U.S. patent application number 10/253488 was filed with the patent office on 2003-08-28 for charged particle beam irradiation apparatus.
Invention is credited to Matsuda, Koji.
Application Number | 20030160189 10/253488 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27750889 |
Filed Date | 2003-08-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030160189 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matsuda, Koji |
August 28, 2003 |
CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM IRRADIATION APPARATUS
Abstract
An charged particle beam irradiation apparatus is provided which
increases the width in a depth direction of a Bragg peak to be
formed, by means of a simple construction. The charged particle
beam irradiation apparatus includes a charged particle beam
generation device and an irradiation field forming device. The
charged particle beam generation device has a front accelerator and
a synchrotron. An ion beam is guided to the irradiation field
forming device from the synchrotron. The irradiation field forming
device has a beam enlarging device, a Bragg peak enlarging device
and a ridge filter. A pair of filter elements which constitute the
Bragg peak enlarging device have a plurality of stick-shaped
portions spaced apart from one another. The filter elements are
disposed with their respective stick-shaped portions partly
superposed to extend in mutually different directions. An ion beam
that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging device contains
three ion beam components having different energies produced
according to the difference between passed positions of each of the
filter elements, whereby the width of a Bragg peak formed in the
body of a patient is increased.
Inventors: |
Matsuda, Koji; (Hitachi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DICKSTEIN SHAPIRO MORIN & OSHINSKY LLP
2101 L STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20037-1526
US
|
Family ID: |
27750889 |
Appl. No.: |
10/253488 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
250/492.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61N 2005/1095 20130101;
H05H 13/04 20130101; G21K 5/04 20130101; A61N 2005/1087
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
250/492.3 |
International
Class: |
A61N 005/10; H01J
033/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2002 |
JP |
2002-052563 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus comprising: a
charged particle beam generation device including an accelerator;
and an irradiation device for irradiating an irradiation target
portion with a charged particle beam generated from the charged
particle beam generation device; the irradiation device having a
charged particle beam scanning device for scanning the charged
particle beam and a Bragg peak enlarging device for increasing a
width in a depth direction of a Bragg peak formed by the charged
particle beam scanned by the charged particle beam scanning device,
the Bragg peak enlarging device having a first filter member and a
second filter member which are disposed in order in an advancing
direction of the charged particle beam and each of which has at
least one thick-walled portion in a direction intersecting the
advancing direction, the first filter member and the second filter
member being disposed with their respective thick-walled portions
intersecting mutually in the advancing direction of the charged
particle beam.
2. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein each of the first filter member and the second filter
member has a plurality of stick-shaped portions which are the
thick-walled portions, the plurality of stick-shaped portions being
spaced apart from one another in each of the first filter member
and the second filter member, the first filter member and the
second filter member being disposed with their plurality of
stick-shaped portions arranged in mutually different
directions.
3. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim
2, wherein the plurality of stick-shaped portions include a
plurality of stick-shaped portions made of different materials.
4. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein each of the first filter member and the second filter
member has a plurality of thick-walled portions extending in one
direction and a plurality of thin-walled portions respectively
disposed between the plurality of thick-walled portions and smaller
in thickness than the plurality of thick-walled portions, the first
filter member and the second filter member being disposed with
their plurality of thick-walled portions arranged in mutually
different directions.
5. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein a ridge filter to which the charged particle beam that
has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging device is to be guided
is disposed in one of the front and the rear of the Bragg peak
enlarging device.
6. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim
1, wherein the direction intersecting the advancing direction is a
direction perpendicular to the advancing direction.
7. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus comprising: a
charged particle beam generation device including an accelerator;
and an irradiation device for irradiating an irradiation target
portion with a charged particle beam generated from the charged
particle beam generation device; the irradiation device having a
charged particle beam scanning device for scanning the charged
particle beam and a Bragg peak enlarging device for increasing a
width in a depth direction of a Bragg peak formed by the charged
particle beam scanned by the charged particle beam scanning device,
the Bragg peak enlarging device having a first filter member and a
second filter member which are disposed in order in an advancing
direction of the charged particle beam and each of which has at
least one thick-walled portion in a direction intersecting the
advancing direction, the at least one thick-walled portion of the
first filter member being different in thickness in the advancing
direction from the at least one thick-walled portion of the second
filter member, the first filter member and the second filter member
being disposed with their respective thick-walled portions partly
intersecting mutually in the advancing direction of the charged
particle beam.
8. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to claim
3, wherein the direction intersecting the advancing direction is a
direction perpendicular to the advancing direction.
9. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus comprising: a
charged particle beam generation device including an accelerator;
and an irradiation device for irradiating an irradiation target
portion with a charged particle beam generated from the charged
particle beam generation device; the irradiation device having a
scatter for enlarging the charged particle beam in a direction
intersecting an advancing direction of the charged particle beam,
and a Bragg peak enlarging device for increasing a width in a depth
direction of a Bragg peak formed by the charged particle beam that
has passed through the scatter, the Bragg peak enlarging device
having a first filter member and a second filter member which are
disposed in order in the advancing direction of the charged
particle beam and each of which has at least one thick-walled
portion in the direction intersecting the advancing direction, the
first filter member and the second filter member being disposed
with their respective thick-walled portions partly intersecting
mutually in the advancing direction of the charged particle
beam.
10. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to
claim 9, wherein each of the first filter member and the second
filter member has a plurality of stick-shaped portions which are
the thick-walled portions, the plurality of stick-shaped portions
being spaced apart from one another in each of the first filter
member and the second filter member, the first filter member and
the second filter member being disposed with their plurality of
stick-shaped portions arranged in mutually different
directions.
11. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to
claim 10, wherein the plurality of stick-shaped portions include a
plurality of stick-shaped portions made of different materials.
12. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to
claim 9, wherein the direction intersecting the advancing direction
is a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction.
13. A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to
claim 4, wherein a ridge filter to which the charged particle beam
that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging device is to be
guided is disposed in one of the front and the rear of the Bragg
peak enlarging device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a charged particle beam
irradiation apparatus, and more particularly, to a charged particle
beam irradiation apparatus having an accelerator.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] A charged particle beam (hereinafter referred to as an ion
beam) which is ejected from a charged particle beam generation
device such as an accelerator is a thin beam. The ion beam is
enlarged (or scanned) in a plane perpendicular to the advancing
direction of the ion beam by an irradiation field forming device in
order to irradiate uniformly a cancerous tumor which is an
irradiation target portion. The ion beam ejected from the charged
particle beam generation device is in general a beam having a
uniform energy. When this charged particle beam, particularly a
proton beam and a heavy particle beam, are irradiated onto an
irradiation target portion, a radiation dose distribution having a
peak at a particular depth determined by their energies is formed.
The peak of the radiation dose distribution is called Bragg peak.
Since the spread of the Bragg peak is as narrow as several mms, the
ion beam is enlarged by the irradiation field forming device so
that the irradiation target portion is uniformly irradiated.
[0005] In addition, to irradiate uniformly the irradiation target
portion with an ion beam, it is preferable that a plurality of ion
beams having different energies be added together with their
weights made mutually different. As described in Review of
Scientific Instruments, Vol. 64, No. 8 (August 1993), pp.
2055-2122, there are known methods for enlarging an energy
distribution, such as (1) a method of directly changing the energy
of an ion beam from an accelerator (energy scanning) and (2) a
method of passing an ion beam through a part of a rotating
disk-shaped plate having an appropriately distributed thickness
(range modulating propeller) as well as a method of disposing a
wedge-shaped structure having an appropriately distributed
thickness in an area through which an ion beam is to pass.
[0006] An energy distribution enlarging device using the energy
scanning can impart a desired distribution to the total energy
distribution of an ion beam to be irradiated onto an irradiation
target portion, by appropriate control of an energy to be given to
the ion beam from a radio-frequency accelerating cavity of an
accelerator and by appropriate control of the amount of irradiation
with the ion beam having the energy. An energy distribution
enlarging device using the range modulating propeller (or the ridge
filter) can impart a desired distribution to the energy
distribution of a passing ion beam by setting to a desired
distribution the distribution of the thickness of a portion through
which an ion beam is to pass.
[0007] In addition, a method of widening an energy distribution to
a Gaussian distribution in a narrow range compared to the spread of
an irradiation target portion is described in Physics and Medical
Biology, Vol. 44 (1999), pp. 2765-2775.
[0008] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 314324/1998 describes a ridge
filter constructed by stacking a multiplicity of plates each having
a width which becomes narrower toward its top. The ridge filter can
be easily manufactured owing to such construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] As the thickness of an irradiation target portion in the
advancing direction of an ion beam becomes larger, the energy
distribution required to irradiate the irradiation target portion
with the ion beam becomes wider. In addition, as the depth of an
irradiation target portion in the advancing direction of an ion
beam becomes shallower, the spread of a Bragg peak becomes
narrower, and therefore, the energy distribution of the ion beam
needs to be made finer so that the ion beam can be uniformly
irradiated onto the irradiation target portion. In either case, as
described previously, if ion beams having different energies and
weights are to be added together, a multiplicity of such ion beams
need to be generated.
[0010] The ridge filter described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
314324/1998 is capable of obtaining ion beam components having
different energies by a number corresponding to the number of
plates stacked in the advancing direction of the ion beam.
[0011] The invention aims to provides a charged particle beam
irradiation apparatus capable of increasing the width in a depth
direction of a Bragg peak to be formed, by means of a simple
construction.
[0012] Therefore, according to the invention, a Bragg peak
enlarging device for increasing the width in a depth direction of a
Bragg peak formed by a charged particle beam scanned by a charged
particle beam scanning device is provided with a first filter
member and a second filter member which are disposed in order in an
advancing direction of the charged particle beam and each of which
has at least one thick-walled portion in a direction intersecting
the advancing direction. The first filter member and the second
filter member are disposed with their respective thick-walled
portions intersecting mutually in the advancing direction of the
charged particle beam.
[0013] Since the first filter member and the second filter member
are disposed with their respective thick-walled portions
intersecting mutually in the advancing direction of the charged
particle beam, a plurality of charge particle beam components
having different energies can be obtained by means of a simple
structure. It is possible to increase to a further extent the width
in a depth direction of a Bragg peak formed in the body of a
patient by irradiation with a charged particle beam having such
charge particle beam components. Such an increase in the width of
the Bragg peak leads to a reduction in treatment time. In addition,
in the case where a ridge filter is used, the ridge filter can be
easily manufactured.
[0014] A first filter member and a second filter member which is
provided with a thick-walled portion different in thickness in the
advancing direction of a charged particle beam from the thickness
of the thick-walled portion of the first filter member may be
disposed with their respective thick-walled portions partly
intersecting mutually in the advancing direction of the charged
particle beam. In this case as well, the width in the depth
direction of a Bragg peak to be formed can be increased by the
above-described simple structure. In particular, the respective
thick-walled portions of the first filter member and the second
filter member are made mutually different in thickness in the
advancing direction of the charged particle beam, and the first
filter member and the second filter member are disposed with their
respective thick-walled portions partly intersecting mutually in
the advancing direction of the charged particle beam. Accordingly,
it is possible to obtain charged particle beam components having
different energies by a number larger than the number of the
thick-walled portions different in thickness in the advancing
direction of the charged particle beam. Accordingly, it is possible
to obtain far more ion beam components having different energies by
means of a simple construction in which fewer members are disposed
in the advancing direction of the charged particle beam, whereby it
is possible to increase the width of a Bragg peak in the depth
direction.
[0015] Preferably, in the case where an affected part is divided
into a plurality of irradiation target layers in its depth
direction and a charged particle beam is irradiated onto each of
the irradiation target layers by using a charged particle beam
deflecting device or a charged particle beam enlarging device, an
increase in the width of the Bragg peak can increase the thickness
of each of the irradiation target layers and can decrease the
number of energies to be changed.
[0016] Preferably, a Bragg peak enlarging device has a construction
in which a plurality of filter elements are superposed on each
other so that stick-shaped portions provided in the respective
filter elements are arranged in mutually different directions, or a
construction in which a plurality of filter elements are superposed
on each other so that thick-walled portions provided in the
respective filter elements are arranged in mutually different
directions. This construction simplifies the construction of the
Bragg peak enlarging device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The invention will become more readily appreciated and
understood from the following detailed description of preferred
embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the construction of a
charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to one
preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the construction of the
irradiation field forming device shown in FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the Bragg peak enlarging
device shown in FIG. 2;
[0021] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the energy
distribution of an ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device;
[0022] FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the distribution of
radiation dose in an affected part on the basis of irradiation with
the ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging
device;
[0023] FIGS. 6A and 6B show the construction of a ridge filter,
FIG. 6A being a perspective view of the ridge filter and FIG. 6B
being a partly enlarged view of a longitudinal sectional shape of
the ridge filter;
[0024] FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the energy
distribution of an ion beam that has passed through the ridge
filter;
[0025] FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing the distribution of
radiation dose in an affected part on the basis of irradiation with
an ion beam that has passed through the ridge filter;
[0026] FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing the distribution of
radiation dose in an affected part on the basis of irradiation with
an ion beam that has passed through a ridge filter worked with low
precision;
[0027] FIG. 10A shows an explanatory view of the energy
distribution of an ion beam that has passed through a ridge filter
having stick-shaped portions with circular longitudinal sectional
shapes, and FIG. 10B shows an explanatory view of the energy
distribution of an ion beam that has passed through a ridge filter
having stick-shaped portions with triangular longitudinal sectional
shapes;
[0028] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another example of the
Bragg peak enlarging device;
[0029] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another example of the
Bragg peak enlarging device;
[0030] FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of the energy distribution of
an ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging device
shown in FIG. 12;
[0031] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another example of the
Bragg peak enlarging device;
[0032] FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the construction of the
irradiation field forming device of a charged particle beam
irradiation apparatus according to another preferred embodiment of
the invention;
[0033] FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of the relationship between
the energy of an ion beam supplied from the synchrotron of the
charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to the
embodiment shown in FIG. 15 and the proportion of irradiation doses
onto the affected part;
[0034] FIG. 17 is an explanatory view showing the distribution of
radiation dose in the affected part in a case where the Bragg peak
enlarging device is not disposed;
[0035] FIG. 18 is an explanatory view showing the energy
distribution of an ion beam irradiated onto the affected part in a
case where the Bragg peak enlarging device is disposed;
[0036] FIG. 19 is an explanatory view showing the distribution of
radiation dose in the affected part in a case where the Bragg peak
enlarging device is disposed;
[0037] FIG. 20 is a view of the construction of an irradiation
field forming device of a charged particle beam irradiation
apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention;
[0038] FIG. 21 is a longitudinal sectional view of the Bragg peak
enlarging device shown in FIG. 20;
[0039] FIG. 22 is an explanatory view showing the energy
distribution of an ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device shown in FIG. 21; and
[0040] FIG. 23 is an explanatory view showing the distribution of
radiation dose in the affected part at the time of irradiation with
the ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0041] (Embodiment 1)
[0042] A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to a
first preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below
with reference to FIG. 1. A charged particle beam irradiation
apparatus according to the first preferred embodiment includes a
charged particle beam generation device 2 and an irradiation field
forming device 13. The charged particle beam generation device 2
has an ion source (not shown), a front accelerator 3 and a
synchrotron 4. Ions (for example, cations (or carbon ions))
generated by the ion source are accelerated by the front
accelerator (for example, a linear accelerator) 3. An ion beam
ejected from the front accelerator 3 is injected into the
synchrotron 4. In the synchrotron 4, this ion beam is accelerated
by energy given to the ion beam by radio-frequency electric power
applied from a radio-frequency accelerating cavity 5.
[0043] After the energy of the ion beam circling in the synchrotron
4 has been increased to a preset energy level, a radio-frequency
wave is applied to the ion beam from an ejecting radio-frequency
applying device 6. The ion beam circulating within its stability
limits is shifted outside the stability limits by the application
of the radio-frequency wave, and is ejected from the synchrotron 4
through an ejecting deflector 28. During the ejection of the ion
beam, currents guided to electromagnets such as four-pole
electromagnets 7 and deflection electromagnets 8 provided in the
synchrotron 4 are respectively kept at preset values, and the
stability limits are also kept approximately constant. When the
application of radio-frequency electric power to the
radio-frequency applying device 6 is brought to a stop, the
ejection of the ion beam from the synchrotron 4 comes to a
stop.
[0044] The ion beam ejected from the synchrotron 4 reaches an
irradiation field forming device 13 via a beam transportation line
9. An inverse U-shaped part 10 which is a part of the beam
transportation line 9 and the irradiation field forming device 13
are disposed on a rotatable gantry (not shown). The inverse
U-shaped part 10 has deflection electromagnets 11 and 12.
[0045] The irradiation field forming device 13 includes a casing 29
in which a beam enlarging device 16 having a pair of scanning
electromagnets 14 and 15, a Bragg peak enlarging device 17, a ridge
filter 24 and a range shifter 25 are disposed as shown in FIG. 2.
The beam enlarging device 16, the Bragg peak enlarging device 17,
the ridge filter 24 and the range shifter 25 are disposed in that
order from an upstream side to a downstream side in the advancing
direction of the ion beam. Although not shown, the beam enlarging
device 16 is provided with a scatter under the scanning
electromagnet 15. The scatter is made of lead or tungsten. The
irradiation field forming device 13 can be fitted with a collimator
26 and a bolus 27 which are to be prepared for each patient who is
radiated with an ion beam. The range shifter 25 has the function of
shifting the distribution of energy of the ion beam in the body in
the depth direction thereof. The Bragg peak enlarging device 17 may
be disposed in the rear of the ridge filter 24.
[0046] As schematically shown in FIG. 3, the Bragg peak enlarging
device 17 has a pair of filter elements 18 and 21. The filter
element 18 is provided with a plurality of stick-shaped portions 19
which form hole portions 20 thereamong. The filter element 18 has a
construction in which the stick-shaped portions 19 are connected to
one another at their opposite ends with gaps formed between each of
the stick-shaped portions 19. In other words, it can also be said
that the filter element 18 is made of a plate in which a plurality
of elongated through-holes (the hole portions 20) are formed.
Similarly to the filter element 18, the filter element 21 is
provided with a plurality of stick-shaped portions 22 which form
hole portions 23 thereamong, and has a construction in which the
stick-shaped portions 22 are connected to one another at their
opposite ends. Each of the stick-shaped portions 19 and 22 is a
thick-walled portion. Each of the stick-shaped portions 19 and 22
has a horizontal thickness of 1 mm, and the stick-shaped portions
19 are spaced 1 mm apart from one another and the stick-shaped
portions 22 are also spaced 1 mm apart from one another. Each of
the stick-shaped portions 19 and 22 has a rectangular
cross-sectional shape. The filter element 18 is disposed over the
filter element 21. The filter element 18 and the filter element 21
are disposed with the stick-shaped portions 19 and the stick-shaped
portions 22 arranged in directions which differ from each other (in
directions which differ 90.degree. from each other). Specifically,
in the first embodiment, the filter element 18 and the filter
element 21 are disposed so that the stick-shaped portions 19 and
the stick-shaped portions 22 mutually intersect, more particularly,
cross at right angles as viewed from above. The horizontal shape of
each of the filter elements 18 and 21 is a square with sides of
about 25 cm.
[0047] A patient 31 having a malignant tumor-affected part to be
irradiated with an ion beam is positioned on a treatment table
under the irradiation field forming device 13. At this time, the
collimator 26 and the bolus 27 for the patient 31 are already
disposed below the range shifter 25 in the irradiation field
forming device 13. After the positioning of the patient 31 has been
completed, an ion beam having preset energy, as described above, is
ejected from the synchrotron 4 of the charged particle beam
generation device 2 and reaches the irradiation field forming
device 13 through the inverse U-shaped part 10. Currents are
supplied from a power source unit 33 to the respective
electromagnets 14 and 15 of the beam enlarging device 16. The
electromagnet 14 moves the position of the ion beam in a horizontal
plane in the X-axis direction thereof. The electromagnet 15 moves
the position of the ion beam in the horizontal plane in the Y-axis
direction perpendicular to the X axis. In the first embodiment, the
scanning electromagnets 14 and 15 are used to move the ion beam so
that the ion beam circle at a certain radius in the horizontal
plane. The scanning electromagnets 14 and 15 function as a charged
particle beam scanning device which circles the ion beam. The
circled ion beam is enlarged by the function of the aforementioned
scatter in directions perpendicular to the direction in which the
ion beam is injected into the beam enlarging device 16. This
enlarged ion beam reaches the Bragg peak enlarging device 17.
[0048] The Bragg peak enlarging device 17 decreases the energy of a
part of the passing ion beam. Specifically, an ion beam passing
through the stick-shaped portions 19 of the filter element 18
decreases its energy. An ion beam passing through the hole portions
20 of the filter element 18 does not decrease its energy. In the
next filter element 21, an ion beam passing through the
stick-shaped portions 22 decreases its energy. An ion beam passing
through the hole portions 23 does not decrease its energy. In this
manner, the stick-shaped portions 19 and 22 attenuate the energy of
the ion beam. The ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device 17 contains a first ion beam component that has
passed through a portion where the stick-shaped portions 19 and 22
of the two filter elements 18 and 21 are superposed on each other,
a second ion beam component that has passed through the
stick-shaped portions 19 or 22 of one of the two filter elements 18
and 21, and a third ion beam component that has passed through the
hole portions 20 and 23 of the two filter elements 18 and 21.
Because the stick-shaped portions 19 and 22 are the same in
thickness, the ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device 17 is separated into the three ion beam components
having different energies as shown in FIG. 4. The first ion beam
component, because it passes through the stick-shaped portions 19
and 22 in the vertical direction, is large in the width of energy
decrease, and has the smallest energy. The energies of the
respective ion beam components increase in the order of the first
ion beam component, the second ion beam component and the third ion
beam component. The distribution of radiation dose in the body of
the patient 31 in the case of direct irradiation of the affected
part of the patient 31 with the ion beam that has passed through
the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 is as shown in FIG. 5. Namely,
the width of the Bragg peak of the ion beam is increased by the
superposition of the three ion beam components. As described above,
the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 has the function of increasing
the width of the Bragg peak in a depth direction from the surface
of the body of the patient 31.
[0049] The ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device 17 reaches the ridge filter 24. As shown in FIG.
6A, the ridge filter 24 is constructed so that a plurality of
filter elements (wedge-shaped elements) 24A each having a
wedge-like shape in cross section are arranged in parallel with one
another. The filter elements 24A are arranged at a pitch of about 1
cm. As shown in FIG. 6B, each of the filter elements 24A has a
multiplicity of steps 34 formed on the surface of each of two sides
except its bottom side. The ion beam that has passed through the
ridge filter 24 contains, owing to the plurality of filter elements
24A on which the multiplicity of steps 34 are formed, a
multiplicity of ion beam components having different energies
according to the thicknesses of different portions of each of the
filter elements 24A through which the ion beam has passed, that is
to say, ion beam components having different energies by the number
of the steps 34 of each of the filter elements 24A. Accordingly,
different Bragg peaks can be formed by the number of the steps 34
at different positions in the depth direction in the body of the
patient 31.
[0050] In a related art irradiation field forming device in which
the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 is not disposed, for example,
over twenty steps are formed on one surface of each wedge-shaped
element of its ridge filter. In this case, an ion beam that has
passed through the ridge filter contains over twenty ion beam
components having different energies. The distribution of the
number of ions against energy is determined by the proportion
occupied in a wedge-shaped element by each step that determines the
energy of ions. Accordingly, the energy distribution of the ion
beam that has passed through the ridge filter is determined by the
cross-sectional shape of the wedge-shaped element. FIG. 7 shows the
energy distribution of an ion beam that has passed through a ridge
filter having seven steps formed on one surface in the related art
irradiation field forming device in which the Bragg peak enlarging
device 17 is not disposed. A depth to be reached by an ion beam in
the body is determined by the energy of the ion beam. An ion beam
having larger energy reaches a deeper position, whereas a position
to be reached by an ion beam having smaller energy becomes
shallower. In the case where a patient is irradiated with the ion
beam containing seven ion beam components having different energies
as shown in FIG. 7, different Bragg peaks are formed at different
seven positions reached in the body by the respective ion beam
components according to the energies thereof. When the patient is
irradiated with such ion beam, the total distribution of radiation
doses against the depth direction in the body is as shown by a line
35 in FIG. 8, because the Bragg peaks are added together. Namely, a
region which is high and uniform in radiation dose is spread in the
depth direction. In FIG. 8, the distribution of radiation dose
shown by each thin line is the distribution of radiation dose
against each ion beam component that has passed through any one of
the steps of the wedge-shaped element. The energy of an ion beam to
be ejected from, for example, the synchrotron 4 is adjusted so that
the region which is uniform in radiation dose is positioned at the
affected part of the patient.
[0051] If the number of steps to be formed on each wedge-shaped
element of a ridge filter is decreased and the interval of the
steps is made coarse in the height direction, the fabrication of
the ridge filter is easy. However, ion beam components having
different energies, which are contained in an ion beam that has
passed through the ridge filter, are decreased in number and the
difference in energy between the ion beam components increases, so
that the distribution of radiation dose in the affected part in the
depth direction thereof becomes undulated as shown in FIG. 9.
[0052] The distribution of radiation dose in the body in the case
where the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 is disposed in the front
of the ridge filter 24 in the first embodiment will be described
below. An ion beam advances from the filter element 18 to the
filter element 21. The ion beam that has passed through the Bragg
peak enlarging device 17, as described above, contains the three
ion beam components having different energies. Accordingly, the
width of each Bragg peak formed in the body by irradiation with the
ion beam that has passed through the ridge filter 24 becomes large.
In the first embodiment, the number of the steps 34 of the ridge
filter 24 is reduced to 2/3 compared to the related art in which
the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 is not disposed. Accordingly,
the manufacture of the ridge filter 24 becomes easy, and the time
required to manufacture the ridge filter 24 can be shortened. The
width of each Bragg peak formed in the body becomes large owing to
the disposition of the Bragg peak enlarging device 17, whereby even
if the ridge filter 24 having the reduced number of steps 34 is
used, the radiation dose in the depth direction becomes uniform as
shown by the line 35 in FIG. 8.
[0053] The ion beam that has passed through the ridge filter 24
passes through the range shifter 25 and is irradiated onto an
affected part 32 through the collimator 26 and the bolus 27. The
collimator 26 cuts the enlarged ion beam according to the
horizontal shape of the affected part 32 of the patient 31 lying on
a treatment table 30. The bolus 27 adjusts the energy of the ion
beam cut by the collimator 26, according to the maximum depth of
the affected part 32 from the body surface of the patient 31. In
the first embodiment, the total radiation dose in the body in the
case of irradiation with the ion beam becomes as shown by the line
35 in FIG. 8.
[0054] In the first embodiment, the width of a Bragg peak can be
made large owing to the disposition of the Bragg peak enlarging
device 17. Accordingly, the width of each Bragg peak formed by the
ridge filter 24 becomes large, and the total radiation dose
distribution formed in the body becomes uniform. In the first
embodiment in particular, the filter element 18 and the filter
element 21 are disposed so that the respective stick-shaped
portions 19 and 22 are partly superposed on each other in the
advancing direction of an ion beam, i.e., mutually intersect,
whereby it is possible to obtain ion beam components having
different energies (refer to FIG. 4), the number (three) of which
is larger than the number (two) of the stick-shaped portions
superposed on each other in the advancing direction of the ion
beam. It is also possible to increase the width in the depth
direction of the Bragg peak formed in the body by the irradiation
of the patient 31 with the ion beam having the three ion beam
components. In the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain far
more ion beam components having different energies by means of a
simple construction in which fewer stick-shaped portions are
disposed in the advancing direction of the ion beam, whereby it is
possible to increase the width of the Bragg peak in the depth
direction.
[0055] In the first embodiment, the Bragg peak enlarging device 17
can easily obtain an ion beam having three ion beam components
having different energies, merely by making the direction of
stick-shaped portions, i.e., thick-walled portions, in one filter
element different from that in another among a plurality of filter
elements. Even if there occurs a deviation of a position where the
thick-walled portions of both filter elements are superposed with
their directions made mutually different, or even if the directions
of the thick-walled portions are mutually deviated to a small
extent, the energy of each of the three ion beam components remains
unchanged, and the proportion of the three ion beam components does
not change very much. In addition, even with another example of the
Bragg peak enlarging device which will be described later, it is
possible to obtain the advantage obtained with the disposition of
the Bragg peak enlarging device 17.
[0056] The cross-sectional shape of each of the stick-shaped
portions 19 and 22 of the filter elements 18 and 21 may be circular
or triangular. In the case where a Bragg peak enlarging device is
used in which two filter elements each having a plurality of
stick-shaped portions whose cross-sectional shapes are circular are
disposed so that their stick-shaped portions intersect as viewed
from above, an ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device contains ion beam components having different
energies as shown in FIG. 10A. In the case where a Bragg peak
enlarging device is used in which two filter elements each having a
plurality of stick-shaped portions whose cross-sectional shapes are
triangular are disposed so that their stick-shaped portions
intersect as viewed from above, an ion beam that has passed through
the Bragg peak enlarging device contains ion beam components having
different energies as shown in FIG. 10B.
[0057] Another example of the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 will
be described below with reference to FIG. 11. A Bragg peak
enlarging device 40 has a pair of filter elements 41 and 44. The
filter element 41 is disposed over the filter element 44. The
filter element 41 includes stick-shaped portions 42 and 43 which
are alternately disposed and joined together. The cross-sectional
shape of each of the stick-shaped portions 42 is rectangular, and
the thickness of the stick-shaped portions 42 in the advancing
direction of an ion beam is larger than the thickness of the
stick-shaped portions 43 in the same direction. The stick-shaped
portions 42 are made of a material containing an element having a
small atomic number, while the stick-shaped portions 43 are made of
a material containing an element having a large atomic number. The
filter element 44 also has the same construction as the filter
element 41. The filter element 41 and the filter element 44 are
disposed with their stick-shaped portions 42 and 43 arranged in
mutually different directions (for example, in such a manner as to
cross at right angles as viewed from above). An ion beam passes
through the filter elements 41 and 44 from above. The ion beam is
decreased in energy and is scattered by passing through the two
filter elements 41 and 44. In general, a material containing an
element having a larger atomic number is larger in the extent of
energy decrease and in the extent of scattering as the thickness of
the material through an ion beam is to pass is larger. In the Bragg
peak enlarging device 40, by appropriately selecting the thickness
of each of the two kinds of stick-shaped portions 42 and 43 as well
as the atomic numbers of elements constituting the respective two
kinds, an ion beam which has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device 40 can be formed to exhibit an energy distribution
similar to that of an ion beam which has passed through the Bragg
peak enlarging device 17 shown in FIG. 3, and in addition, the
extent of scattering of the ion beam can be made uniform.
[0058] Another example of the Bragg peak enlarging device will be
described below with reference to FIG. 12. A Bragg peak enlarging
device 45 has a pair of filter elements 46 and 51 which are
disposed in the vertical direction. The filter element 46 has a
construction in which a plurality of stick-shaped portions 47 are
disposed on a lower side in an equally spaced manner, while a
plurality of stick-shaped portions 49 are disposed on an upper side
in an equally spaced manner. Although not shown, the stick-shaped
portions 47 and 49 are connected to one another at their opposite
ends similarly to those in the filter element 18. The stick-shaped
portions 49 are disposed to be horizontally displaced so that they
are partly superposed on the stick-shaped portions 47. Hole
portions 48 are formed between the respective stick-shaped portions
47, and hole portions 50 are formed between the respective
stick-shaped portions 49. The hole portions 48 and the hole
portions 50 are horizontally displaced from each other, but the
hole portions 48 communicate with the hole portions 50,
respectively. The cross-sectional shape of each of the stick-shaped
portions 47 and 49 is rectangular. The filter element 51 similarly
has a construction in which a plurality of stick-shaped portions 52
are disposed on a lower side in an equally spaced manner, while a
plurality of stick-shaped portions 54 are disposed on an upper side
in an equally spaced manner, and the stick-shaped portions 52 and
54 are connected to one another at their opposite ends. The
stick-shaped portions 54 are disposed to be horizontally displaced
so that they are partly superposed on the stick-shaped portions 52.
Hole portions 53 are formed between the respective stick-shaped
portions 52, and hole portions 55 are formed between the respective
stick-shaped portions 54. The hole portions 53 and the hole
portions 55 are horizontally displaced from each other, but the
hole portions 53 communicate with the hole portions 55,
respectively. The cross-sectional shape of each of the stick-shaped
portions 47 and 49 is square. The thickness in the height direction
of each of the stick-shaped portions 47 and 49 is twice as large as
that of each of the stick-shaped portions 52 and 54. In the Bragg
peak enlarging device 45, the stick-shaped portions 47 and 49 of
the filter element 46 are disposed to extend in a direction
different from the stick-shaped portions 52 and 54 of the filter
element 51, and the filter element 46 is disposed over the filter
element 51. An ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device 45 contains seven ion beam components having
different energies as shown in FIG. 13, such as an ion beam
component that has passed through all the four stick-shaped
portions 47, 49, 52 and 54 and an ion beam component that has
passed through the holes 50 and 48 without passing through any of
the stick-shaped portions. Because the ion beam contains such seven
ion beam components, the Bragg peak enlarging device 45 can form a
finer energy distribution than can the Bragg peak enlarging devices
17 and 40. The Bragg peak enlarging device 45 can also be applied
to a case where the energy of an injected ion beam is low and a
Bragg peak is thin.
[0059] Another example of the Bragg peak enlarging device will be
described with reference to FIG. 14. A Bragg peak enlarging device
56 has a pair of filter elements 57 and 60. The filter element 57
has the same shape as the filter element 41. The filter element 57
includes one plate in which a plurality of groove portions 59 are
formed to form a plurality of convex portions 58. The convex
portions 58 are thick-walled portions, and each of the convex
portions 58 extends in one direction. The filter element 60 also
includes a plurality of groove portions 59 and a plurality of
convex portions 58 which extend in one direction. In the Bragg peak
enlarging device 56, the convex portions 58 of the filter element
57 and the convex portions 58 of the filter element 60 are disposed
to extend in mutually different directions, and the filter element
57 is disposed over the filter element 60. The Bragg peak enlarging
device 56 also generates three ion beam components similarly to the
Bragg peak enlarging device 17, thereby increasing the width of a
Bragg peak.
[0060] Incidentally, although the irradiation field forming device
13 shown in FIG. 2 uses a ridge filter, a range modulating
propeller may also be used instead of a ridge filter.
[0061] In the first embodiment, a beam enlarging device may also be
used in which scatters are disposed instead of the electromagnets
14 and 15 in the construction of the beam enlarging device 16.
Namely, the beam enlarging device has a construction in which two
scatters are disposed in series with the advancing direction of an
ion beam. An ion beam injected into the beam enlarging device is
enlarged by the two scatters in a direction which intersects the
advancing direction.
[0062] (Embodiment 2)
[0063] A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to a
second preferred embodiment of the invention will be described
below. The charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to
the second preferred embodiment has a construction in which the
irradiation field forming device 13 of the charged particle beam
irradiation apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with the
irradiation field forming device 13A shown in FIG. 15. The other
construction of the charged particle beam irradiation apparatus
according to the second preferred embodiment is the same as that of
the charged particle beam irradiation apparatus 1. The irradiation
field forming device 13A includes a casing in which a beam
deflecting device 61 having the pair of scanning electromagnets 14
and 15 and the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 are disposed as shown
in FIG. 15. The power source unit 33 is connected to the scanning
electromagnets 14 and 15. In the second embodiment, the scanning
electromagnets 14 and 15 function as a charged particle beam
scanning device which scans the ion beam in the horizontal plane.
Unlike the beam enlarging device 16, the beam deflecting device 61
is incapable of enlarging an ion beam in a direction perpendicular
to the direction of injection of the ion beam into the beam
deflecting device 61.
[0064] The ion beam ejected from the synchrotron 4 reaches the
irradiation field forming device 13A via the beam transportation
line 9. The synchrotron 4 generates an ion beam which is small in
diameter compared to the affected part 32. When currents are caused
to flow into the respective scanning electromagnets 14 and 15 from
the power source unit 33, the beam deflecting device 61 scans the
ion beam in a direction perpendicular to the direction of injection
of the ion beam into the irradiation field forming device 13A. The
ion beam can be scanned on the patient 32 by this scanning. The ion
beam deflected is guided to the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 and
passes through the Bragg peak enlarging device 17. The ion beam
that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging device 17 contains
three ion beam components having different energies similarly to
the case of the first embodiment. The width of a Bragg peak can be
increased by irradiating the affected part 32 with the ion beam
containing three ion beam components having different energies. By
generating a plurality of ion beams having different energies
through the synchrotron 4, it is possible to divide the affected
part 32 into a plurality of areas in the depth direction thereof
and irradiate the ion beam onto each divided area of the affected
part 32 by scanning.
[0065] Specifically, the amount of scanning of the ion beam by the
beam deflecting device 61 is controlled on the basis of preset
scanning pattern data. A particular irradiation target layer of the
affected part 32 in the depth direction thereof is irradiated with
the ion beam while the ion beam is being scanned on the basis of
the corresponding scanning pattern data. On completion of the
irradiation of the irradiation target layer, the ejection of the
ion beam from the synchrotron 4 is brought to a stop, and
preparations for effecting irradiation of an ion beam onto a
different irradiation target layer present at a shallower position
are made. Specifically, the setting parameters of the synchrotron 4
are changed so that an ion beam having a different energy is
generated, and the scanning pattern data for the beam deflecting
device 61 is also set to pattern data corresponding to the
different irradiation target layer. After that, an ion beam having
a predetermined energy is ejected from the synchrotron 4, and the
ion beam is irradiated onto the different irradiation target layer
of the affected part 32 from the irradiation field forming device
13A. This irradiation is repeated to irradiate the whole of the
affected part 32 with ion beams.
[0066] A description will be given in connection with a case where
four ion beams having different energies as shown in FIG. 16 are
sequentially irradiated onto irradiation target layers of the
affected part 32 from the synchrotron 4 with the respective
irradiation doses shown in FIG. 16 without the use of the Bragg
peak enlarging device 17. In this case, the total radiation dose
applied to the entire affected part 32 is as shown by a line 62 in
FIG. 17. The four thin lines shown in FIG. 17 represent Bragg peaks
formed by the ion beams irradiated onto the respective irradiation
target layers. The line 62 represent the total radiation dose
distribution obtained by adding the Bragg peaks together. Since the
interval between each of the Bragg peaks is wide compared to the
thinness thereof, the total radiation dose distribution is uniform
in the depth direction. To solve this problem, consideration may be
given to the method of uniformizing the total radiation dose
distribution by increasing the number of ion beams having different
energies to be generated by the synchrotron 4. However, if the
number of ion beams having different energies is increased, the
number of irradiation target layers increases in the depth
direction, so that the irradiation time of ion beams increases.
[0067] On the other hand, in the second embodiment in which the
Bragg peak enlarging device 17 is disposed, each of the four ion
beams having different energies as shown in FIG. 16 contains three
ion beam components having different energies as shown in FIG. 18.
Accordingly, when the affected part 32 is irradiated with the ion
beams having such different energies, the widths of Bragg peaks
formed by the respective ion beams increase as shown by thin lines
in FIG. 19. Accordingly, the total radiation dose distribution
obtained by adding the Bragg peaks together becomes uniform in the
depth direction of the affected part 32 as shown by a line 63 in
FIG. 19.
[0068] In the second embodiment, because the widths of the
respective Bragg peaks can be increased owing to the disposition of
the Bragg peak enlarging device 17, it is possible to make far more
uniform the total radiation dose in the depth direction of the
affected part 32 without increasing the number of ion beams having
different energies in the synchrotron 4. Because the widths of the
respective Bragg peaks can be increased, the thickness of each
irradiation target layer set in the depth direction can be
increased, and the time required to irradiate the affected part 32
can be shortened. Even in the second embodiment, since the filter
elements 18 and 21 are disposed, it is possible to obtain the
effect and advantage obtained in the first embodiment.
[0069] Any of the Bragg peak enlarging devices 40, 45 and 56 may
also be used instead of the Bragg peak enlarging device 17. In
particular, by using the Bragg peak enlarging device 40, it is
possible to adjust uniformly the extent of scattering of ion beams
while the ion beams are passing through the Bragg peak enlarging
device 40. Accordingly, it is possible to easily control the
diameters of the respective ion beams during the scanning of the
ion beams.
[0070] Incidentally, in the second embodiment, the energy of an ion
beam is changed for each irradiation target layer having a
different depth, by changing the parameters of the charged particle
beam generation device. However, the energy of an ion beam can also
be changed by providing the irradiation field forming device 13A
with a range shifter and changing the thickness of the range
shifter.
[0071] (Embodiment 3)
[0072] A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to a
third preferred embodiment of the invention will be described
below. The charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to
the third preferred embodiment has a construction in which the
irradiation field forming device 13 of the charged particle beam
irradiation apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced with the
irradiation field forming device 13B shown in FIG. 20. The other
construction of the charged particle beam irradiation apparatus
according to the third preferred embodiment is the same as that of
the charged particle beam irradiation apparatus 1. The irradiation
field forming device 13B includes the beam enlarging device 16 and
a Bragg peak enlarging device 64, and the collimator 26 and the
bolus 27 can be disposed. The irradiation field forming device 13A
of the second embodiment is capable of effecting irradiation with
scanning ion beams in different irradiation target layers of the
affected part 32 in the depth direction thereof. The irradiation
field forming device 13B used in the third embodiment irradiates
the respective irradiation target layers with different ion beams
enlarged by the beam enlarging device 16.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 21, the Bragg peak enlarging device 64 has
a pair of filter elements 75 and 74. The filter element 75 is
disposed on a lower side and has a construction in which a
plurality of stick-shaped portions 65 are disposed to form hole
portions 66 thereamong, while the filter element 74 is disposed on
an upper side and has a construction in which a plurality of
stick-shaped portions 67 are disposed to form hole portions 68
thereamong. The stick-shaped portions 65 and 67 are disposed to
extend in the same direction. The stick-shaped portions 67 are
disposed to be partly superposed on the respective stick-shaped
portions 65 in the longitudinal directions thereof. The arrangement
pitch of the stick-shaped portions 67 is the same as that of the
stick-shaped portions 65. Therefore, the widths of the respective
hole portions 66 are the same as those of the respective hole
portions 68. Although not shown, the stick-shaped portions 65 are
connected to one another at their opposite ends, and the
stick-shaped portions 67 are connected to one another at their
opposite ends. The thickness of each of the stick-shaped portions
67 in the height direction thereof is twice as large as that of
each of the stick-shaped portions 65. Since the respective
stick-shaped portions 67 are disposed to be partly superposed on
the stick-shaped portions 65 as described above, steps 69 are
formed on the top ends of the respective stick-shaped portions 65,
while steps 70 are formed on the bottom ends of the respective
stick-shaped portions 67. Each of the steps 70 covers a portion of
a respective one of the hole portions 66.
[0074] An ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak enlarging
device 64 contains four ion beams having different energies as
shown in FIG. 22. An ion beam component that has passed through
both stick-shaped portions 65 and 67 is the smallest in energy. An
ion beam component that has passed through both hole portions 66
and 68 is the highest in energy.
[0075] In the Bragg peak enlarging device 64, a Bragg peak having a
different width is formed according to the width of a portion where
one of the stick-shaped portion 65 and the adjacent one of the
stick-shaped portion 67 are superposed on each other. Specifically,
if the superposed portion between one of the stick-shaped portion
65 and the adjacent one of the stick-shaped portion 67 is small in
width, the width of the Bragg peak does not increase, as shown by a
line 71 in FIG. 23. If the superposed portion between one of the
stick-shaped portion 65 and the adjacent one of the stick-shaped
portion 67 has a width larger than a certain extent, the width of
the Bragg increases, as shown by a line 72 in FIG. 23. In the Bragg
peak enlarging device 64 used in the third embodiment, the
stick-shaped portions 65 and the stick-shaped portions 67 are
superposed on one another so that a Bragg peak such as that shown
by the line 72 is formed.
[0076] The ion beam that has passed through the Bragg peak
enlarging device 64 and contains the four ion beam components
having different energies is irradiated onto an irradiation target
layer located at the deepest position in the affected part 32,
through the collimator 26 and the bolus 27. Then, an ion beam which
is decreased in energy by the manipulation of the synchrotron 4 is
ejected from the synchrotron 4. This ion beam is irradiated onto
another irradiation target layer located immediately above the
irradiation target layer irradiated previously. The ion beam also
contains four different ion beam components having different
energies. In this manner, an ion beam is sequentially irradiated
onto each overlying irradiation target layer. In the third
embodiment, four irradiation target layers are set in the affected
part 32 in the depth direction thereof, and the respective
irradiation target layers are irradiated with the ion beams that
have passed through the Bragg peak enlarging device 64.
[0077] In the third embodiment, the filter element 74 and filter
element 75 are disposed so that the respective stick-shaped
portions 67 and 65 are partly superposed on each other in the
advancing direction of an ion beam, whereby it is possible to
obtain ion beam components having different energies (refer to FIG.
22), the number (four) of which is larger than the number (two) of
the stick-shaped portions superposed on each other in the advancing
direction of the ion beam. It is also possible to increase the
width in the depth direction of the Bragg peak formed in the body
by the irradiation of the patient 31 with the ion beam having the
four ion beam components. In the third embodiment as well, it is
possible to obtain far more ion beam components having different
energies by means of a simple construction in which fewer
stick-shaped portions are disposed in the advancing direction of
the ion beam, whereby it is possible to increase the width of the
Bragg peak in the depth direction.
[0078] In the third embodiment, because the Bragg peak enlarging
device 64 is disposed, the width of the Bragg peak increases, and
the thickness of each irradiation target layer can be made large in
the depth direction. Accordingly, it is possible to shorten the
time required to irradiate the affected part 32. However, the Bragg
peak enlarging device 64 needs complicated work in the adjustment
of the width of each of the superposed portions between the
stick-shaped portions 65 and 67.
[0079] In each of the above-described embodiments, a cyclotron can
be used instead of a synchrotron. The beam enlarging device 16 and
the beam deflecting device 61 are ion beam scanning devices.
[0080] According to the invention, the width in the depth direction
of a Bragg peak formed in the body by irradiation with a charged
particle beam can be increased by a simple construction.
* * * * *