Gantry image guided radiotherapy system and related treatment delivery methods

A radiation treatment apparatus, comprising:

• a non-movable gantry frame;
• a rotatable gantry structure rotatably coupled to said non-movable gantry frame, said rotatable gantry structure being rotatable around a rotation axis passing through an isocenter;
• said rotatable gantry structure comprising a first beam member extending between first and second ends of said rotatable gantry structure;
• a radiation treatment head movably mounted to said first beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the radiation treatment head along said first beam member between said first and second ends, and (ii) pivoting of the radiation treatment head relative to said first beam member around at least one pivot axis, wherein non-coplanar radiation treatment of a tissue volume positioned near or around said isocenter is achievable;
• and
• an imaging system comprising an imaging source and an imaging detector, wherein said imaging source and imaging detector are fixably mounted on said non-movable gantry frame at opposing positions relative to said isocenter, wherein the imaging source and imaging detector are positioned in fixed, non-movable positions relative to the non-movable gantry frame.

A radiation treatment apparatus, comprising:

• a gantry frame;
• a rotatable gantry structure rotatably coupled to said gantry frame, said rotatable gantry structure being rotatable around a rotation axis passing through an isocenter;
• said rotatable gantry structure including a first beam member extending between first and second ends of said rotatable gantry structure;
• a radiation treatment head movably mounted to said first beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the radiation treatment head along said first beam member between said first and second ends, and (ii) pivoting of the radiation treatment head relative to said first beam member around at least one pivot axis, wherein non-coplanar radiation treatment of a tissue volume positioned near or around said isocenter is achievable;
• said rotatable gantry structure further including second and third beam members distal from said rotation axis and extending between said first and second ends, said second and third beam members being disposed on opposing sides of said rotation axis;
• said radiation treatment apparatus further comprising an imaging system comprising an imaging source mounted on said second beam member and an imaging detector mounted on said third beam member, wherein said imaging source is movably mounted to said second beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the imaging source along said second beam member, and (ii) pivoting of the imaging source relative to said second beam member around at least one additional pivot axis.

A radiation treatment apparatus, comprising:

• a gantry frame;
• a first rotatable gantry structure rotatably coupled to said gantry frame, said first rotatable gantry structure being rotatable around a rotation axis passing through an isocenter;
• said first rotatable gantry structure comprising a first beam member extending between first and second ends of said first rotatable gantry structure;
• a radiation treatment head movably mounted to said first beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the radiation treatment head along said first beam member between said first and second ends, and (ii) pivoting of the radiation treatment head relative to said first beam member around at least one pivot axis, wherein non-coplanar radiation treatment of a tissue volume positioned near or around said isocenter is achievable;
• a second rotatable gantry structure rotatably coupled to said gantry frame, said second rotatable gantry structure being rotatable around said rotation axis concentrically with, and independently of, said first rotatable gantry structure;
• a second rotatable gantry structure comprising second and third beam members each distal from said rotation axis and extending between opposing ends thereof, said second and third beam members being disposed on opposing sides of said rotation axis;
• and
• an imaging system comprising an imaging source positioned on said second beam member and an imaging detector positioned on said third beam member, wherein said imaging source is movably mounted to said second beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the imaging source along said second beam member, and (ii) pivoting of the imaging source relative to said second beam member around at least one additional pivot axis.

A method for image guided radiation treatment (IGRT), comprising:

• rotating a rotatable gantry structure that is rotatably coupled to a gantry frame, the rotatable gantry structure being rotatable around a rotation axis passing through an isocenter of an IGRT apparatus, the rotatable gantry structure comprising a first beam member extending between the first and second ends of the rotatable gantry structure, a transverse isocentric plane being defined that passes through the isocenter in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis;
• moving a radiation treatment head that is movably mounted to the first beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the radiation treatment head along the first beam member between the first and second ends, and (ii) gimballing of the radiation treatment head relative to said first beam member, said gimballing being characterized by pivotable movement in at least two independent pivot directions defined with respect to the first beam member;
• pivoting the radiation treatment head in each of said at least two independent pivot direction to direct treatment radiation toward selected locations of the body part;
• imaging a body part in close proximity to the isocenter of the IGRT apparatus using an imaging system comprising an imaging source mounted on a second beam member and an imaging detector mounted on a third beam member, the second and third beam members being distal from said rotation axis and being mounted to at least one of the rotatable gantry structure or an additional rotatable gantry structure rotatably coupled to said gantry frame, the imaging source being translatable along the second beam member between the first and second ends, and the imaging detector being translatable along the third beam member between the first and second ends;
• and
• applying non-coplanar radiation treatment to the body during a treatment fraction.