A method for collision detection of a radiotherapy equipment includes determining a collision-prone position of a target to be detected; and determining whether the target to be detected having a risk of collision with the radiotherapy equipment according to collision risk analysis data that is capable for reflecting a magnitude relationship between a first distance and a second distance. The first distance is a distance from the collision-prone position to a reference position of the radiotherapy equipment, and the second distance is a minimum distance between a target component of the radiotherapy equipment and the reference position. A distance between the reference position and the target component of the radiotherapy equipment is relatively constant when the target component of the radiotherapy equipment rotates around a rotation axis.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a tumor of a patient with positively charged particles, comprising the steps of: (1) transporting the positively charged particles sequentially from an accelerator, through a beam transport line, through a nozzle, and toward a position of the tumor; (2) treating the tumor with first particles, of the positively charged particles, where at least fifty percent of the first particles pass through a patient position, from the nozzle, to a post-patient position; and (3) detecting a beam position of the first particles in the post-patient position with a detector. The flash treatment preferably delivers the first particles at a rate exceeding one MHz.

A system proton treatment system including a proton accelerator structured to generate a proton beam, a plurality of beamline pathways configured to direct the proton beam from the proton accelerator to a corresponding plurality of treatment rooms, a rotatable bending magnet located between the proton accelerator and the plurality of treatment rooms, the rotatable bending magnet being structured to selectively rotate between multiple treatment rooms, and an upright patient positioning mechanism disposed in each of the treatment rooms, the upright patient positioning mechanism being structured to support a patient within a particular treatment room and to rotate the patient between a fixed imaging source and imaging panel.

Methods of immobilizing the head of a patient include heating a thermoplastic mask preform to a formable temperature, forming the thermoplastic mask over at least a mouth of the patient, and pushing a mouth receiving end of a bite piece into a portion of the thermoplastic mask preform that is positioned over the mouth of the patient, which moves the portion of the thermoplastic mask preform into the mouth of the patient. The methods also include allowing the thermoplastic mask preform to cool from the formable temperature, causing the portion of the thermoplastic mask moved into the mouth of the patient to harden.

Systems for immobilizing a patient are disclosed. The system includes at least one preform formed from a low melting temperature thermoplastic, the preform being configured to be formed to the anatomy of the patient, at least one frame coupled to the at least one preform, and at least one support configured to support the anatomy of the patient. The system also includes at least one lock mechanism coupled to at least one of the frame and the support and configured to couple the at least one frame to the at least one support, and at least one adjuster mechanism coupled to at least one of the at least one frame and the at least one support and configured to selectively adjust a distance between the at least one frame and the at least one support while the at least one frame is coupled to the at least one support.

A method for forming a preform for a thermoplastic retention device is provided. The method includes providing a thermoplastic base material and blending the base material with one or more chemical agents to form a polymer blend. The chemical agents are configured to modify a polymer chain of the base material when the polymer blend is exposed to radiation. The method further includes forming the polymer blend into a filament sized for a three-dimensional printing platform and printing a preform shape from the filament using the three-dimensional printing platform. After the printed preform is hardened, the method includes exposing the printed preform shape to radiation sufficient to cause a reaction between the one or more chemical agents and the base material.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to decrease acute and late skin toxicity for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. This invention will enable better breast positioning during therapy, eliminating skin folds and reducing the skin dose below that required for development of moist desquamation. The present invention has the potential to reduce the volume of normal tissue and organs at risk of being irradiated during a course of whole breast radiation therapy.

The present invention relates to a head immobilization system for immobilizing a patient's head in a supine position of the patient, the system comprising: a support rail structure adapted to be coupled to a patient rest and extending at least on both lateral sides of the patient's head, a mask frame adapted to be coupled to at least one deformable upper mask sheet, wherein the mask frame is releasably connected to the support rail structure via a first interface section and a second interface section, with at least two pins protruding from the first interface section in a first direction, and at least two pin-receptions provided at the second interface section, wherein each one of the pin-receptions receives one of the pins, and a catch-mechanism for each pin-reception and each corresponding pin, which allows the pin to be pushed further into the pin-reception in the first direction, but which interlocks in case of an attempted withdrawal of the pin from the pin-reception in a second, opposite direction.

Apparatus and methods for providing three-dimensional printed oral stents are provided for head and neck radiotherapy. Movement of the jaw of the patient is simulated via a computer processor. Simulating movement of the jaw of the patient comprises rotating and translating a mandible of the jaw. A digital negative impression is transformed into a digital oral stent by adding support structures to the digital negative impression. The support structures facilitate three-dimensional (3D) printing of the patient-specific oral stent.

A proton cyclotron is provided for dedicated use in head, neck and eye cancers, tumors or other medical conditions including pediatric and other cancers or medical conditions. The method of using a proton cyclotron for treating a tumor, cancer or medical condition of a patient includes positioning the patient on a support platform, such as on a patient table or in a robotic chair, and irradiating the tumor, cancer or other medical condition using a proton particle beam from the cyclotron for a predetermined time sufficient to treat the tumor, cancer or medical condition, wherein the proton particle beam produced by the cyclotron has an energy in a range of 70 MeV to 150 MeV and has a beam current in an amount suitable for radiation therapy, as can include a variable range of beam current for the radiation therapy.