# US 2017/0281981 A1 · Radiation therapy systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0281981 A1 - Document ID: US20170281981A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/089,330 - Filed: 2016-04-01 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01 - Assignees: Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Stanely MANSFIELD - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281981A1 ## CPC - A61N 5/1077: {Beam delivery systems} - A61N 5/1043: {Scanning the radiation beam, e.g. spot scanning or raster scanning} - A61N 5/1049: {for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam} - A61N 5/1067: {in real time, i.e. during treatment} - A61N 2005/1087: {Ions; Protons} - A61N 2005/1095: {Elements inserted into the radiation path within the system, e.g. filters or wedges} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A radiation therapy system includes an accelerator and beam transport system that generates a beam of particles. The accelerator and beam transport system guides the beam on a path and into a nozzle that can aim the beam toward an object. The nozzle includes a beam energy adjuster that can adjust the beam by, for example, placing different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam to affect the energies of the particles in the beam to deliver a dose to the object with a Spread Out Bragg Peak. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-7. (canceled) ### Claim 8 A radiation therapy system, comprising: an accelerator that accelerates particles in a beam; a nozzle that receives the beam of particles downstream of the accelerator, the nozzle configured to affect energies of the particles in the beam to create a first adjusted beam that delivers a first dose with a first Spread Out Bragg Peak (SOBP) along a first target line segment in a target volume and to create a second adjusted beam that delivers a second dose with a second SOBP along a second target line segment in the target volume, wherein the second target line segment is displaced from the first target line segment; and a focusing magnet along the path of the beam that adjusts the energies of the particles in the beam to vary sizes of spots where the beam intersects a layer of the target volume. ### Claim 9 (canceled) ### Claim 10 (depends on 14) The radiation therapy system of claim 14, wherein the range modulator comprises a plurality of arms extending from a hub, the arms having non-uniform thicknesses, wherein the range modulator is operable to rotate about the hub allowing the beam to pass through at least one of the arms. ### Claim 11 (depends on 14) The radiation therapy system of claim 14, wherein the range modulator is configured to move in a first direction between a position that is completely out of the path of the beam and a position that is in the path of the beam. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The radiation therapy system of claim 11, wherein the first direction is transverse to the path of the beam, wherein further the range modulator is also configured to move in a second direction different from the first direction and transverse to the path of the beam. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The radiation therapy system of claim 8, wherein the nozzle comprises: a scanning magnet; and a range shifter configured to place different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam to affect the distance that the particles penetrate into the target volume during delivery of the first dose and during delivery of the second dose, to position the first SOBP within the target volume and to position the second SOBP within the target volume. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The radiation therapy system of claim 13, wherein the nozzle further comprises a range modulator that is configured to place different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam to change the energies of at least a portion of the particles during delivery of the first dose and during delivery of the second dose, to achieve the first SOBP and to achieve the second SOBP. ### Claim 15 A radiation therapy method, comprising: receiving a beam of particles; steering the beam along a path using a plurality of magnets in a nozzle; and placing different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam in the nozzle to affect energies of particles in the beam and create an adjusted beam that delivers a dose with a Spread Out Bragg Peak along a target line segment in a target volume, wherein the dose delivered along the target line segment is at least four grays and is delivered in less than one second. ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said placing comprises: moving a range modulator in the nozzle in a first direction between a position that is completely out of the path of the beam and a position in the nozzle that is in the path of the beam, wherein the range modulator comprises a plurality of arms extending from a hub, the arms having non-uniform thicknesses; and with the range modulator in the path of the beam, rotating the range modulator about the hub to place at least one of the arms in the path of the beam, wherein the energies of the particles is varied according to the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beam, and wherein the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beams is varied by moving the range modulator back-and-forth in the first direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the first direction is transverse to the path of the beam, wherein the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beams is also varied by moving the range modulator in a second direction different from the first direction and transverse to the path of the beam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising synchronizing movement of the range modulator with a source of the beam to compensate for variations in the beam of particles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising varying the distance that the particles penetrate into a target volume with a range shifter that is in the nozzle and is configured to place the different thicknesses of the material in the path of the beam. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said placing comprises moving components of a range shifter in the path of the beam in the nozzle to present the different thicknesses of the material to the beam. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: tracking motion of the target volume; and delivering the dose along the target line segment to coincide with a position of the target volume, wherein the dose is delivered in a period of time short enough to counter uncertainties in the position due to the motion of the target volume. ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (depends on 8) The radiation therapy system of claim 8, wherein the nozzle comprises: a scanning magnet; and a range shifter configured to place different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam to change the energies of at least a portion of the particles during delivery of the first dose and during delivery of the second dose, to achieve the first SOBP and to achieve the second SOBP. ### Claim 25 (depends on 8) The radiation therapy system of claim 8, wherein the first dose is at least four grays and is delivered in less than one second, and wherein the second dose is at least four grays and is delivered in less than one second. ### Claim at position 20 26-34. (canceled) ### Claim 35 A radiation therapy method, comprising: receiving a beam of particles; steering the beam along a path using a plurality of magnets in a nozzle; and placing different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam in the nozzle to affect energies of particles in the beam and create an adjusted beam that delivers a dose with a Spread Out Bragg Peak along a target line segment in a target volume; wherein said placing comprises: moving a range modulator in the nozzle in a first direction between a position that is completely out of the path of the beam and a position in the nozzle that is in the path of the beam, wherein the range modulator comprises a plurality of arms extending from a hub, the arms having non-uniform thicknesses; and with the range modulator in the path of the beam, rotating the range modulator about the hub to place at least one of the arms in the path of the beam, wherein the energies of the particles is varied according to the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beam, and wherein the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beams is varied by moving the range modulator back-and-forth in the first direction. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the dose delivered along the target line segment is at least four grays and is delivered in less than one second. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the first direction is transverse to the path of the beam, wherein the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beams is also varied by moving the range modulator in a second direction different from the first direction and transverse to the path of the beam. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, further comprising synchronizing movement of the range modulator with a source of the beam to compensate for variations in the beam of particles. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, further comprising varying the distance that the particles penetrate into the target volume with a range shifter that is in the nozzle and is configured to place the different thicknesses of the material in the path of the beam. ### Claim 40 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein said placing comprises moving components of a range shifter in the path of the beam in the nozzle to present the different thicknesses of the material to the beam. ### Claim 41 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, further comprising: tracking motion of the target volume; and delivering the dose along the target line segment to coincide with a position of the target volume, wherein the dose is delivered in a period of time short enough to counter uncertainties in the position due to the motion of the target volume. ### Claim 42 A radiation therapy method, comprising: receiving a beam of particles; steering the beam along a path using a plurality of magnets in a nozzle; placing different thicknesses of material in the path of the beam in the nozzle to affect energies of particles in the beam and create an adjusted beam that delivers a dose with a Spread Out Bragg Peak along a target line segment in a target volume; tracking motion of the target volume; and delivering the dose along the target line segment to coincide with a position of the target volume, wherein the dose is delivered in a period of time short enough to counter uncertainties in the position due to the motion of the target volume. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein the dose delivered along the target line segment is at least four grays and is delivered in less than one second. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein said placing comprises: moving a range modulator in the nozzle in a first direction between a position that is completely out of the path of the beam and a position in the nozzle that is in the path of the beam, wherein the range modulator comprises a plurality of arms extending from a hub, the arms having non-uniform thicknesses; and with the range modulator in the path of the beam, rotating the range modulator about the hub to place at least one of the arms in the path of the beam, wherein the energies of the particles is varied according to the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beam, and wherein the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beams is varied by moving the range modulator back-and-forth in the first direction. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, wherein the first direction is transverse to the path of the beam, wherein the thicknesses of the arms that pass through the beams is also varied by moving the range modulator in a second direction different from the first direction and transverse to the path of the beam. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, further comprising synchronizing movement of the range modulator with a source of the beam to compensate for variations in the beam of particles. ### Claim 47 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, further comprising varying the distance that the particles penetrate into a target volume with a range shifter that is in the nozzle and is configured to place the different thicknesses of the material in the path of the beam. ### Claim 48 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein said placing comprises moving components of a range shifter in the path of the beam in the nozzle to present the different thicknesses of the material to the beam.