FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of radiation position, especially a method of less time cost, less labor cost, and a simpler and more precise method than prior arts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Regardless of the kind of radiation therapy is used, traditionally, before each patient is treated, the basic process of daily quality assurance (Daily QA) of currently available radiological apparatuses is carried out. The purpose is to ensure smooth subsequent processes and to avoid unnecessary damages to other normal tissues or cells of the patient caused by high-energy radiation.

The present invention mainly focuses on the part of calibration of the Daily QA items. In the past, lights were turned off to create an environment in a dark condition, and the calibration process was carried out by using at least two laser beams, a positioning line on a detector and human naked eyes. However, minor deviations caused by three factors, including the width of the laser beams (about 3 to 5 mm), the width of the positioning line, and the human naked eyes, must be considered. In addition, the laser beam is subjected to a problem of annual deviation of 1 to 2 mm. The operation is too complicated if Lynx+Sphinx adopted by IBA in 2015 is used as a daily quality assurance device. More than 20 minutes per day are spent on the daily quality assurance. The current process of radiation calibration is time consuming. It takes from 1 to 5 minutes to complete the process.

Besides, the current radiation position norms are primarily based on photon therapy, and very few additional regulations regarding proton therapy discussed recently have been made. Compared to photon therapy, proton therapy has completely different characteristics, which makes it more focused on the importance of positioning, for example, after photon rays are irradiated, the phenomenon of diffusion usually ensues. On the contrary, the phenomenon of scattering as proton beam interacts with material is relatively small, and after the Bragg peak is achieved upon reaching the tumor tissue, no more dose remains. The effect of suppressing or treating the patient's tumor can only be achieved by giving a higher dose of radiation. The requirements of precision of positioning is even more rigorous than those of the photon rays.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to propose a method of rapid radiation position, which can not only reduce the time cost but increase the daily use frequency of a radiological apparatus to facilitate cost recovery. In addition, the human-eye laser positioning is replaced with mechanical precision, allowing the radiation to target the lesion more accurately, thereby reducing the chance of damaging other normal tissues or cells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Regarding the quality assurance specifications of radiotherapy machines, three major parts including radiation safety, machinery, and dose are inspected individually. Among the daily quality assurance items, one of them is localizing laser, which is primarily classified under the category of machine, the purpose is to determine the irradiation location of the radiation, which is then adjusted in coordination with the position of the patient to achieve the important step of precision treatment.

According to the recommendation of the current International Commission on Radiation Unit and Measurements (ICRU), the total dose uncertainty given to a patient must be less than 5%, in addition to the dose, the adjustment of the patient's posture, and the accuracy of the radiation beam, each step must be strictly controlled, and the quality assurance operation is even more important.

The present invention is a method of radiation position, which includes: placing a locking bar member on a proper position of a treatment bed; selecting positions respectively on two sides of the treatment bed to be joined with two ends of the locking bar member; and providing a calibration device, wherein the calibration device is provided with at least one positioning point, so that the bottom part of the calibration device is buckled with at least two positioning elements on the locking bar member; and calculating a horizontal/vertical offset distance between an irradiation point of a radiation and the at least one positioning point of the calibration device to obtain a value, wherein if the value is less than a deviation value, it represents completion of a positioning.

In one embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the radiation is X-ray, photon ray, carbon ion, proton ray or other particle rays.

In another embodiment, a method of radiation positon of the present invention, wherein the radiation is proton ray.

In one embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein any one end of the locking bar member is provided with a fixing member, and the fixing members are joined with one side of the treatment bed to ensure that the locking bar member is not prone to loose.

In another embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein two ends of the locking bar member are respectively provided with fixing members, and the fixing members are joined with two sides of the treatment bed to ensure the locking bar member is not prone to loose.

In one embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the fixing members are joined with the treatment bed in a manner of screw fastening, buckling, or clamping.

In another embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention further includes a tank body for accommodating the calibration device, wherein the bottom part of the tank body is provided with at least two holes, and the holes can be joined with the positioning elements of the locking bar member.

In one embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the positioning elements of the locking bar member are round, square, triangular or in any other shapes.

In a preferred embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the positioning elements are respectively designed in different shapes as desired, so as to prevent the direction of the calibration device from being in an opposite condition.

In one embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the deviation value is 2 mm.

In one preferred embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the deviation value is 1 mm.

In one more preferred embodiment, a method of radiation position of the present invention, wherein the deviation value is 0.5 mm.

The “deviation value” described in the instant specification is the value of the offset distance from the positioning point each time when a positioning is done with radiation and is used to determine whether the radiation is aligned with the positioning point on a detector/sensor when the radiation is irradiated. If the deviation value exceeds a specific value, it is considered that the treatment bed or the radiological apparatus is required to be further readjusted. Therefore, it is the allowable value required for laser positioning in accordance with the quality assurance regulations for radiotherapy machines.

