Dual-Use Radiation System

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of medical imaging and therapy of lesions that are detrimental to the body. The system is capable of both imaging and treatment with the same kilovoltage radiation source. Dual-use collimators produce a wide beam, which is not a pencil beam or a fan beam, to image and treat a target that has an enhanced radiation cross-section after taking up contrast agent containing a high-Z element. This results in increased radiation dose in the lesion. Furthermore, the significant drop in intensity of a low-energy radiation beam traveling through tissue is surmounted by continually aiming the beam at the target while moving it around the patient. Wide detectors opposing the radiation source permit the imaging and measurement of contrast in the target. More specifically this invention relates to a system, which optimizes delivery of kilovoltage x-rays to a lesion containing contrast agents in higher concentration than the surrounding normal tissues. Thereby subsequent delivery of radiation becomes cytotoxic upon interaction with the contrast.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The construction and usage of embodiments will become readily apparent from consideration of the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of dual-use radiation delivery components according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating elements of a dual-use radiation system according to some embodiments; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating elements of a dual-use radiation system according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The construction and usage of embodiments will become readily apparent from consideration of the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system according to some embodiments. System 1 comprises dual-use radiation source 5 containing dual-use collimators 10 and detector 15. According to some embodiments, dual-use collimators 10 are usable for creating a diagnostic image and treating an identified lesion according to a radiation treatment plan. As will be described in detail below, the dual-use collimators 10 might be associated with imaging and/or radiation treatment planning software 44.

Radiation source 5 may comprise any currently or hereafter know device that is capable of treating tissue with radiation, e.g., kilovoltage x-rays. The radiation emitted from radiation source 5 is contoured by dual-use collimators 10 that shape the x-rays into a wide pyramidal beam 12, which is neither a fan beam nor a pencil beam. Opposing the beam is digital detector 15, which measures and images the beam 12 after in passes through patient 20 and lesion 25. Radiation source 5 and detector 15 can move about patient 20 but detector 15 is always maintained in a position opposing radiation source 5. The path about the patient 20 and internal lesion 25 is indicated by arrows 4. The patient 20 lies on a movable table 30 for positioning during acquisition of the image and better alignment of the target 25 during treatment. The table 30 can move in three-dimensions, i.e., left and right (x-axis), in addition to up and down (y-axis), and in and out of the plane of the drawing (z-axis), to better situate the target 25 relative to the radiation source 5 for treatment.

The digital detector 15 may comprise an image intensifier and camera, a flat-panel device using a scintillator layer and solid-state amorphous silicon photodiodes deployed in a two-dimensional array, or any detector system used in CT scanners. The digital detector 15 may also convert x-rays to electrical charge and store it without use of a scintillator layer. In such devices, x-rays are absorbed directly by an array of amorphous selenium photoconductors. The photoconductors convert the x-rays directly to stored electrical charge that comprises an acquired image of a radiation field. Digital detector 15 may also comprise a CCD or tube-based camera.

Prior to imaging or treatment with radiation in the kilovoltage energy range, the absorption cross-cross section of the target 25 is enhanced by the administration of a radiation treatment agent 22 containing an element having an atomic weight greater than fifty (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,125,295 and 6,366,801, and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/758,001). Accordingly, radiation treatment agent 22 may compromise a heavy element-containing compound in some embodiments, e.g., iodine, gold, or bismuth. Since a radiation beam will be more readily stopped by the volume of radiation agent 22 in the target 25, the painted target 25 will be more damaged than the surrounding normal tissue without the heavy element. The radiation treatment agent 22 is not itself radioactive; it reacts to radiation from radiation source 5.

However, despite the increase in radiation dose in a target 25 as a result of the its uptake of radiation agent 22, to deliver sufficient radiation dose to safely destroy a pathological lesion anywhere in the body requires kilovoltage x-ray beams 12 aimed at the target 25 from multiple angles. Therefore, the system 1 must be capable of moving the radiation source 5 and digital detector 15 around the patient 20 while keeping the target 25 in the radiation beam 12.

The operator station 40 of system 1 includes computers 41 in communication with a display 42 and an entry device 43 such as a keyboard. The computer 41 may be a dedicated part of system 1 or may be in communication at a distance. The computer 41 may facilitate diagnostic scanning and contain software medium 44 to reconstruct images from data acquired by detector 15. An operator may employ the operator station 40 to instruct radiation unit 50 to deliver x-ray radiation 12 to the patient 20 for diagnosis or radiation treatment according to a radiation treatment plan in processor 41. Operator station 40 may also or alternatively be used to generate the radiation treatment plan. In this regard, operator station 40 may generate the treatment plan by importing computed tomography images, or other acquired images, and then executing inverse treatment planning based on the images. The treatment plan may then be exported to an application for controlling radiation unit 50.

Operator station 40 may be located apart from radiation unit 50, such as in a different room, in order to protect the operator from radiation. It should be noted, however, that the operation of low-voltage radiation systems does not require protective measures to the extent of those required during megavoltage radiation treatment, often resulting in less costly treatment. The operator station 40 can interface with others elements in the dual-use radiation system 1 in some embodiments including radiation source 5 control, dual-use collimator 10 control, CT gantry 7 control, table 30 control and imaging detector 15 control. Computer processor 41 further includes microprocessor and memory.

Software medium 44 may design and store a radiation treatment plan in computer-readable and executable formats to calculate the therapeutic effects of radiation treatment with multiple beams 12 in the presence of radiation agent 22. Such software medium 44, for a spectrum of beam energies from a particular radiation source 5 will model the dissipation of beam flux 12 by tissue absorption and the dose enhancement due to the interaction with radiation agent 22. The calculation of radiation dose enhancement in an internal target 25 containing radiation agent 22 following treatment with the beam 12 shaped by dual-use collimator 10 is unique for radiation treatment planning. Other radiation treatment planning accounts for the dose reduction as radiation travels in tissue.

System 1 may include less or more elements than depicted in FIG. 1. Non-exhaustive examples of such elements include fixed wide collimators, intensity modulation of radiation sources, or other radiation sources. System 1 may also be configured in suitable fashions other than that shown in FIG. 1.

The elements of system 1 may be associated within a single package by any one or more entities. A manufacturer or reseller of radiation source 5, dual-use collimators 10, digital detector 15, software medium 44, or treatment table 30 may create system 1 and provide system 1 to entities that deliver radiation treatment. In addition, a manufacturer or reseller may also produce system 1 to work with a particular radiation agent 22.

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of dual-use radiation delivery components 50 according to some embodiments. Dual-use radiation delivery components 50 comprise radiation source 5 and dual-use collimators 10. According to some embodiment, delivery system 1 is used to deliver radiation to patient 20 according to a radiation treatment plan. The radiation source 5 is a beam-emitting device, such as an x-ray tube for delivering radiation. The radiation may have energies ranging from 18 to 300 keV. The radiation emitted by radiation source 5 may comprise any radiation suitable for data acquisition, imaging and/or treatment according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the radiation is suitable to produce dose-enhancing effects when used in conjunction with a radiation treatment agent 22 that is capable of treating tissue 25 following received radiation. In general, the x-ray tubes presently in use for imaging have small anodes, which make cooling for a therapeutic load more difficult. However, newer CT tubes have much improved power and cooling capabilities. The radiation source 5 does not produce megavoltage radiation as claimed under U.S. Pat. No. 6,618,467.

Radiation source 5 may also include beam-shaping devices such as one or more jaws, collimators, reticles and apertures, including dual-use collimators 10. In one such embodiment in FIG. 2, dual-use collimators 10 contour the beam for diagnosis and/or treatment along the z-axis (the long axis of treatment table 30) and either the y-axis (ceiling-floor) or the x-axis (left-right) thus producing a wide-base pyramidal beam 12. Compared to conventional CT collimation the field is significantly greater in the direction of the z-axis (the long axis of treatment table 30) and significantly smaller in either the direction of the y-axis (ceiling-floor) or the x-axis (left-right). In the example given, the shaped beam produces a rectangular field, but in other embodiments the field geometry could be circular, ovoid or polygonal by using secondary blocking with multi-leaf collimation or conical shaping forms. The size and shape of the beam are adjustable, but the size of the beam field at the internal target 25 is 10 mm by 10 mm or greater. The greater field size in the z-axis is critical to rapidly treat lesions greater than 1 cm in that direction. The smaller field size in the y- or x-axis is critical to minimizing the skin dose when treating from multiple directions. Additional optimization of radiation source 5 and dual-use collimators 10 beam output can be achieved by intensity modulation of radiation source 5 current flow and dynamic changes in dual-use collimator 10 position with varying treatment beam 12 positions. The dual-use collimators 10 do not produce a pencil beam as claimed under U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,907. Furthermore, the wider radiation field does not require the internal target 25 to be aligned at the isocenter of an arcing beam.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating elements of a dual-use radiation system according to some embodiments. Radiation source 5 and digital detector 15 may be coupled to C-arm 6 so as to face one another irrespective of any movement of the C-arm 6 with respect to its base 8 as shown in FIG. 3. In this regard, C-arm 6 is slidably mounted on base 8 and can therefore be moved in order to change the position of radiation source 5 with respect to treatment table 30. Treatment table 30 may also be adjustable to assist in positioning an internal portion 25 of the patient 20 with respect to the radiation unit 50. In some embodiments, base 8 includes a high-voltage generator for supplying power used by radiation source 5 to generate kilovoltage radiation.

Many C-arm/base configurations may be used in conjunction with some embodiments, including portable configurations, wall or ceiling mounted, or robot mounted configurations. In some embodiments, radiation source 5 with dual-use collimator 10 and digital detector 15 are mounted on robot arms with coordinated movement about patient 20 and internal target 25.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating elements of a dual-use radiation system according to some embodiments. Radiation source 5 with dual-use collimator 10 and digital detector 15 may be coupled in CT scanner 7 so as to face one another irrespective of any movement of CT scanner 7 with respect to the patient 20 and an internal target 25 as shown in FIG. 4. In such embodiments, the dual-use collimator 10 replaces conventional diagnostic CT collimation to safely permit diagnostic scanning and therapy. In some embodiments, detector 15 is of adequate size in the z-axis to encompass the larger radiation beam 12. Diagnostic imaging and radiation treatment are performed by movement of the radiation source 5 with dual-use collimator 10 about the patient 20 and internal target 25. Images are reconstructed from data gathered by detector 15 with CT software medium 44. Treatment is performed according to radiation planning software 44 using images of the patient 20 to target a lesion 25 containing radiation agent 22. The treatment table 30 may also be adjustable in the x-axis in addition to the other dimensions to assist in positioning an internal portion 25 of the patient 20 with respect to the radiation unit 50 according to the radiation treatment plan. In some embodiments, CT scanner 7 includes a high-voltage generator for supplying power used by radiation source 5 to generate kilovoltage radiation.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a. a movable kilovoltage radiation source to both image and treat pathologic lesions;b. a dual-use collimator to contour a wide-based beam;c. a treatment table capable of movement in three dimensions;d. a digital radiation detector opposite the radiation source;e. a radiation treatment agent to treat diseased tissue in response to received x-ray radiation; andf. a medium storing computer-executable process steps to reconstruct medical images and calculate therapeutic effects of the radiation treatment.

2. A device comprising: a. a dual-use collimator to shape a radiation treatment beam into a wide pyramidal beam,b. wherein the resulting contoured beam in not a fan beam; andc. wherein the resulting contoured beam in not a pencil beam; andd. wherein the resulting contoured beam can be used to create an image and to treat pathologic tissue.

3. A device according to claim 2, further comprising: a. an adjustable mechanism to contour different shapes and sizes of the beam,b. wherein the resulting radiation field size at the internal target is 10 mm by 10 mm or greater; andc. wherein a medium storing computer-executable process steps adjusts the mechanism's position for imaging and treatment.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising: a. a radiation treatment agent which is a radiation dose-enhancing agent.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising: a. a movable kilovoltage radiation source to both image and treat pathologic lesions; andb. a kilovoltage radiation source with a dual-use collimator,c. wherein the kilovoltage radiation source moves around a treatment table; andd. wherein the kilovoltage radiation source has a detector or array of detectors wide-enough to encompass a wide treatment beam opposite it; ande. wherein the detector or array of detectors is attached to the radiation source by a C-arm; andf. wherein a radiation treatment agent is used to treat diseased tissue in response to received x-ray radiation; andg. wherein a medium is used capable of storing computer-executable process steps to reconstruct medical images and calculate therapeutic effects of the radiation treatment.

6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising: a. a moveable kilovoltage radiation source,b. wherein the radiation source can move in an arc about the patient; andc. wherein the radiation source can move in three dimensions around the treatment table while always aiming at the internal target.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising: a. a CT scanner with a dual-use collimator,b. wherein the CT scanner has a treatment table capable of movement in three dimensions; andc. wherein the CT scanner has a detector or array of detectors wide-enough to encompass a wide treatment beam; andd. wherein a radiation treatment agent is used to treat diseased tissue in response to received x-ray radiation; ande. wherein a medium is used capable of storing computer-executable process steps to reconstruct medical images and calculate therapeutic effects of the radiation treatment.

8. A system according to claim 7, further comprising: a. a dual-use collimator to shape a radiation treatment beam into a wide pyramidal beam,b. wherein the resulting contoured beam in not a fan beam; andc. wherein the resulting contoured beam in not a pencil beam; andd. wherein the resulting contoured beam can be used to create an image and to treat pathologic tissue.

9. A system according to claim 7, further comprising: a. a dual-use collimator to shape a radiation treatment beam into a wide pyramidal beam,b. wherein an adjustable mechanism contours different shapes and sizes of the beam; andc. wherein the resulting radiation field size at the internal target is 10 mm by 10 mm or greater; andd. wherein a medium storing computer-executable process steps adjusts the mechanism's position for imaging and treatment.

10. A method comprising: a. measurement of the delivered radiation treatment agent in the lesion with diagnostic imaging;b. repeated infusions and measurements of the delivered radiation treatment agent in the lesion until an optimal threshold concentration is reached;c. generating a radiation treatment plan associated with a radiation treatment agent; andd. administration of a movable external radiation beam therapy.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: a. a radiation treatment agent which is a radiation dose-enhancing agent.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising: a. employing the radiation treatment agent to both diagnose and treat pathological lesions in the head or body,b. wherein the treatment is of primary or metastatic cancers; andc. wherein the treatment is of non-cancerous lesions, vascular plaques, or nervous system lesions.