Multiple scintillation detector array imaging apparatus and method of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354045-A1
Application number	US-201615240974-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2016
Priority date	May 22, 2008
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Generally, a method or apparatus for tomographically imaging a sample, such as a tumor of a patient, using positively charged particles positions n two-dimensional detector arrays on n surfaces of a scintillation material or scintillator, respectively. Resultant from energy transfer from the positively charged particles, secondary photons are emitted from the scintillation material and detected by the plurality of two-dimensional detector arrays, where each detector array images the scintillation material. Combining signals from the plurality of two-dimensional detector arrays, the path, position, energy, and/or state of the positively charged particle beam as a function of time and/or rotation of the patient relative to the positively charged particle beam is determined and used in tomographic reconstruction of an image of the sample or the tumor.

First claim

1 . A method for tomographically imaging a tumor of a patient using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
providing a synchrotron; providing a scintillation material; transporting the positively charged particles, using a beam transport line, from said synchrotron, through a patient position, and to said scintillation material; providing a set of two-dimensional detector arrays; optically coupling a first detector array, of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays, to a first surface of said scintillation material; optically coupling a second detector array, of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays, to a second surface of said scintillation material; and said first detector array and said second detector array imaging secondary photons resultant from energy transfer of the positively charged particles.

2 . The method of claim 1 , said step of imaging further comprising the step of:
simultaneously imaging the tumor:
from a first direction using said first detector array;
from a second direction using said second detector array;
from a third direction using a third detector array of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays;
from a fourth direction using a fourth detector array of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays; and
from a fifth direction using a fifth detector array of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays.

3 . The method of claim 1 , said step of imaging further comprising the step of:
simultaneously imaging the tumor: (1) from a first direction using said first detector array and (2) from a second direction using said second detector array, said first direction, said tumor, and said second direction forming an angle of greater than eighty degrees.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
said step of simultaneously imaging producing a set of signals; using the set of signals to determine paths of the positively charged particles through the tumor of the patient as a function of time; and forming a three-dimensional image of the tumor using tomographic reconstruction.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
pivoting a line, the line comprising a linear path from an exit nozzle of said beam transport system through the tumor to said scintillation material, about the tumor, said step of simultaneously imaging performed as a function of said step of pivoting.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
rotating the patient relative to an exit nozzle of said beam transport system while maintaining orientation of said exit nozzle: (1) relative to said scintillation material and (2) relative to a reference patient position, said step of simultaneously imaging performed as a function of said step of rotating.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
gating said positively charged particle beam at intervals at least as long as a quenching period of the secondary photons.

8 . The method of claim 7 , said step of gating further comprising the steps of:
providing a triode extraction system, comprising:
an ion source maintained at a first potential;
an extraction electrode maintained at a third potential differing from said first potential; and
a gating electrode positioned between said ion source and said extraction electrode; and
injecting the positively charged particles from said ion source into said accelerator, said step of gating alternating between: (1) suppressing extraction of the positively charged particles from said ion source and (2) extracting the positively charged particles from said ion source through changing a second potential of said gating electrode from proximate the first potential to a value between the first potential and the third potential.

9 . The method of claim 8 , said step of simultaneously imaging further comprising the steps of:
detecting position of first photons over a first wavelength range emitted from a first scintillator voxel of said scintillation material; and detecting position of second photons over a second wavelength range emitted from a second voxel of said scintillation material, the first photons emitted from a first chemical material distinct from a second chemical material emitting the second photons; detecting position of third photons representative of a first position of the positively charged particles using a first photon emitting sheet in a beam path of said positively charged particles prior to the patient; and detecting position of fourth photons representative of a second position of the charged particle beam using a second photon emitting sheet in said path of the positively charged particles posterior to the patient.

10 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
detecting first photons over a first wavelength range emitted from a first scintillator voxel of said scintillation material; detecting second photons over a second wavelength range emitted from a second voxel of said scintillation material, the first photons emitted from a first chemical material distinct from a second chemical material emitting the second photons.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
determining a depth of penetration of the positively charged particle beam into said scintillation material, said step of determining a depth of penetration comprising the steps of:
detecting the second photons without the second photons having passed through a first layer of the first chemical material; and
detecting the first photons after the first photons pass through a second layer of said second chemical material.

12 . An apparatus for tomographically imaging a tumor of a patient using positively charged particles, comprising:
a synchrotron; a scintillation material; a beam transport line from said synchrotron, through a patient position, and to said scintillation material, said beam transport line configured to transport the positively charged particles during use; a set of two-dimensional detector arrays; a first detector array, of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays, optically coupled to a first surface of said scintillation material; a second detector array, of said set of two-dimensional detector arrays, optically coupled to a second surface of said scintillation material, said first detector array and said second detector array configured to image secondary photons resultant from energy transfer of the positively charged particles.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , said first detector array comprising a detection face within fifteen degrees of perpendicular to a front face of said second detector array.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising at least one of:
a focusing array of micro-optics between said scintillation material and a scintillation side face of said first detector array; and an optical coupling layer between said scintillation material and a prior face of said second detector array, said scintillation material comprising a first index of refraction, said prior face of said second detector array comprising a second index of refraction, said optical coupling layer comprising third index of refraction between said first index of refraction and said second index of refraction.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , said scintillation material further comprising:
a first scintillator layer, comprising an exit face; and a second scintillator layer, comprising an entrance face physically abutted to said exit face of said first scintillator layer, said first scintillator layer and said second scintillation layer comprising chemic

Assignees

• Lee W Davis
• Amato Mark R

Inventors

• Lee W Davis
• Amato Mark R

Classifications

• A61B6/032

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61N5/1064

  for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring · CPC title

• A61N2005/1087

  Ions; Protons · CPC title

• A61B6/037

  Emission tomography · CPC title

• G01T1/2985 Primary

  In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); (using external radiation sources A61B6/02) · CPC title