Patient positioning system for radiotherapy

Abstract

A patient positioning system for radiotherapy, comprising a device for positioning a patient within the framework of treatment planning, using image detection and/or carrying out radiation treatment, comprising a patient bed on which a patient is positioned, wherein means are provided by which the same bed may be arranged both on a planning couch for image detection within the framework of treatment planning as well as on a radiotherapy table, and by providing a reference means on the patient bed by which the position of the immobilized patient or of a marked radiation target is determined with respect to the patient bed. Within this framework, a corresponding method is also provided, as well as an adjusting means for the transport and the bed.

Description

This application FIG. 1FIG. 1 shows FIGS. 1A and 1B show a patient table—patient bed system with an adjusting device in accordance with the present invention, in an oblique view in an image detection system (planning), and in a side view as it is being used, for example, in radiation therapy under a LINAC (Linear ACcelerator). The upper oblique view (in the planning step) shows: a planning system consisting of a patient couch 8 and an imaging device 2, for example a CT device; and a schematically illustrated latching mechanism 7, with which a patient bed 3 can be fixed to the couch 8. In the lower diagram, the bed 3 for radiation exposure is placed on a patient table 1, and an adjusting device 6 is inserted between a further latching mechanism 4 on the patient table 1 and the patient bed 3.

Instead of the hitherto usual arrangement sequence of the connecting structure: table (A)—bed (B)—adjusting mechanism (C) (see FIG. 10), the connecting structure: table (1, 8)—adjusting mechanism (6)—bed (3) is implemented. Accordingly, the angular correction can also be used for treatment outside of the head area. The second advantage of this procedure is that the bed 3 on which the patient is lying can be constructed throughout from highly radioparent carbon material, even in the neck area; reinforcements, support points and screw points on the patient bed 3 are dropped completely.

Since the system portrayed here is also intended for rigging already existing radiotherapy systems, it is particularly important that the adjusting device 6 can be integrated into a considerably restricted building space. This requirement, however, cannot be realized with conventional systems having two axes of rotation. The system invented therefore uses a special suspension in the adjusting device, a preferred embodiment being described in the following by way of FIG. 2 FIGS. 2A and 2B.

FIG. 2 shows FIGS. 2A and 2B show an adjusting device 6 in accordance with the invention, in an upper and lateral sectional view. It comprises a base plate 10 and a cover plate 12. The connection between the base plate 10 on the table of the treatment device and the cover plate 12 on which the (carbon) bed 3 is fixed, is realized by a three-point bearing 15, 16, 17, supplemented by an additional lateral guide joint 14. The rear bearing 15 (approximately at the level of the patient's feet) is a ball joint bearing with three rotatory and no translatory degrees of freedom. This is again shown enlarged in FIG. 3. Alternatively, this bearing can be designed as a universal joint.

The front two supports 16, 17 consist of toggle levers which are fixed to the base plate 10 and cover plate 12 respectively with ball joints 18, 19, 20, 21, which can best be seen in the frontal view in FIG. 4.

The side guide joint 14 is located near the centre line between the two toggle levers, and comprises two rotatory and two translatory degrees of freedom. A preferred embodiment of this joint is a shaft 22 which is guided in a slot 23. Alternatively, this joint can also be omitted if a bearing with only two rotatory degrees of freedom is selected on the other side of the mechanism.

FIG. 5 shows FIGS. 5A and 5B show sectional side views which illustrate a way for the toggle levers 16, 17 of the adjusting device 6 to adjust, and FIG. 6 shows a frontal view of the adjusting device 6 showing counter-adjustment of two toggle levers 16, 17. The two toggle levers 16, 17 can be guided by electrocylinders (30) (each being a spindle-and-nut system), hydraulic cylinders or pneumatic cylinders.

If the two toggle levers 16, 17 are spread in the same direction, the bed 3 can be turned about an axis perpendicularly to the patient; if the toggle levers 16, 17 are spread in different directions, then rotation about an axis which is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the patient may be realized.

In order to realize rotation about the main axes (the axis through the rear ball joint 15, perpendicular to the symmetry plane of the patient, and the axis parallel to the symmetry plane of the patient), it is necessary to alter the effective height of the toggle levers 16, 17 with an identical and/or reverse speed. Such a counter-adjustment leads, for example, to a state such as shown in FIG. 6. Since the toggle levers 16, 17 exhibit a path and power transmission which is dependent on the buckling angle, it is necessary to guide the toggle levers with different amounts of speeds, calculated depending on the buckling angle of the two toggle levers. If this is realized, then it is possible to turn the bed 3 about the longitudinal axis without changing the angle about the lateral axis or the height of bed 3.

Alternatively, the ball joint 15 can also be designed by a third toggle lever with a one-sided ball joint and a simple rotating bearing on the other side of said toggle lever (not shown). In such an embodiment, the third toggle lever is located in place of the ball joint bearing and is likewise fixed to the base plate and to the cover plate by ball joint bearings. With the aid of said third lever, it is additionally possible to turn the patient about a virtual lateral axis, whose position can be set by the ratio of the effective speeds of the single toggle lever in relation to the effective speed of the two toggle levers on the other side. In this way, it is possible to turn the patient lying on the bed about a specified point, preferably about the point to be treated. In the case of a linear accelerator, this is the isocenter.

FIG. 7 shows a possible embodiment of a patient bed 50 on the adjusting device 6. A head support 53 is shown which cannot be turned and can therefore be realized in very thin and therefore radioparent carbon. An end plate made of metal may be provided as 55, which can serve to fix the bed 50 to an adjusting device 52, or which can also be used to connect foot supports or similar additional devices to the bed 50. Infrared-reflecting markers are arranged on a reference star 54, which can be used as reference markings for markers located on the patient. A frame 56 integrated into the bed is substantially shorter than the actual bed and thereby does not extend into areas which are to be radioparent.

So that the position of the patient on the bed 50 during treatment is the same as that while the planning data set is being recorded, the patient is not allowed to move between these points of time. The bed is therefore preferably combined with a patient fixing system. Suitable for this, among other things, are:

• • vacuum foils with corresponding vacuum pumps
  • elastic bands or foils stretched over the patient
  • vacuum cushions specially fitted to the patient's form
  • thermoplastic body masks specially fitted to the patient's form
  • form cushions or form blocks fitted to the patient's form

The star 54 with the reference markers is securely connected to the bed 50. The patient's breathing changes the distance between the reference markers and possible markers on the patient's thorax. This distance is suitable for describing the patient's breathing. The correlation between this distance value and the position of internal organs of the patient is maintained when the bed 50 is transported, since both the reference markers and the patient are securely connected to the bed. A tracking system (not shown) 51 at the planning location (for example CT) and at the treatment location (LINAC) assists, for example, breath-controlled planning and radiation exposure (triggered CT recordings and triggered radiation exposure), wherein this is only possible because the above-mentioned correlation is maintained. In this respect, a certain tolerance range is also to be maintained. Similarly, the bed 50 is automatically positioned at the LINAC (computer-assisted via the tracking system 51 and the markers on the star 54 on the bed) only when the defined relationship has been reached. It is conceivable as an extension that various CT sets of the same area are recorded at several defined patient-fix-marker states, in order to provide several “starting points” as early as the CT. A physician can then analyze the movement of the target point, and a “beam-on range” during radiation exposure (permissible patient-fix-marker relationship for “beam-on”) can be individually defined. In the case of CT planning, this method is to stand only as one example of an imaging method. In principle, the use of other methods is possible, for example MR, SPECT, PET.

In order to be able to make good use of the advantages of a transportable patient bed, it is advantageous to have a device which allows the bed, together with the patient, to be transported from the imaging system to the treatment device. FIG. 8 shows FIGS. 8A and 8B show an embodiment of a transport system for a patient bed 42. A transport trolley 41 holds the bed 42 in a broadly horizontal position. When the trolley 41 is moved over the table 44 of the treatment device or of the imaging system, the bed 42 can then be delivered onto the adjusting device 43. The trolley 41 is fitted with side rollers 45 on the inner side of the two lower supports, such that the trolley 41 centers itself automatically with respect to the table 44. The trolley 41 is fitted with side rollers 48 at the end facing away from the bed, so that it is possible to push doors open with the trolley 41.

FIG. 9 shows FIGS. 9A and 9B show a possible embodiment of the mechanism for latching and releasing the bed on the adjusting device or directly on the couch. The essential advantage of this mechanism lies in the fact that no significant physical force need be applied, as the force is applied by the table. Both the tables from linear accelerators as well as those from MR and CT systems allow the height of the table to be adjusted. An end plate 70 (reference numeral 46 in FIG. 8), securely connected to the patient bed, is drawn upwards by the torque arising from the weight of the overhanging patient. A bolt 73 connecting the end plate 70 to the adjusting mechanism or on the couch 71 is thus constantly loaded with a lateral force. The bolt 73 is preferably constructed with an undercut (not visible in FIG. 9 FIGS. 9A or 9B), such that it cannot be withdrawn when it is loaded with a force. A second bolt 74 is guided through the plate 74 72 connected to the transport means for the bed, into an elongated hole in the end plate 70. As long as the bolt 73 is loaded, the bolt 74 is not loaded, and can therefore be changed without significant physical force. Position 1 shows the situation wherein the bed is connected to the adjusting mechanism (bolt 73 bearing the load).

If the transport system is then moved up to the bed, then moving the table up moves the bed and the adjusting device upwards, and therefore the plates 70 and 71, until the bolt 74 meets at the lower end of the elongated hole, and from then on absorbs the flow of force. If the table is moved a further few millimeters upwards, then the bolt 73 is completely released from the load and may be withdrawn by hand. The bed is detached via the latching mechanism in the reverse of this sequence.

Claims

1. A patient positioning device for treatment planning and/or carrying out radiation treatment, comprising:

a patient bed on which a patient can lay,; and

an adjusting device that supports the patient bed relative to an associated patient couch or table for rotational movement about two axes, the adjusting device including comprising:

a horizontal base plate connected to a with the associated patient couch or table,

a horizontal cover plate connected to with the patient bed, and

a three-point bearing support with one point being a ball first joint located along a center longitudinal axis and the other two points being adjustable joints that are spaced apart from the ball first joint and are vertically height adjustable to vary the a pitch and roll of the patient bed relative to the associated patient couch or table,

wherein the ball first joint and the adjustable joints are connected directly to the base plate and the horizontal cover plate, and each of the two adjustable joints are configured to transform comprises a toggle lever that comprises a first link member pivotally connected with the base plate and a second link member pivotally connected with the cover plate wherein the first and second link members are mutually pivotally connected at a toggle lever joint, the toggle levers of each of the two adjustable joints transforming a horizontal activation-movement activation movement acting on the toggle lever joint to a vertical movement of the cover plate relative to the lower plate for varying the pitch and roll of the patient bed relative to the associated patient couch or table.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjusting device associated patient couch or table is arranged between the patient bed and a supporting device beneath to support the patient bed, and the horizontal base plate and the horizontal cover plate are movably linked together via the three point bearing support.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the adjusting device includes comprises a guide slot and follower a shaft guided in the guide slot to provide two translatory and two rotatory degrees of freedom with respect to one another while preventing the patient bed from shifting laterally with respect to the supporting device associated patient couch or table.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a position tracking system that can detect the positions of markings arranged on at least one of a patient supported on the patient bed and bed, a reference device attached to the patient bed, or a patient supported on the patient bed and a reference device attached to the patient bed.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the axes of the pitch and roll of the patient bed relative to the associated patient couch or table are orthogonal and respectively extend longitudinally and laterally with respect to the patient bed.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjustable joints are height adjustable pneumatically, hydraulically, piezoelectrically or electromechanically.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjustable joints each include first joint comprises a third toggle lever.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an adjustment controller that controls the adjustable joints for rotating the patient bed about its lateral and longitudinal axes of the patient bed.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first joint comprises a ball joint.

10. An adjusting device for positioning an associated patient bed relative to an associated patient couch or table, the adjusting device comprising:

a horizontal base plate adapted to engage the associated patient couch or table;

a horizontal cover plate operatively coupled with the associated patient bed; and

a three-point bearing support comprising a first joint and second and third adjustable joints, the first joint being located along a center longitudinal axis of the adjusting device and the second and third adjustable joints being spaced apart from the first joint, and the second and third adjustable joints being vertically adjustable to vary a pitch and a roll of the associated patient bed relative to the associated patient couch or table,

wherein the first joint and the second and third adjustable joints are operatively connected with the base plate and the horizontal cover plate,

wherein the second and third adjustable joints each comprises a toggle lever that comprises a first link member pivotally connected with the base plate and a second link member pivotally connected with the cover plate wherein the first and second link members are mutually pivotally connected at a toggle lever joint, the toggle levers of each of the two adjustable joints transforming a horizontal activation movement acting on the toggle lever joint to a vertical movement of the cover plate relative to the lower plate for varying the pitch and roll of the patient bed relative to the associated patient couch or table.

11. The adjusting device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a releasing mechanism configured to enable releasable positioning of the associated patient bed in relation to the associated patient couch or table, and to enable securing the associated patient bed in relation to the cover plate and base plate such that the adjusting device can vary the pitch and roll of the associated patient bed relative to the associated patient couch or table, the releasing mechanism allowing the associated patient bed to be moved from the associated patient couch for planning a treatment to the associated patient table for the treatment.

12. The adjusting device according to claim 10, wherein the first joint comprises a ball joint.