U.S. patent application number 09/732785 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-24 for radiotherapy machine including magnetic resonance imaging system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Varian, Inc.. Invention is credited to Green, Michael Curzon.
Application Number | 20010001807 09/732785 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25541143 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010001807 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Green, Michael Curzon |
May 24, 2001 |
Radiotherapy machine including magnetic resonance imaging
system
Abstract
A radiotherapy machine beam treats a region of a subject while
the region and volumes abutting the region are imaged by a magnetic
resonance imaging system. The beam and an excitation coil assembly
of the imaging system are arranged so the beam is not incident on
the coil assembly and magnetic fields derived from the coil
assembly do not interact with the beam. The excitation coil
assembly includes two spaced winding segments for producing a main
DC magnetic field; the segments are located on opposite sides of
the region. In one embodiment, wherein the excitation coil assembly
is mounted independently of movement of an axis of the beam, the
winding segments have a common axis generally aligned with an axis
about which the beam axis turns. A treatment couch for the subject
fits within aligned central openings of the winding segments. The
coil produces main magnetic field lines that extend generally in
the same direction as the axis about which the beam turns. In other
embodiments, the coil assembly moves with the beam axis and the
treatment couch is between the coil segments. In one such
embodiment, each winding segment includes a central opening (1)
through which the beam axis extends; and (2) generally aligned with
magnetic field lines established by and extending between the
segments. In another such embodiment, the beam axis extends through
a space between the segments, being generally orthogonal to
magnetic field lines established by and extending between the
segments.
Inventors: |
Green, Michael Curzon; (Polo
Alto, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Bella Fishman
VARIAN INC.
Legal Department
3120 Hansen Way, D104
Palo Alto
CA
94304-1030
US
|
Assignee: |
Varian, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
25541143 |
Appl. No.: |
09/732785 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09732785 |
Dec 11, 2000 |
|
|
|
08994851 |
Dec 19, 1997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
600/411 ;
324/318; 378/65; 600/1; 600/415 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61N 5/1049 20130101;
G01R 33/4808 20130101; A61N 2005/1055 20130101; A61N 2005/1063
20130101; A61N 5/1042 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
600/411 ;
600/415; 600/1; 378/65; 324/318 |
International
Class: |
A61B 005/055 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A method of treating a region of a subject with a radiotherapy
beam derived from a radiotherapy machine which comprises imaging
the region and volumes abutting the region with a magnetic
resonance imaging system while irradiating the region with the
beam.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the beam and
an excitation coil assembly of the imaging system so the beam is
not incident on the coil assembly and magnetic fields derived from
the coil assembly do not interact with the beam.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting changes in
an output of the magnetic resonance imaging system resulting from
protons of atoms in the region precessing at a frequency and with
spin-coherence relaxation characteristics determined by excitation
thereof by the magnetic resonance imaging system and the presence
of irradiation products of the beam and controlling the relative
position of the region and the beam in response to the changes in
the output of the magnetic resonance imaging system so the region
is irradiated to the exclusion of the volumes abutting the
region.
4. The method of claim 3, further including deriving
three-dimensional spatial distribution information for the
radiotherapy beam on the irradiated region while the region is
irradiated by the beam by responding to the detected changes.
5. The method of claim 4, further including correlating the derived
three-dimensional data with previously gathered known data
concerning the position of the region desired to be irradiated by
the beam.
6. The method of claim 5, further including controlling the
relative position of the beam and the region to confine the beam to
the region in response to the correlating step.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is treated on a
treatment couch, comprising moving the subject while on the
treatment couch from a position outside of an area where the
radiotherapy machine is located to said area.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of different
treatment couches are provided, and further comprising moving
different subjects on different ones of said couches from different
positions outside the area to the area.
9. In combination, a radiotherapy machine for deriving a
radiotherapy beam for a region of a subject on a treatment couch,
and a magnetic resonance imaging system for imaging the region and
volumes abutting the region substantially simultaneously with the
region being irradiated by the beam.
10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the imaging system includes
an excitation coil assembly, the beam and the excitation coil
assembly being arranged so the beam is not incident on the coil
assembly and magnetic fields derived from the coil assembly do not
interact with the beam.
11. The combination of claim 9, further including a treatment couch
for the subject, the couch including bed for holding the subject,
the bed being movable for enabling the region to be positioned
relative to the treatment beam axis.
12. The combination of claim 9, wherein the magnetic excitation
coil assembly includes first and second spaced segments on opposite
sides of the region so an axis of the beam is between the first and
second segments.
13. The combination of claim 12, wherein the beam is propagated
along a beam axis, the beam axis being arranged to turn about
another axis arranged to approximately extend through the region
and approximately intersect the beam axis, the magnetic excitation
coil assembly being mounted independently of movement of the beam
axis.
14. The combination of claim 13, wherein the first and second
segments have a common axis substantially coincident with the
another axis, the first and second segments deriving main magnetic
field lines that extend between the first and second segments in
the same general direction as the common axis, a subject holding
structure fitting between generally aligned central openings in the
first and second segments along the common axis.
15. The combination of claim 12, wherein the first and second
segments have a common axis substantially at right angles to the
another axis, the first and second segments being arranged so a
subject holding structure is between them, the segments producing a
main magnetic field having flux lines extending generally in the
direction of the common axis.
16. The combination of claim 15, wherein the coil assembly is
mounted so it moves with movement of the beam axis.
17. The combination of claim 16, wherein each of the first and
second segments has a central opening including the common axis,
the beam axis extending through the central openings of the first
and second segments and being generally aligned with the magnetic
field flux lines extending between said first and second
segments.
18. The combination of claim 16, wherein the beam axis and the
first and second segments are arranged so the beam axis extends
through a space between the first and second segments and generally
at right angles to the magnetic field flux lines extending between
the first and second segments.
19. The combination of claim 9, further including a magnetic shield
structure arranged to decouple magnetic fields originating in the
radiotherapy machine from magnetic fields originating in the
magnetic resonance imaging system.
20. The combination of claim 19, wherein the magnetic shield
structure includes: a coil surrounding sources of leakage magnetic
fields originating in the radiotherapy machine, and a power source
arranged to electrically excite the coil surrounding sources of
leakage magnetic fields originating in the radiotherapy
machine.
21. The combination of claim 19, wherein the shield structure
includes: a coil surrounding sources of leakage magnetic fields
originating in the magnetic resonance imaging system, and a power
source arranged to electrically excite the coil surrounding sources
of magnetic fields originating in the magnetic resonance imaging
system.
22. The combination of claim 21, wherein the shield structure
includes: a further coil surrounding sources of magnetic fields
originating in the radiotherapy machine, and a power source
arranged to electrically excite the coil surrounding sources of
magnetic fields originating in the radiotherapy machine.
23. The combination of claim 9, wherein the beam is an electron
beam that is alternately applied to and removed from the region
while a magnetic field from the coil assembly is respectively
removed from and applied to the region.
24. The combination of claim 9, wherein the beam is an X-ray
beam.
25. The combination of claim 9, wherein the magnetic resonance
imaging system includes a coil for deriving a main DC magnetic
field, the coil being a non-superconducting wire wound water cooled
coil.
26. The combination of claim 9, wherein the magnetic resonance
imaging system includes a coil for deriving a main DC magnetic
field, the coil being a superconductor.
27. The combination of claim 26, further including a liquid helium
source for cooling the superconductor coil to a liquid helium
temperature.
28. The combination of claim 27, wherein the beam is an electron
beam that is alternately applied to and removed from the region
while respectively pulsing current applied to the coil off and on,
and further including superconducting leads for applying current
pulses to the coil, the superconducting leads being leads having a
high superconducting temperature compared to the temperature of
liquid helium.
29. The combination of claim 27, wherein the coil is a high
temperature superconducting coil that is superconducting at
temperatures substantially higher than the temperature of liquid
helium.
30. The combination of claim 26, wherein the coil is a high
temperature superconducting coil that is superconducting at
temperatures substantially higher than the temperature of liquid
helium, further including a liquid helium source for cooling the
superconductor coil to a liquid helium temperature.
31. The combination of claim 9, wherein the magnetic resonance
imaging system includes a superconducting rf coil.
32. The combination of claim 9, further including a non-magnetic
subject carrying structure, the structure being movable to a first
region where the machine is located from a second region outside of
the first region and the structure being arranged to be locked in
said first region.
33. The combination of claim 32, further including a non-magnetic
track at the machine for guiding movement of the structure.
34. The combination of claim 32, wherein the structure carries a
coil assembly of the system.
35. The combination of claim 32, further including a plurality of
said structures.
36. The combination of claim 9, further including a subject
carrying structure, a coil assembly of the system when operating as
part of the system being positioned to prevent facile access by the
subject to and from the structure, a portion of the coil assembly
being moveable relative to the structure when the coil assembly is
not operative, the coil assembly being moveable to a position
facilitating access by the subject to the structure.
37. The combination of claim 36, wherein the coil portion is
mounted in a plane extending substantially at right angles to a
subject receiving surface of the subject carrying structure, the
coil portion being pivotable about an axis extending in the
direction of the plane.
38. The combination of claim 9, further comprising a detector
responsive to changes in an output of the magnetic resonance
imaging system resulting from protons of atoms in the region
precessing at a frequency determined by magnetic resonance
excitation thereof and subject to de-execution under the influence
of radiation products of said beam.
39. The combination of claim 36, further comprising motors arranged
to control the relative position of the region and the beam by
controlling the position of a subject carrying structure relative
to an axis of the beam.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to methods of and
devices for treating a region of a subject with a radiotherapy beam
and more particularly to such a method and device wherein the
region is irradiated by the beam substantially simultaneously with
a magnetic resonance imaging system imaging the region in such a
manner that the beam is not incident on a coil assembly of the
imaging system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Radiotherapy machines, such as the CLINAC machines
manufactured by the assignee of the present invention, generally
include a linear electron beam accelerator mounted on a gantry
which rotates on an approximately horizontal axis. The electron
beam accelerator is usually mounted on the gantry in such a manner
that it is offset from the horizontal rotational axis of the
gantry. The high energy electron beam emerging from the accelerator
is further processed by techniques well-known to those experienced
in the art to produce either an electron beam or an X-ray beam
suitable for patient treatment. In either case the radiation is
collimated in a treatment beam which is caused to travel in a
direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the gantry in
such a manner that the axis of the treatment beam intersects the
rotational axis of the gantry. The point at which the axis of the
treatment beam intersects the rotational axis of the gantry is the
focal point of the treatment beam and is referred to as the
isocenter of the radiotherapy machine.
[0003] In a radiotherapy machine the patient is placed on a
treatment couch that can be precisely positioned to locate the
treatment region, which is usually a cancerous tumor or lesion in
the patient, on the rotational axis of the gantry at the isocenter
of the radiotherapy machine. Thus, by rotating the gantry, the
source of the treatment beam can be rotated around the patient
during treatment, thereby minimizing the amount of treatment
radiation passing through any one region of the patient's body near
the treatment region while the beam always passes through the
treatment region itself. Excessive irradiation of non-diseased
tissue, especially those tissues abutting the diseased treatment
region, causes undesirable cell damage and cell death in healthy
tissue.
[0004] Among practitioners of current radiotherapy treatment art it
is well-known that minimum abutting cell damage generally occurs
when the diseased treatment region in the patient is precisely
located at the isocenter of the radiotherapy machine. However,
several limitations of the present art make it difficult to achieve
the desired precise positioning of the diseased region of the
patient at the isocenter of the radiotherapy machine.
[0005] One reason for this difficulty is that diseased tissue in a
patient usually is surrounded by, or is adjacent to, other soft
tissue which is materially similar to the diseased tissue. The
similarity of the tissues makes it difficult to precisely define
the exact boundaries of the diseased tissue using current
diagnostic and imaging techniques appropriate for radiotherapy
machines.
[0006] One past attempt to overcome this problem has involved using
relatively low contrast two-dimensional X-ray-based imaging of the
region when the subject is positioned on the radiotherapy machine.
The X-ray-based imaging systems have generally relied on detecting
X-rays in the same X-ray beam which is used for radiotherapy
purposes. However, low contrast two-dimensional X-ray-based imaging
of the region does not enable the true position of the region
including the tumor or lesion to be definitely located. The
difference in X-ray absorbance between different soft tissue
structures and between cancerous and non-cancerous soft tissues
frequently ranges from small to undetectable. Only the bones, which
absorb X-rays more strongly, can be readily imaged and precisely
located by this means. Determining the true position of the soft
tissue region to be treated is difficult because due to its lack of
rigidity the region moves relative to the nearby bones of the
subject as a result of unavoidable body movements of the subject on
the treatment couch. The uncertainty in determining the true
position of the region exists even when fiducial markers are
inserted into the tumor because patient movement is likely to cause
the fiducial markers to move.
[0007] Because the region desired to be treated is usually not
located exactly as planned with respect to the isocenter of the
radiotherapy system, insufficient quantities of radiotherapy beam
energy are deposited in the region desired to be treated and
excessive amounts of radiotherapy beam energy are deposited in
healthy tissue in a volume abutting the region desired to be
treated. Consequently, the tissue in the abutting volume is
subjected to undesired and unnecessary damage so healthy organs
adjacent the tumor site are damaged.
[0008] Because of the general inability to focus the radiotherapy
beam with sufficient precision on the region desired to be treated,
current medical practice is to increase the irradiated area to
include additional tissue volume and to increase the dosage of the
radiotherapy beam to ensure complete cell death in the region
desired to be treated. The expectation is that all cells in the
treated region are killed and possible positioning errors between
the beam and the region are compensated. However, such techniques
inevitably cause increased collateral radiation damage to the
volume abutting the desired region to be treated, in some cases
resulting in devastating quality of life effects on the subject. It
is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved method of, and apparatus for enabling a
radiotherapy beam to be accurately positioned on a desired region
to be treated by the beam.
[0009] Another object of the invention is to provide a new and
improved method of, and apparatus for enabling a radiotherapy beam
to be precisely positioned on a region desired to be treated,
wherein the apparatus used to determine whether the beam is
properly located is easily retrofitted on existing radiotherapy
devices.
[0010] An additional object of the invention is to provide a
radiotherapy machine including a magnetic resonance imaging system
for acquiring 2D and 3D spatially resolved high-contrast images of
soft tissue structures and organs within and abutting the region
desired to be treated.
[0011] An additional object of the invention is to provide a
radiotherapy machine including a magnetic resonance imaging system,
wherein an excitation coil assembly of the imaging system is
arranged so that a radiotherapy beam of the radiotherapy machine is
not incident on the coil assembly and wherein the coil assembly is
arranged so subjects to be treated can easily be placed in the path
of the radiotherapy beam, on a treatment couch.
[0012] An additional object of the invention is to provide a new
and improved radiotherapy machine in combination with a system for
directly detecting the effect of the radiotherapy beam on an
irradiated region, particularly the contents of tissue cells in the
region, and to spatially resolve the effect of the irradiation to
enable real time three-dimensional correlation between the shape,
position and intensity of the region actually being irradiated and
the known location of a region desired to be irradiated, where a
tumor or lesion is located.
[0013] A further object of the invention is to provide a new and
improved radiotherapy machine in combination with a relatively low
cost device for determining whether, and the degree to which tissue
in a region desired to be treated by a radiotherapy beam is
actually being treated.
[0014] Still a further object of the invention is to provide a new
and improved X-ray beam therapy device in combination with a
magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein secondary electron skin
dosage resulting from bombardment of the skin by the X-ray beam is
substantially reduced by the magnetic field of the coils of the
imaging system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
these and other objects are achieved by treating a region of a
subject with a radiotherapy beam while the region and volumes
abutting the region are imaged by a magnetic resonance imaging
system. The beam and an excitation coil assembly of the imaging
system are arranged so the beam is not incident on the coil
assembly and also so that magnetic fields derived from the coil
assembly do not perturb the particle trajectories in the beam in
the case where the radiotherapy beam is composed of charged
particles such as electrons.
[0016] The excitation coil assembly of the imaging system
preferably includes first and second spaced segments for producing
a main DC magnetic field; the segments are located on opposite
sides of the region.
[0017] In one embodiment, wherein the excitation coil assembly is
mounted independently of movement of the treatment beam axis, the
first and second excitation coil assembly segments have a common
axis substantially coincident with an axis that passes through the
region to be treated and about which the beam axis turns. A subject
carrying structure, e.g., a treatment couch, fits within aligned
central openings of the coil segments. The beam axis passes between
the two segments at right angles to the main magnetic field lines
produced by and extending between the segments.
[0018] In other embodiments, the coil assembly is mounted so it
moves as the beam axis moves.
[0019] In one of these embodiments, each of the first and second
coil segments includes a central opening having a common axis. The
beam axis extends through the central openings of both coil
segments and is generally aligned with magnetic field lines
established by and extending between these segments. In another
embodiment, the beam axis extends through a space between the
segments and is generally at right angles to magnetic field lines
established by and extending between the segments. The latter
arrangement, which does not have a central opening in the coil
segments, is advantageous because it establishes a higher intensity
magnetic field than the arrangements with such an opening.
[0020] A feature of the invention is that the magnetic field
derived from the excitation coils of the magnetic resonance imaging
system is relatively low, sufficient to provide only the minimum
necessary spatial resolution and sensitivity for determining
whether the radiotherapy beam is incident on the desired region to
be treated. The magnetic field density is sufficiently low that
conventional copper-wound water cooled coils can be employed to
generate the main magnetic field, although superconducting magnetic
coil assemblies, cooled to a liquid helium or liquid nitrogen
temperature, can be employed if desired.
[0021] If a liquid helium-cooled superconducting coil generates the
magnetic resonance imaging system main magnetic field, commercially
available high temperature superconducting supply leads preferably
establish external connections between the superconducting coil and
a DC power supply for exciting the superconducting coil. The high
temperature superconducting supply leads block heat leakage from
the liquid nitrogen temperature at which they are maintained, i.e.,
77.degree. K, to the low temperature superconducting coil at
4.2.degree. K. Thereby, the low temperature superconducting coil is
not required for reasons of heat leakage to operate in the
persistent mode without supply leads connected, hence the current
in the coil can be pulsed on and off by an external supply without
an unacceptable increase in liquid helium consumption. By pulsing
the high temperature superconductor supply leads on and off
synchronously with pulsing an electron radiotherapy beam off and
on, the magnetic resonance imaging system has no adverse deflection
effects on electrons in the radiotherapy electron beam.
[0022] To reduce the required strength of the magnetic field
derived from the resonance imaging system magnetic coils, a radio
frequency pickup coil of the resonance imaging system is preferably
a superconductor. This enables the main magnetic coil of the
resonance imaging system to have a relatively small size, to
facilitate retrofitting the main coil to existing radiotherapy
machines and reduce the cost of a facility including the structure
of the invention. The superconducting radio frequency coil is
preferably a high temperature superconductor formed from oriented
high temperature superconducting films grown on metal foils or on
planar oxide single crystal substrates. A further feature of the
invention is that leakage magnetic fields originating in the
radiotherapy machine are decoupled from magnetic fields originating
in the magnetic resonance imaging system and leakage magnetic
fields originating in the magnetic resonance imaging system are
decoupled from the radiotherapy linear accelerator. The decoupling
is preferably provided by compensating coils positioned outside the
imaging system coils and by a coil or coils surrounding the linear
accelerator and its associated components.
[0023] A feature of the present invention is the capability of the
magnetic resonance imaging system to detect changes in nuclear
magnetic resonance spectral parameters of the image region due to
the effects of the radiotherapy beam irradiating the tissue desired
to be treated by the beam.
[0024] At thermal equilibrium in a magnetic field, the magnetic
moment of a nucleus is aligned with the magnetic field. When
perturbed from this alignment, the magnetic moment precesses around
the applied field at the characteristic resonance frequency of the
particular nuclear species (often a hydrogen nucleus or proton).
The variation of the applied magnetic field at different atomic
sites in a molecule due to the shielding effects of the surrounding
electrons causes small shifts in the resonance frequencies of
similar nuclei. The nature of the environment of the resonating
nuclei determine the rate at which the resonance decays, or
relaxes. These differences in resonance frequencies can be resolved
and used to analyze molecular structures. Alternatively, the
resonance frequencies may be modified by the imposition of a
magnetic field gradient across a sample in which case the resonance
frequency is a function of the position of a particular nuclear
spin within the sample. This forms the basis of nuclear magnetic
resonance imaging systems.
[0025] In either case, application of an rf pulse with a frequency
close to that of the natural resonance frequency of the spins is
used to perturb the nuclear magnetic moment. The perturbation
rotates the nuclear magnetic moment away from its alignment with
the applied magnetic field. A rotation of 90.degree. produces a
maximum magnetization transverse to the magnetic field while a
180.degree. rotation results in an inversion of the initial
magnetization but no transverse magnetization. It is the transverse
component of magnetization which precesses about the applied
magnetic field and which can be detected in an NMR spectrometer.
Following a perturbation, two relaxation times characterize the
return to thermal equilibrium. In addition to precessing, the
transverse magnetization decreases in amplitude with a
characteristic time constant T2, the spin-spin relaxation time. The
component of magnetization parallel to the applied field returns to
its initial value with a characteristic time constant T1, the
spin-lattice relaxation time. Both of these relaxation times are
affected by the magnetic influences of neighboring atoms and
molecules. In particular, the presence of free radicals with their
strong electronic magnetic moment can modify the relaxation times
and resonance frequencies of nearby nuclei. The measurement of
resonance frequencies and relaxation times may be combined with NMR
imaging methods to provide NMR spectral data which is correlated
with spatial position.
[0026] Because of the high sensitivity of the NMR spectral
parameters to differences in the magnetic environment of nuclei in
different types of soft tissue i.e. between the tissues in
different body organs or between cancerous and non-cancerous
tissues, the NMR image of soft tissue structures achieves much
greater contrast than an X-ray image of the same tissue volume.
Additionally the MR image contains 3D rather than 2D positional
information. The position of the cancerous tumor or lesion in the
soft tissue can therefore be determined directly on the
radiotherapy machine with much greater precision than by inferring
the presumed position of the tumor with reference to the position
of the nearby bones obtained from an X-ray image.
[0027] In addition, because of the large change in NMR spectral
parameters induced by the presence of free radicals, which are one
of the primary products of the irradiation of tissues by the
radiotherapy beam, both the spatial location and the intensity of
the irradiation effects of the radiation therapy beam on the
tissues within the imaged volume can be determined in real time
during treatment.
[0028] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the
analytical capability of a magnetic resonance imaging system is
used to detect changes in nuclear magnetic resonance spectral
parameters due to effects of the radiotherapy beam irradiating the
tissue. The radiotherapy beam incident on selected tissue causes
free radicals and ionization products to be produced in the tissue.
The presence of these can be detected and imaged. The radiotherapy
beam, the high intensity magnetic fields and the rf pulse of the
magnetic resonance imaging system thus interact to enable
three-dimensional spatial distribution information to be derived
for the radiation dose of the radiotherapy beam deposited in the
treated and abutting tissue during the treatment process. The
three-dimensional information is derived by using known magnetic
resonance imaging techniques and by correlating the detected data
with the beam axis position and the known beam cross-sectional
geometry and intensity. The three-dimensional information relating
to the spatial distribution of the radiotherapy beam on the treated
tissue is correlated with previously gathered and therefore known
three-dimensional data concerning the position of the cancerous
tissue desired to be treated. Thereby, the radiotherapy beam can be
confined to the tissue desired to be treated and controlled so it
is not incident on the abutting tissue. This enables the total
radiation dose to the subject from the beam to be reduced and
collateral damage to healthy tissue minimized. An MR image in
absence of radiation will show cancerous tissue. With the beam on,
the MR image will show the extent of tissue being irradiated.
[0029] The above and still further objects, features and advantages
of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of
the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof,
especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention with
several preferred embodiments outlined;
[0031] FIG. 2 is a side view of a radiotherapy machine, in
combination with spaced stationary DC excitation coil segments of a
magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein (1) a radiotherapy beam
axis is generally at right angles to the direction of main magnetic
flux lines extending between the spaced segments, (2) a treated
region of a subject is in a space between the segments, and (3) the
segments include a central opening to accommodate the subject;
[0032] FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.
2;
[0033] FIG. 4 is a side view of a radiotherapy machine, in
combination with spaced DC excitation coil segments of a magnetic
resonance imaging system, wherein (1) the segments are mounted so
an axis of a radiotherapy beam goes through a central opening of
the segments, in general alignment, with main magnetic field lines
extending between the segments, (2) a treated region of the subject
is in a space between the segments, and (3) the segments include a
central opening to accommodate the beam;
[0034] FIG. 5 is a front view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.
4;
[0035] FIG. 6 is a side view of a further embodiment of the present
invention, wherein (1) spaced DC excitation coil segments of a
magnetic resonance imaging system move with a radiotherapy beam
axis and are arranged so main magnetic field fines derived from the
coil segments are generally at right angles to the radiotherapy
beam axis, (2) the treatment region is between the two coil
segments, and (3) the segments do not have a central opening;
[0036] FIG. 7 is a front view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG.
6;
[0037] FIG. 8 is a top view of a portion of the apparatus
illustrated in FIG. 6, particularly of the position of X, Y, and Z
axis gradient coils of the magnetic resonance imaging system;
[0038] FIG. 9 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6,
wherein a coil segment of the magnetic resonance imaging system is
turned 90.degree. to enable ease of access by a patient to the
treatment couch of the radiotherapy device;
[0039] FIG. 10 is a side view of the magnetic resonance imaging
coil of FIG. 6, in combination with a coil arrangement for
substantially canceling leakage magnetic fields from the coil;
[0040] FIG. 11 is a side view of an optional configuration that can
be used with the radiotherapy machines and the magnetic resonance
imaging system of FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein a treatment couch carrying
a subject to be treated by the radiotherapy machine is moved on
non-magnetic tracks from one of several waiting positions to an
operative position at the radiotherapy machine; and
[0041] FIG. 12 is a top view of a track assembly to be used with
the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0042] Reference is now made to the block diagram of FIG. 1,
wherein the apparatus of the present invention is illustrated as
including a relatively conventional radiotherapy machine 20, a
magnetic resonance imaging system 22 and controller 24 for devices
included in machine 20 and system 22. Radiotherapy machine 20
includes a radiotherapy beam source, in the form of an X-ray beam
or pulsed electron beam source 26, a gantry for carrying source 26,
drive motor 28 for the gantry, and a treatment couch on which a
subject (patient) is located. The treatment couch includes a
subject receiving bed that is selectively positioned in the
horizontal plane along X and Z axis directions and in the vertical,
Y axis direction; horizontal and vertical movements of the bed are
provided by horizontal and vertical drive motors 31, 33 and 35.
Radiotherapy machine 20 also includes coil 30 which encircles the
linear accelerator and substantially cancels external leakage
magnetic fields associated with the linear accelerator so these
leakage fields do not have an effect on the operation of magnetic
resonance imaging system 22.
[0043] Magnetic resonance imaging system 22 includes a main DC
magnetic coil assembly 32 having two spaced winding segments
between which is located a region to be treated by the radiotherapy
beam. The winding segments of assembly 32 are supplied with DC
current by source 36 to produce the main magnetic DC field of
system 22. Magnetic coil assembly 32 is positioned to produce a
main DC magnetic field in the region of the subject at the location
of the tissues desired to be destroyed by the radiotherapy beam of
machine 20. The magnitude of the DC magnetic field produced by
assembly 32 is sufficient to precess protons of body tissue cells
of the subject in the region. Assembly 32 can include copper wire
wound water cooled winding segments (to minimize the cost of system
22) or high temperature superconducting winding segments cooled by
a liquid nitrogen source or low temperature wire winding segments
cooled to liquid helium temperatures by liquid helium source
34.
[0044] If the coils of assembly 32 are low temperature
superconducting coils, they are preferably formed of niobium
titanium (NbTi) or niobium tin (Nb3Sn) wire. Such superconducting
coils provide a higher magnetic field than is provided by
conventional copper water cooled windings, given the constraints
set by power consumption, cooling water supply and space available
to accommodate the conventional copper windings.
[0045] If the low temperature superconducting coils are employed in
assembly 32 to generate the main magnetic field of imaging system
22, the coils of assembly 32 are preferably connected to source 36
by high temperature superconducting leads 38, formed of
commercially available materials. Leads 38, being maintained at a
superconducting temperature of 77.degree. K by liquid nitrogen
source 40, block heat leakage from source 36 to the 4.2.degree. K
superconducting coils of assembly 32 so the coils of assembly 32
are not required to operate in a persistent mode. Since the coils
of assembly 32 need not be operated in the persistent mode, the
coils can be pulsed on and off, as is necessary if the beam of
radiotherapy machine 20 is an electron beam. If the radiotherapy
beam of machine 20 is an electron beam, the electron beam must be
pulsed and the magnetic fields of imaging system 22 must be pulsed
off when the electron beam is produced, so the imaging system
magnetic fields do not deflect the electron beam charge
carriers.
[0046] Magnetic resonance imaging system 22 also includes rf coil
42 which excites protons in the imaged region treated by the
radiotherapy beam so the protons precess at a frequency determined
by (1) the atoms containing the protons; and (2) the magnitude of
the magnetic fields where the protons are located. Rf coil 42 is
either a conventional wire wound coil or is a high temperature
superconductor, cooled to liquid nitrogen temperatures or a low
temperature superconductor, cooled to a temperature close to that
of liquid helium. Rf coil 42 is supplied with rf energy by pulsed
rf source 44 which derives short duration pulses having a carrier
frequency related to the precessing frequency of protons in the
imaged and treated region. Rf receiver 46 responds to rf energy
from the precessed protons and coupled back to coil 42 after the
pulse from source 44 has subsided. The frequency of the energy
coupled by coil 32 to receiver 46 is determined by the precessing
frequency of protons in the region of the subject exposed to the DC
magnetic fields of system 22, and the types of atoms in the region
of the subject coupled to the magnetic fields derived from imaging
system 22. By employing rf excitation pulses from rf source 44 to
align the spins and then using delayed probe pulses to monitor the
time-dependent signal amplitude at the various precession
frequencies, it is possible to derive the relaxation times Ti and
T2. Appropriate pulse sequences to accomplish this have been
developed by those skilled in the art of magnetic resonance
imaging. For example an 180.degree. excitation pulse to align the
spins followed by a 90.degree. probe pulse may be employed to
measure T1 and a 90.degree. excitation pulse to align the spins
followed by a 180.degree. probe pulse may be used to monitor T2.
More complex pulse sequences well known to those skilled in the art
are employed to improve sensitivity and accuracy and these are
combined with established signal processing techniques to provide a
spatially resolved image where the pixels are weighted according to
the local values of the relaxation times. Since the precessing
frequency of protons in the imaged and treated region and in
particular the values of the relaxation time parameters T1 and T2
are affected by the irradiation products of the radiotherapy beam,
the frequency and the time-dependent amplitude of the rf energy
coupled back to coil 46 is a function of whether or not the
radiotherapy beam is incident on the imaged tissue.
[0047] The rf receiver supplies an rf signal to spectrometer and
display unit 48. The spectrometer preferably combines the
capability of fast Fourier transform analysis of chemical shift
spectra employed in chemical nuclear magnetic resonance systems
with the T1 and T2 relaxation time measurement capability and
gradient coil driving electronics of magnetic resonance imaging
systems, while the display is of the three-dimensional type usually
used in magnetic resonance imaging systems. Thereby, spectrometer
and display unit 48 includes a fast Fourier transform computer
program to determine the frequency content of the rf energy coupled
by coil 42 to receiver 46.
[0048] Because spectrometer and display unit 48 includes a fast
Fourier transform program and relaxation time measurement
capability, magnetic resonance imaging system 22 uses the
analytical cability of system 22 to detect changes in the nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral parameters (including the
relaxation times) derived from the region irradiated by the
radiotherapy beam of machine 20. Characteristic changes in the
local NMR spectral parameters result from the effects of
irradiation by the radiotherapy beam on tissue in the region.
Consequently, spectrometer and display unit 48 is able to provide
three-dimensional information concerning the spatial distribution
of the radiotherapy beam from machine 20 on tissue in the subject
while the tissue is being treated by the radiotherapy beam. The
three-dimensional information is derived from the display of unit
48 and is correlated either by an operator or automatically by a
computer (not shown) with information concerning the location of
the desired area to be treated, e.g., the position of the cancerous
cells in the patient. In response to this correlation, the position
of the patient and therefore of the tissue irradiated by the
radiotherapy beam is moved by the operator controlling motors 31,
33 and 35 for the position of the treatment couch of machine 20 or
by an automatic feedback system (not shown) for controlling couch
position.
[0049] Basically, spectrometer and display unit 48 monitor changes
in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectral parameters of the
magnetic resonance imaging system 22. These changes in the nuclear
magnetic resonance spectral parameters are directly responsive to
the effects of irradiation of the cancerous cells being treated by
the radiotherapy beam. This information enables real time
three-dimensional correlation between the shape, position and
intensity of the irradiated volume and the location of the region
desired to be treated, i.e., the region containing the cancerous
cells.
[0050] If rf coil 42 includes a superconductor, preferably a high
temperature superconductor, cooled to the 77.degree. K temperature
of liquid nitrogen, the magnitude of the main magnetic field
derived from the coil of assembly 32 can be substantially reduced.
This enables the magnetic coil of assembly 32 to be substantially
reduced in volume to facilitate retrofitting the winding segments
of this coil assembly to radiotherapy machine 20. Preferably, the
high temperature superconductor included in coil 42 is made from
oriented high temperature superconductor films grown on metal coils
with appropriate buffer layers or on planar oxide single crystal
substrates.
[0051] Magnetic resonance imaging system 22 also includes assembly
50 containing DC gradient coils for X', Y' and Z' coordinate axes
that are somewhat different from the X Y and Z coordinate axes for
the couch of machine 20. The X' and Z' axes are in the horizontal
plane but are displaced 45.degree. from the X and Z axes while the
vertical Y and Y' axes are coincident. The gradient coils of
assembly 50 are supplied with variable amplitude DC currents from
source 52 such that at different times the amplitudes of the
gradient magnetic fields produced by the coils of assembly 50
vary.
[0052] The gradient coils of assembly 50 are mounted so the
radiotherapy beam is not incident on them and the gradient coils do
not interfere with the beam supplied by radiotherapy machine 20 to
the subject. To this end, the X' and Z' coils, which are at right
angles to the axis of the radiotherapy beam incident on the
subject, are mounted on the coils of assembly 32, as described in
detail infra. The coils of assembly 50 which establish the Y axis
magnetic field that is either vertical or which extends in the same
general direction as the axis of the radiotherapy beam incident on
the subject are positioned in different vertical planes or in
different planes at right angles to the beam axis and include
openings enabling the beam to propagate through them.
[0053] If machine 20 irradiates the subject with an electron
radiotherapy beam, source 52 is pulsed on and off simultaneously
with source 36 pulsing the coils of assembly 32 on and off so the
magnetic fields derived from the gradient coils are not produced
while the electron beam is on. Thereby, the gradient magnetic
fields produced by the gradient coils of assembly 50 do not have a
tendency to deflect the pulsed electron radiotherapy beam.
[0054] If machine 20 irradiates the subject with an X-ray
radiotherapy beam, magnetic resonance imaging system 22 also
includes DC coils of assembly 54; the coils of assembly 54 are
supplied with DC current by source 56. The coils of assembly 54 are
arranged, as described infra, to produce magnetic fields to
suppress leakage magnetic fields derived from the coils of
assemblies 32 and 50 of imaging system 22 so these leakage fields
are not coupled to the linear accelerator structure of radiotherapy
machine 20. If radiotherapy machine 20 is used exclusively to
derive an electron beam, the coils of assembly 54 and DC source 56
are not necessary because the magnetic fields from assemblies 32
and 50 are not on while the linear accelerator of the radiotherapy
machine is producing a pulsed electron radiotherapy beam.
[0055] Controller 24, which can be operated by an operator or
automatically in a fully automatic system, includes selector 60,
synchronizer 62 and couch position controller 64. Selector 60
supplies signals to couch position controller 64 to activate X, Y
and Z axis drive motors 31, 33 and 35 for the patient receiving bed
movably mounted on the couch of radiotherapy machine 20 so these
drive motors are energized at times while (1) no beam from
radiotherapy machine 20 is incident on the subject on the couch;
and (2) the coils of assemblies 32 and 50 and the rf coil 42 of
imaging system 22 are deactivated. At other times, selector 60
controls synchronizer 62 so radiotherapy beam source 26, if it is
an electron beam source, is pulsed on while DC sources 36 and 52
are pulsed off and vice versa. Similarly, pulsed rf source 44 is
controlled by synchronizer 62 to be inactive while an electron beam
is derived from source 26.
[0056] Reference is now made to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing
wherein radiotherapy machine 20 is illustrated as including housing
100 (that carries radiotherapy beam source 26) and treatment couch
102 on which patient P is located. Patient P includes cancerous
tissue region R that is irradiated by radiotherapy beam 104,
derived from the radiotherapy beam source of machine 20. Housing
100 includes floor mounted upright compartment 106, floor-mounted
pedestal 108 and gantry 110 comprised of vertically extending
shoulder 112 to which horizontally extending arm 114 is fixedly
mounted. Gantry 110 is rotated about horizontal axis 116 by gantry
drive motor 28, fixedly mounted in upright compartment 106. Gantry
arm 114 carries linear accelerator 118 and associated electron
optics including bending magnet 120 which bends a highly energetic
electron beam produced by the linear accelerator. The electron beam
propagates in accelerator 118 in the horizontal direction, parallel
to axis 116 and is deflected by the electron optics of accelerator
118 along beam axis 122 that is at right angles to axis 116. In
some radiotherapy machines, radiotherapy beam 104 is an electron
beam while in other radiotherapy machines, the radiotherapy beam is
comprised of X-ray photons. In the latter case, X-ray target 124 is
positioned in the path of the electron beam derived from the linear
accelerator and the electron optics including bending magnet
120.
[0057] The electron optics for the beam derived by linear
accelerator 118 and X-ray optics for the beam derived from X-ray
target 124 are such that radiotherapy beam 104 is focused on region
R of patient P at the isocenter of the radiotherapy machine where
the cancerous tissue to be treated is located. Region R, the region
desired to be treated by radiotherapy beam 104, is at the
intersection of axes 116 and 122.
[0058] To assist in positioning region R at the intersection of
axes 116 and 122, treatment couch 102 includes fixed floor-mounted
platform 126 which carries X axis, Y axis and Z axis motors 31, 33
and 35 for moving patient-carrying bed 128 in three mutually
orthogonal directions, such that bed 128 is moved in the horizontal
plane in the X and Z axes directions and is moved in the vertical
direction along the Y coordinate axis.
[0059] Radiotherapy machine 20, as previously described, is
conventional. In the present invention, wherein magnetic resonance
imaging system 22 is included in combination with machine 20,
leakage magnetic fields produced by linear accelerator 118 and
bending magnet 120 are preferably decoupled from magnetic fields of
the magnetic resonance imaging system. To this end, leakage field
cancellation DC coils 30 surround linear accelerator 118.
Preferably DC coils 30 comprise cancellation coil 130,
approximately solenoidal in form, that surrounds accelerator 118
and cancellation coil 133 that surrounds bending magnet 120.
Solenoid coil 130 in turn surrounds an iron sleeve 131 including
oppositely disposed end caps 132 between which extends iron tube
134. This provides a magnetic return path for the majority of the
leakage field from the focusing solenoid of accelerator 118 and
reduces the current required in cancellation coil 130. One of end
caps 132 has a central opening through which extend electric leads
for supplying power to linear accelerator 118. Tube 134 has an
opening aligned with axis 122; the opening in tube 134 has a
diameter sufficient to enable the electron beam derived by
accelerator 118 to pass in an unhindered manner out of the leakage
field cancellation system for the accelerator. Additional openings
are provided in endcaps 132 and tube 134 for waveguides, electrical
supply leads and coolant.
[0060] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, main DC excitation coil
assembly 32, rf coil 42, gradient coils 50 and leakage field
suppression coils 54 are fixedly mounted by struts (not shown) on
pedestal 108 or the floor carrying the pedestal so movement of
these coils is independent of turning of linear accelerator 118
about axis 116. Main DC excitation coil 32 preferably carries rf
coil 42, gradient coils 50 and leakage field suppression coils
54.
[0061] Main excitation coil 32 includes two vertically extending,
horizontally spaced winding segments 136 and 138, each having a
central opening 137 generally aligned with axis 116. Coil segments
136 and 138 surround patient P and bed 128. Coil segments 136 and
138 produce horizontally extending main DC magnetic field lines 140
that are directed generally at right angles to radiotherapy beam
axis 122 and extend through treatment region R of patient P. Coil
segments 136 and 138 are spaced from each other so region R is
between them. Beam 104 extends between coil segments 136 and 138 so
the radiotherapy beam does not intersect any portion of coils 32,
rf coil 42, gradient coils 50 or leakage field suppression coils
54.
[0062] To these ends, as illustrated in FIG. 8, X axis gradient DC
coils 142, 143 are positioned at and carried by a pair of
diagonally opposite corners of DC excitation coil segments 136 and
138 Z' axis gradient DC coils 144, 145 are positioned at and
carried by the remaining pair of diagonally opposite corners of
segments 136 and 138. Coils 142-145 are mounted on the center
portions of coil segments 136 and 138, at the level of bed 128 to
produce in region R horizontally directed DC gradient field lines
that are at right angles to each other. Y' axis gradient DC coils
146, 147 are positioned at upper and lower edges of coil segments
136 and 138 to produce vertically directed magnetic field lines
through region R. Rf coil 42 is fixedly mounted inside of, and to
coils 142-145 to supply an rf field to region R and respond to an
rf field coupled back to it from region R after the applied rf
field has subsided.
[0063] To suppress the leakage field produced by coil segments 136
and 138, and thereby confine magnetic field lines 140 to the region
between the coil segments so the leakage field does not have an
effect on the magnetic field linear accelerator 118, DC field
suppression coils 54 are formed as a pair of segmented coil
windings 154 and 156, as illustrated in FIG. 10. Segments 154 and
156 are respectively carried by and located outside of coil
segments 136 and 138 and have central openings with internal
diameters slightly less than the internal diameters of coil
segments 136 and 138. Coil segments 152 and 154 have external
diameters slightly in excess of the external diameters of coil
segments 136 and 138. Coil segments 152 and 154 produce magnetic
fields which are directed oppositely to and have a magnitude
substantially equal to the leakage fields of winding segments 136
and 138 to provide the desired cancellation; this result is
achieved by appropriate DC excitation and winding arrangements of
coil segments 152 and 154.
[0064] Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing,
wherein main DC excitation coil assembly 32, rf coil 42, gradient
coils 50 and leakage suppression coils 54 are configured
substantially the same as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3. However, in
the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, coil assembly 32, rf coil 42,
gradient coils 50, and leakage suppression coils 54 are carried by
and fixedly attached to gantry 110 so all of these coils rotate
about axis 116. To simplify the drawing, in FIGS. 4 and 5 only
split winding segments 160 and 162 of coil assembly 32 are
illustrated, it being understood that rf coil 42, gradient coils 50
and leakage suppression coils 54 are configured basically the same
in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 as in the embodiment of FIGS. 2,
3. Winding segments 160 and 162 are fixedly connected to gantry 110
by struts 164 and spaced from each other so patient P and bed 128
are between them.
[0065] Each of coil segments 160 and 162 includes a central opening
166 having a common axis 164 that is substantially coincident with
axis 122 of radiotherapy beam 104 and extends through region R.
Winding segments 160 and 162 are wound and energized so that main
DC magnetic field lines 168, which extend between the coil
segments, are generally in planes parallel to axes 122 and 164.
[0066] Winding segments 160 and 162 of coil assembly 32, as well as
rf coil 42, gradient coils 50 and leakage suppression coils 54, are
arranged so beam 104 is not incident on any of these coils or
winding segments. Because of the substantial coincidence between
axis 164 of openings 166 of winding segments 160 and 162 and
radiotherapy beam axis 122, the excitation winding segments of the
embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 have a smaller center opening than the
center opening of the winding segments in the embodiments of FIGS.
2, 3. As a result of the smaller center opening in the embodiments
of FIGS. 4 and 5, winding segments 160, 162 supply a higher imaging
DC magnetic field strength to region R than winding segments 136,
138 for winding segments having the same size and other
characteristics. The embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 also enables an
operator to have better physical access to patient P than is
provided with the configuration of FIGS. 2, 3. Further, the
embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 is less confining to the patient, to
reduce psychological stress on the patient.
[0067] In accordance with a further embodiment, illustrated in
FIGS. 6 and 7, main DC excitation coil 32 includes spaced
pancake-like winding segments 170 and 172. Segments 170 and 172
extend parallel to each other and are spaced from each other by an
amount sufficient to enable bed 128 and patient P to fit between
them. Winding segments 170 and 172 and compensating coils 154 are
arranged so that the common axis 178 of rotational symmetry thereof
is orthogonal to both radiotherapy beam axis 122 and gantry axis
116 about which linear accelerator 118 turns. Consequently, beam
104 passes without obstruction between winding segments 170 and 172
to obviate the need for a central opening in the winding segments.
(In FIGS. 6 and 7, only winding segments 170 and 172 of coil
assembly 32 are illustrated, but rf coil 42, gradient coils 50 and
leakage compensation coils 54 are fixedly mounted with coil
assembly 32, as described supra in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3.)
Winding segments 170 and 172 and the coils carried by them are
fixedly mounted to gantry 110 by struts 174.
[0068] Coil winding segments 170, 172 produce main DC magnetic
field lines 176 that extend at right angles to radiotherapy beam
axis 122. Because there is no central opening in winding segments
170, 172, the strength of the main DC magnetic field produced by
winding segments 170, 172 is greater than the main DC magnetic
field strengths produced by winding segments 136, 138 or 160, 162
in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 or FIGS. 4 and 5, for the same
characteristics of all three sets of winding segments.
[0069] All of winding segments 170, 172, rf coil 42, gradient coils
50 and leakage field suppression coils 54 are arranged in each of
the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, 4 and 5 and FIGS. 6 and 7 such
that radiotherapy beam 104 is not incident on any portions thereof
If the radiotherapy beam were incident on any portions of the
coils, secondary X-rays would be produced with detrimental effects
on patient P. In addition, there would be an inefficient waste of
the radiotherapy beam energy on the incident coil parts.
[0070] In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5 and 6 and 7, wherein the
coils are mounted on gantry 110 so the coils rotate with the gantry
about axis 116, the angular position of coils 32 can be determined
at all times. This result is achieved by monitoring the angular
position of gantry 110 by mounting a conventional angular position
detector (not shown) on the gantry about axis 116. The angular
position detector for gantry 100 supplies a signal indicative of
gantry angular position to spectrometer and display unit 48. Unit
48 responds to the signal indicative of gantry, angular position to
compensate for variations in the magnetic field established by coil
32 as the coil is turned to different angular positions about axis
116.
[0071] One possible problem with the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is
that it is difficult for patient P to get on and off bed 128
between spaced winding segments 170 and 172. To solve this problem,
winding segments 170 and 172 are physically mounted as illustrated
in the top view of FIG. 9, wherein the strut 174 which carries
winding segment 170 is mounted so the strut and winding segment can
selectively pivot about vertical axis 180. To this end, gantry 110
includes shoulder 182 on which one leaf of hinge 184 is fixedly
mounted. The other leaf of hinge 184 is fixedly mounted to strut
174 that carries winding segment 170. In normal operation, when
current is applied to winding segments 170, 172, hinge 184 is
maintained in place by locking mechanism 186. Prior to patient P
beginning treatment by beam 104 or when treatment has been
completed, locking 30 mechanism 186 is released and winding segment
170 is swung open so patient P can move on to and off of bed
124.
[0072] Winding segment 172, maintained in a fixed position at all
times on gantry 110, carries both of the Y' axis gradient coils
186, 187 of assembly 50 and X' and Z' axes gradient coils of
assembly 50; the other two X' and Z' axis gradient coils 183 and
185 are carried by winding segment 170, in a manner described supra
in connection with FIG. 8.
[0073] The problem of patient P gaining access to and getting off
of the patient bed of radiotherapy machine 20 in a confined
magnetically-shielded treatment enclosure because of a close
position between the enclosure and the winding segments of coil
assembly 32 can be resolved by the apparatus illustrated in FIGS.
11 and 12. In the apparatus of FIGS. 11 and 12, patient P gets on
bed 188 at a position remote from radiotherapy machine 20. Coils
32, 42, 50 and 52 of magnetic resonance imaging system 88 are
carried by bed 188. After patient P is placed on bed 188 at the
remote position, the bed is wheeled into place so that region R
desired to be treated is positioned along axis 122 of radiotherapy
machine 20. The bed is rolled from a preparation, bed mounting
position to the treatment position at the isocenter of machine 20
and system 22. To precisely control the bed position, and,
therefore, the position of patient P relative to radiotherapy beam
axis 122 and gantry rotation axis 116, bed 188 is rolled along
non-magnetic tracks 190. When bed 188 has been rolled into the
correct position, the bed is locked onto fixed pedestal 108 of
machine 20.
[0074] Then electric and mechanical connections are established
between pedestal 108 and yoke 192 at the head of bed 188. The
mechanical connections lock bed 188 to pedestal 108 and the
electrical connections provide power from power supplies in housing
100 to coils 32, 42, 50, 52 and signals from signal sources in
housing 100 to motors 31, 33 and 35 as well as to coil 42. Power
for imaging and treating is initiated by an operator after region R
has been positioned at the intersection of axes 116 and 122 by the
operator activating motors 31, 33 and 35.
[0075] A single patient bed 188 can shuttle back and forth between
a single position external radiotherapy treatment machine 20 or
several such beds 188 can shuttle between several external stations
and a single treatment machine, as illustrated in FIG. 12. The use
of several external positions and several patient beds has the
advantage of enabling the treatment machine to have a greater
useful cycle time, i.e., a higher duty cycle.
[0076] While there have been described and illustrated several
specific embodiments of the invention, it will be clear that
variations in the details of the embodiments specifically
illustrated and described may be made without departing from the
true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *