can treat a plurality of targets or perform treatment under various conditions, and the treatment efficiency can be improved.

1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an ion beam treatment apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention.
2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a beam generating unit.
Figs. 3 to 5 are schematic views for explaining the beam delivery portion. Fig.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the beam transmitting portion of FIG. 5;

In order to fully understand the structure and effects of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the concepts of the present invention may be practiced in any suitable environment.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of illustrating embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. In the present specification, the singular form includes plural forms unless otherwise specified in the specification. As used herein, the terms 'comprises' and / or 'comprising' mean that the stated element, step, operation and / or element does not imply the presence of one or more other elements, steps, operations and / Or additions.

When a film (or layer) is referred to herein as being on another film (or layer) or substrate it may be formed directly on another film (or layer) or substrate, or a third film Or layer) may be interposed.

 Although the terms first, second, third, etc. have been used in various embodiments herein to describe various regions, films (or layers), etc., it is to be understood that these regions, do. These terms are merely used to distinguish any given region or film (or layer) from another region or film (or layer). Thus, the membrane referred to as the first membrane in one embodiment may be referred to as the second membrane in another embodiment. Each embodiment described and exemplified herein also includes its complementary embodiment. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the specification.

The terms used in the embodiments of the present invention may be construed as commonly known to those skilled in the art unless otherwise defined.

Hereinafter, an ion beam treatment apparatus according to the concept of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an ion beam treatment apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a beam generating unit.

1 and 2, the ion beam therapy apparatus may include a beam generating unit 100, a beam transmitting unit 200, and a patient support unit 300. The beam generator 100 may generate a plurality of ion beams IB1 and IB2 from the pulsed laser PL and the beam delivery unit 200 may receive the ion beams IB1 and IB2 to support the patient support 300, Each target point on the target can be investigated.

The beam generating unit 100 includes a laser generating unit 110, a branching unit 120, amplifying units 132 and 134, condensing units 142 and 144, target units 152 and 154, and focusing units 162 and 164 ).

The laser generating unit 110 may generate a pulsed laser beam PL. The pulse laser beam PL generated from the laser generating unit 110 may have a cycle of 0.1 Hz to 1000 Hz. That is, the pulse interval of the pulse laser beam PL may be 0.001 second to 10 seconds.

The branching unit 120 may separate the pulse laser beam PL generated by the laser generating unit 110 into the first laser beam LB1 and the second laser beam LB2. The first laser beam LB1 and the second laser beam LB2 branched from the branching section 120 may travel in different directions. For example, the first laser beam LB1 and the second laser beam LB2 may travel in directions opposite to each other. As shown in FIG. 2, the branch 120 may include a first mirror 122 and a second mirror 124. The first mirror 122 may be a switching mirror. A part of the pulsed laser beam PL reflected by the first mirror 122 may be the first laser beam LB1. Another part of the pulsed laser beam PL transmitted through the first mirror 122 may be the second laser beam LB2. The traveling direction of the first laser beam LB1 can be adjusted through the first mirror 122. The traveling direction of the second laser beam LB2 can be adjusted through the second mirror 124. Although the branching unit 120 branches the pulsed laser beam PL using the switching mirror in FIG. 2, the present invention is not limited to this, and the branching unit 120 may divide the pulsed laser beam PL, And may include various means for doing so.

The amplifying units 132 and 134 can amplify the laser beams LB1 and LB2 transmitted from the branching unit 120. [ In detail, the amplifying units 132 and 134 include a first amplifying unit 132 provided on the path of the first laser beam LB1 and a second amplifying unit 132 provided on the path of the second laser beam LB2. (134). The first and second amplification units 132 and 134 may amplify the first laser beam LB1 and the second laser beam LB2, respectively. For example, the first and second amplifying units 132 and 134 may be chirped pulse amplification (CPA) amplifying units. The transmission of the second laser beam LB2 of the second amplification section 134 may have a time delay with respect to the transmission of the first laser beam LB1 of the first amplification section 132. [ At this time, the time delay may be shorter than the pulse interval of the pulse laser beam PL. For example, the first laser beam LB1 and the second laser beam LB2 may be oscillated from the first amplification unit 132 and the second amplification unit 134 with a one-time delay. That is, the pulses of the first laser beam LB1 amplified by the first amplifying unit 132 and the pulses of the second laser beam LB2 amplified by the second amplifying unit 134, Can be shifted. In one example, the time delay may be one-half the pulse interval of the pulsed laser beam PL. That is, the pulse of the first laser beam LB1 amplified by the first amplification unit 132 and the pulse of the second laser beam LB2 amplified by the second amplification unit 134 are shifted by 1/2 cycle .

The light collecting sections 142 and 144 can focus the laser beams LB1 and LB2 transmitted from the amplifying sections 132 and 134. [ More specifically, the light collecting sections 142 and 144 include a first light collecting section 142 provided on the path of the first laser beam LB1 and a second light collecting section 142 provided on the path of the second laser beam LB2. (144). The first and second light collecting parts 142 and 144 can compress the first laser beam LB1 and the second laser beam LB2, respectively. For example, the first and second light collecting parts 142 and 144 may include a diffraction grating, a prism, or an aspherical mirror. The first and second light collecting parts 142 and 144 may change the path of the first laser beam LB1 and the path of the second laser beam LB2, respectively, if necessary. Although the laser beams LB1 and LB2 have been described above to proceed to the light collecting parts 142 and 144 via the amplifying parts 132 and 134, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The target portions 152 and 154 may receive the laser beams LB1 and LB2 to generate the ion beams IB1 and IB2. In detail, the target portions 152 and 154 receive the first laser beam LB2 and the first target portion 152 that receives the first laser beam LB1 to generate the first ion beam IB1 And a second target portion 154 for generating a second ion beam IB2. The first target portion 152 may include a first target material 152a in the first chamber 152b and the first chamber 152b. The inside of the first chamber 152b can be kept vacuum by the first vacuum pump 152c. The first laser beam LB1 incident into the first chamber 152b may be guided to the first target material 152a. As an example, a separate reflective mirror 152d may be provided in the first chamber 152b. Alternatively, unlike the case shown in Fig. 2, the first condensing part 142 may be provided together in the first chamber 152b. The first ion beam IB1 may be generated from the first target material 152a by the first laser beam LB1 focused on one surface of the first target material 152a. The first ion beam IB1 may be a proton ion beam. The second target portion 154 may include a second target material 154a in the second chamber 154b and the second chamber 154b. The inside of the second chamber 154b can be kept vacuum by the second vacuum pump 154c. The second laser beam LB2 incident into the second chamber 154b may be guided to the second target material 154a. As an example, a separate reflective mirror 154d may be provided in the second chamber 154b. Alternatively, unlike the case shown in Fig. 2, the second light collecting part 144 may be provided together in the second chamber 154b. The second ion beam IB2 may be generated from the second target material 154a by the second laser beam LB2 focused on one surface of the second target material 154a. The second ion beam IB2 may be a proton ion beam. The first target material 152a and the second target material 154a may comprise a photoconductive material where electron transitions occur by the laser beams LB1 and LB2. According to one embodiment, the photoconductive material may be a semiconductor material. As an example, the semiconductor material may comprise silicon or germanium. According to another embodiment, the photoconductive material may be a hydrocarbon. For example, hydrocarbons may include graphene or carbon nanotubes (CNTs). According to another embodiment, the photoconductive material may be a polymeric material. In one example, the polymeric material may comprise PVK (polyvinyl carbazole).

The focusing units 162 and 164 can focus the ion beams IB1 and IB2 generated by the target portions 152 and 154. [ More specifically, the focusing units 162 and 164 include a first focusing unit 162 for focusing the first ion beam IB1 and a second focusing unit 164 for focusing the second ion beam IB2 . The first focusing unit 162 and the second focusing unit 164 may include a magnetic lens. The first focusing unit 162 can select the first ion beam IB1 according to the energy. And the second focusing unit 164 can select the second ion beam IB2 according to the energy. The first ion beam IB1 selected by the first focusing unit 162 and the second ion beam IB2 selected by the second focusing unit 164 may have different energies.

The patient support 300 may be disposed on the beam generator 100. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the patient support unit 300 may be disposed on one side of the beam generating unit 100, unlike the case shown in FIG. Hereinafter, description will be continued on the basis that the patient support portion 300 is disposed on the beam generating portion 100. [

The beam transmitting unit 200 can receive the ion beams IB1 and IB2 generated from the beam generating unit 100 and irradiate the ion beams IB1 and IB2 to the target point, respectively. The beam transmission unit 200 includes a first path adjustment unit 210 that adjusts the path of the first ion beam IB1 and irradiates the subject TP and a second path adjustment unit 210 that adjusts the path of the second ion beam IB2, And a second path controller 220 for irradiating the second path controller 220 with the second path controller 220. The first path adjuster 210 may extend from one side of the beam generator 100 to the patient support 300. The second path adjuster 220 may extend from one side of the beam generator 100 onto the patient support 300. The first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may be beam guides. The first and second path adjusters 210 and 220 may provide a path through which the first ion beam IB1 and the second ion beam IB2 travel, respectively. For example, the first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may respectively shift the first ion beam IB1 and the second ion beam IB2 from one side of the beam generator 100, (Not shown).

The first path control unit 210 includes a first injection unit 212 provided on the patient support unit 300 and the second path control unit includes a second injection unit 222 provided on the patient support unit 300, . ≪ / RTI > The first injection unit 212 is connected to one end of the first path control unit 210 on the patient support unit 300 and the second injection unit 222 is connected to the second path control unit 220 on the patient support unit 300. [ As shown in FIG. The first and second implants 212 and 222 may respectively direct the first ion beam IB1 and the second ion beam IB2 to a target point. The first ion beam IB1 irradiated by the first injecting unit 212 and the second ion beam IB2 irradiated by the second injecting unit 222 may not overlap with each other.

The beam delivery portion 200 may include a gantry. That is, the beam transmitting unit 200 rotates around the patient supporting unit 300 and can irradiate the subject TP with the ion beams IB1 and IB2 at various angles. Hereinafter, the configuration of the beam transmitting portion will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figs. 3 to 5 are schematic views for explaining the beam delivery portion. Fig. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the beam transmitting portion of FIG. 5;

3, the first path adjusting unit 210 is disposed on one side of the beam generating unit 100 and the second path adjusting unit 220 is disposed on the other side of the beam generating unit 100 . 4, the first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may be disposed on the same side of the beam generator 100. In this case, Alternatively, the first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may extend from both sides of the beam generator 100 onto the patient support 300. [

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may rotate. At this time, the rotation axis RA of the first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may be positioned on a plane parallel to the upper surface of the patient support unit 300. The first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may have the same rotation axis RA, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The first path adjuster 210 and the second path adjuster 220 may rotate 360 degrees around the rotation axis RA. The rotation path of the first path adjuster 210 and the rotation path of the second path adjuster 220 may not overlap with each other. The first injection part 212 of the first path control part 210 and the second injection part 222 of the second path control part 220 can rotate around the patient support part 300. [ Accordingly, the first implanting unit 212 and the second implanting unit 222 can irradiate the first TPP ion beam IB1 and the second ion beam IB2 at various angles.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, the ion beam treatment apparatus can generate a plurality of ion beams IB1 and IB2 from one pulse laser PL, and simultaneously apply a plurality of ion beams IB1 and IB2 to the examinee at the same time You can investigate. In addition, the ion beam therapy apparatus can have different energies of the ion beams IB1 and IB2 simultaneously irradiated to the examinee TP. Further, the ion beam therapy apparatus can irradiate the subject TP with a plurality of ion beams IB1 and IB2 at various angles. Accordingly, the ion beam therapy apparatus can treat a plurality of targets or perform treatment under various conditions, and the treatment efficiency can be improved.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive.

100: beam generator 110: laser generator
120: branch 132, 134:
142, 144: light collecting part 152, 154:
162, 166: focusing unit 200: beam transmission unit
210, 220: path regulator 300: patient support
PL: pulse laser LB1, LB2: laser beam
IB1, IB2: ion beam TP: test subject

Claims (16)

A laser generator;
A splitter for splitting the pulsed laser beam generated by the laser generator into a first laser beam and a second laser beam;
A first target portion receiving the first laser beam from the branching portion to generate a first ion beam;
A second target portion receiving the second laser beam from the branching portion to generate a second ion beam;
A first path adjusting unit adjusting the path of the first ion beam and irradiating the path of the first ion beam to the examinee; And
And a second path adjuster for adjusting the path of the second ion beam and irradiating the path of the second ion beam to the examinee.
The method according to claim 1,
A first amplifying unit for amplifying the first laser beam between the branching unit and the first target unit; And
And a second amplifying unit for amplifying the second laser beam between the branching unit and the second target unit. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the pulse of the first laser beam amplified by the first amplification unit and the pulse of the second laser beam amplified by the second amplification unit are shifted by one pulse of the shifted ion beam Treatment device. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the pulses of the first laser beam amplified by the first amplification unit and the pulses of the second laser beam amplified by the second amplification unit are subjected to ion beam treatment shifted to 1/2 cycle of the pulses of the pulsed laser beam, Device. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first laser beam and the second laser beam proceed in directions opposite to each other with respect to the branching portion. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster rotate with the same rotation axis,
Wherein each of the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster rotates about the examinee. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the rotation path of the first path adjuster and the rotation path of the second path adjuster do not overlap with each other. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising focusing means disposed between the first target portion and the first path adjusting portion or between the second target portion and the second path adjusting portion. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the branching portion comprises a switching mirror. The method according to claim 1,
And a condensing part disposed between the first amplifying part and the first target part or between the second amplifying part and the second target part.

A switching mirror for receiving the pulsed laser from the laser generator;
A target portion receiving a first laser beam and a second laser beam from the switching mirror, the target portion receiving a first laser beam and a second laser beam, respectively, to generate a first ion beam and a second ion beam;
A path controller for controlling a path of the first ion beam and the second ion beam and irradiating the path of the second ion beam to the examinee; And
And a patient support portion in which the examinee is located.
12. The method of claim 11,
The path adjuster includes:
A first path controller for providing a path through which the first ion beam travels; And
And a second path adjuster for providing a path through which the second ion beam advances. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the path of the first ion beam does not overlap the path of the second ion beam. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster are opposed to each other with respect to the examinee. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the first path adjuster and the second path adjuster rotate about the examinee. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the laser generator, the switching mirror, and the target portion are provided in a beam generator below the patient support.

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