Treatment delivery control system and method of operation thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for control of a charged particle cancer therapy system. A treatment delivery control system is used to directly control multiple subsystems of the cancer therapy system without direct communication between selected subsystems, which enhances safety, simplifies quality assurance and quality control, and facilitates programming. For example, the treatment delivery control system directly controls one or more of: an imaging system, a positioning system, an injection system, a radio-frequency quadrupole system, a ring accelerator or synchrotron, an extraction system, a beam line, an irradiation nozzle, a gantry, a display system, a targeting system, and a verification system. Generally, the control system integrates subsystems and/or integrates output of one or more of the above described cancer therapy system elements with inputs of one or more of the above described cancer therapy system elements.

1 . An apparatus for treating a tumor of a patient using positively charged particles, comprising:
 a centralized control system configured to receive an irradiation plan from an oncology information system and control a plurality of sub-systems of a cancer therapy system, said plurality of sub-systems comprising:
 an accelerator system; 
 an extraction system; 
 a beam transport line configured to transport the positively charged particles; 
 an irradiation nozzle; and 
 a gantry, 
   wherein a charged particle beam path sequentially passes through: at least part of said injector system, said accelerator system, said extraction system, said beam transport line, said irradiation nozzle, and at least part of said gantry,   said centralized control system operating in conjunction with said plurality of subsystems of said cancer therapy system to control passage of the positively charged particles through said charged particle beam path to treat the tumor of the patient during use,   said centralized control system configured to receive first input from a first subsystem of said plurality of subsystems, and   said centralized control system configured to communicate a command to a second subsystem, of said plurality of subsystems, without direct communication between said first subsystem and said second subsystem, said command based on both the irradiation plan and the first input.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , said centralized control system further comprising:
 code to said specific subsystems, said code configured to, upon revision of a specific subsystem of said plurality of subsystems controlled by said treatment delivery control system, only require revision code to said specific subsystem in said centralized control system.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , said cancer imaging system further comprising:
 an automated cancer therapy system configured to use first image information, from said first subsystem controlled by said centralized control system, and second image information, from said second subsystem controlled by said centralized control system.   
     
     
         8 . A method for treating a tumor of a patient using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
 a centralized control system receiving an irradiation plan from an oncology information system;   said centralized control system operating in conjunction with a plurality of subsystems of a cancer therapy system to treat the tumor of the patient using the positively charged particles;   said centralized control system receiving first input from a first subsystem of said plurality of subsystems; and   said centralized control system communicating a command to a second subsystem, of said plurality of subsystems, without direct communication between said first subsystem and said second subsystem, said command based on both the irradiation plan and the first input.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 replacing a specific subsystem of said plurality of subsystems controlled by said treatment delivery control system while, in said centralized control system, only revising code to said specific subsystem.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 said centralized control system receiving first image information from a first imaging system; and   said centralized control system altering the command as a result of the first image information.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 using said centralized control system to automate said cancer therapy system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 using said centralized control system and the first image information in a step of automating said step of altering the command.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 said centralized control system receiving second image information from a second imaging system, said first image information comprising an X-ray image, said second image information comprising a positron emission tomography image.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 said centralized control system controlling said plurality of subsystems of said cancer therapy system without direct communication between said plurality of subsystems, said plurality of subsystems comprising all of: an accelerator system and an X-ray imaging system.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 said centralized control system: indirectly controlling said first subsystem of said cancer therapy system and directly controlling said second subsystem of said cancer therapy system, said first subsystem communicating with said second subsystem through said centralized control system.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of:
 said first subsystem only communicating with said second subsystem through said centralized control system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 said centralized control system controlling said plurality of subsystems of said cancer therapy system without any direct communication between said plurality of subsystems, said plurality of subsystems comprising all of: an accelerator system and a patient positioning system.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 using said centralized control system and first image information from said first subsystem in a step of automating said cancer therapy system.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of:
 using said centralized control system and second image information from a third subsystem in said step of automating said cancer therapy system.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 simultaneously generating an X-ray image with said first subsystem and generating a proton image with a third subsystem.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 under control of said centralized control system, generating a hybrid X-ray/proton beam image.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 using computed tomography and, under control of said centralized control system, relative rotation of the patient and imaging beams to generate a three-dimensional hybrid X-ray/proton beam image of the tumor.