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US007659528B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: Us 7,659,528 B2
Uematsu (45) Date of Patent: Feb. 9,2010
(54) PARTICLE BEAM IRRADIATION SYSTEM
(75) Inventor: Minoru Uematsu, 651 Yamanouchi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa-ken (JP)
(73) Assignees: Minoru Uematsu, Kamakura-shi (JP);
Masayuki Atsuchi, Kagoshima-shi (JP);
James Robert Wong, Morristown, NJ
(US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 195 days.
(21) Appl.No.: 11/896,090
(22) Filed: Aug. 29, 2007
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2008/0197296 Al Aug. 21,2008
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Feb. 20,2007 (JP) 2007-039359
(51) Int. CI.
H0SG1/02 (2006.01)
A61N 5/00 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 250/493.1; 250/495.1; 600/407;
600/427; 378/20; 378/37; 378/65; 378/197
(58) Field of Classification Search None
See application file for complete search history.
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,726,046 A * 2/1988 Nunan 378/65
5,117,829 A * 6/1992 Miller et al 600/427
5,329,567 A * 7/1994 Ikebe 378/20
5,912,943 A * 6/1999 Deucheretal 378/98.8
6,007,243 A * 12/1999 Ergunetal 378/197
6,094,760 A 8/2000 Nonakaetal.
6,205,347 Bl* 3/2001 Morgan etal 600/407
6,666,579 B2 * 12/2003 Jensen 378/197
7,173,265 B2* 2/2007 Miller et al 250/492.3
A particle beam irradiation system includes a particle beam irradiation apparatus, which is free of a gantry structure, having a particle beam irradiator for irradiating an affected area of a patient with a particle beam, the particle beam irradiator being housed in a chamber, a CT scanner installed in the chamber, for positionally confirming the affected area of the patient, a drive unit for moving the patient from a detection range to an irradiation range, a patient fixing device for fixing the patient in position, the device being mounted on the drive unit for rotation, and a housing unit having a structure housing the drive unit with the patient fixing device mounted and the CT scanner, the housing unit being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to a plane including a direction in which the particle beam is applied and a direction in which the drive unit moves.
13 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
