Fluid transfer for radiation treatment apparatus
View Patent ↗Techniques and systems for supplying fluid to a rotating gantry portion of a radiation treatment apparatus are disclosed where a first batch fluid is supplied to the rotating gantry when the rotating gantry is stationary a first time, discontinuing the supply when the rotating gantry is rotating, and supplying a second batch of fluid when the rotating gantry is stationary a second time. A storage component on the rotating gantry allows supplied fluid to be stored in the rotating gantry and used to shape a radiation beam and/or cool an ionizing radiation source, for example, while the rotating gantry is rotating. The techniques and systems may also be utilized to discharge a first fluid from the rotating gantry and supply a second fluid to replace the first fluid.
1. A radiation treatment apparatus comprising:
a stationary gantry portion;
a rotating gantry portion configured to rotate relative to the stationary gantry portion, wherein the rotating gantry portion is configured to receive a supply of fluid during a period in which the rotating gantry portion is stationary relative to the stationary gantry portion and to discontinue receiving the supply of fluid during a second period in which the rotating gantry portion is rotating relative to the stationary gantry portion;
an ionizing radiation source carried by the rotating gantry portion; and
a beam shaper configured to use the supply of fluid to vary a shape of a radiation beam emitted by the ionizing radiation source.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotating gantry portion is configured to receive the supply of fluid from the stationary gantry portion.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beam shaper is configured to use the supply of fluid to vary the shape of the radiation beam during the second period.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supply of fluid comprises a supply of compressed gas and the beam shaper comprises a pneumatic actuator configured to use the compressed gas.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotating gantry portion comprises a storage component configured to store the supply of fluid received during the period.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the storage component is detachable from the rotating gantry portion.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the storage component is detached from the rotating gantry portion to receive the supply of fluid during the period.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the storage component comprises a detection component configured to detect when the supply of fluid is below some threshold.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a coupler configured to couple the rotating gantry portion to the stationary gantry portion during the period to facilitate receiving the supply of fluid.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the coupler is configured to automatically decouple the rotating gantry portion from the stationary gantry portion prior to the second period.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the coupler is a quick-connect coupler.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotating gantry portion is configured to be placed in a parked position relative to the stationary gantry portion prior to the period.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the beam shaper is carried by the rotating gantry portion.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling component carried by the rotating gantry portion and configured to cool a second supply of fluid.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , the rotating gantry portion comprising a storage component configured to store the second supply of fluid.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second supply of fluid is used to cool the ionizing radiation source.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a patient support configured to support a human patient in a treatment region during the second period.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supply of fluid is stored in a canister that is exchanged between the stationary gantry portion and the rotating gantry portion during the period.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supply of fluid comprises a supply of gas.
20. A radiation treatment apparatus comprising:
a stationary gantry portion;
a rotating gantry portion configured to rotate relative to the stationary gantry portion and comprising:
a storage component configured to receive a supply of fluid during a period in which the rotating gantry portion is stationary relative to the stationary gantry portion and to discharge at least a portion of the supply of fluid during a second period in which the rotating gantry portion is rotating relative to the stationary gantry portion;
an ionizing radiation source carried by the rotating gantry portion; and
a beam shaper carried by the rotating gantry portion and configured to use the at least a portion of the supply of fluid to vary a shape of a radiation beam emitted by the ionizing radiation source.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the storage component is detachable from the rotating gantry portion during the period.
22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the stationary gantry portion comprises a retractable mechanism configured to detach the storage component from the rotating gantry portion during the period to facilitate receiving the supply of fluid.
23. The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising a cooling component carried by the rotating gantry portion and configured to cool a second supply of fluid used to cool the ionizing radiation source.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the rotating gantry portion comprises a second storage component configured to receive the second supply of fluid during the period.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the supply of fluid comprises a supply of gas and the second supply of fluid comprising a supply of a liquid.
26. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the beam shaper comprises a pneumatic actuator.
27. A method, comprising:
transferring a supply of fluid from a stationary gantry portion to a rotating gantry portion during a period in which the rotating gantry portion is stationary relative to the stationary gantry portion;
discontinuing the supply of fluid to the rotating gantry portion in preparation for rotation of the rotating gantry portion relative to the stationary gantry portion; and
using the supply of fluid to vary a shape of a radiation beam emitted by an ionizing radiation source during a second period in which the supply of fluid to the rotating gantry portion is discontinued.
28. The method claim 27 , wherein the rotating gantry portion is rotated relative to the stationary gantry portion during the second period.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the transferring comprises:
transferring a storage component comprising the supply of fluid from the stationary gantry portion to the rotating gantry portion during the period.
30. The method of claim 27 , further comprising exposing an object to the radiation beam to treat the object.
31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the transferring comprises:
coupling a supply line configured to supply the fluid between the stationary gantry portion and the rotating gantry portion.