Dynamic energy control of a charged particle imaging/treatment apparatus and method of use thereof
First Claim
1. A method for treating a tumor of a patient with positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
- loading a synchrotron of a charged particle cancer therapy system with the positively charged particles using a loading system;
using an accelerator of said synchrotron to accelerate the positively charged particles in a circulation beam path of said synchrotron;
removing a first set of the positively charged particles, from said synchrotron, at a first energy using a beam extraction system;
treating the tumor using the first set of positively charged particles;
providing a beam energy adjustment system, comprising;
a first gap axially crossing said circulation beam path; and
a first radio-frequency controller;
applying a potential difference across the first gap, using said first radio-frequency controller, at an applied radio-frequency using said beam energy adjustment system;
timing the applied radio-frequency and the potential difference to alter a remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles in said circulation beam path from the first energy to a second energy;
subsequent to said step of removing, extracting a portion of the remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles, from said synchrotron, at the second energy prior to reloading said synchrotron using said loading system; and
treating the tumor using the portion of the remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles.
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Abstract
The invention comprises a beam adjustment method and apparatus used to perform energy adjustments on circulating charged particles in a synchrotron previously accelerated to a starting energy with a traditional accelerator of the synchrotron. The beam adjustment system uses a radio-frequency modulated potential difference applied along a longitudinal path of the circulating charged particles to accelerate or decelerate the circulating charged particles. Optionally, the beam adjustment system phase shifts the applied radio-frequency field to accelerate or decelerate the circulating charged particles while tightening spatial distribution of a grouped bunch of the circulating charged particles. Optionally, the beam adjustment system simultaneously radially focuses the circulating charged particles using two or more gaps with focusing and/or defocusing edges. The beam adjustment system facilitates treating multiple layers or depths of the tumor without hysteresis and/or between the repeating slow steps of reloading the synchrotron.
384 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for treating a tumor of a patient with positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
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loading a synchrotron of a charged particle cancer therapy system with the positively charged particles using a loading system; using an accelerator of said synchrotron to accelerate the positively charged particles in a circulation beam path of said synchrotron; removing a first set of the positively charged particles, from said synchrotron, at a first energy using a beam extraction system; treating the tumor using the first set of positively charged particles; providing a beam energy adjustment system, comprising; a first gap axially crossing said circulation beam path; and a first radio-frequency controller; applying a potential difference across the first gap, using said first radio-frequency controller, at an applied radio-frequency using said beam energy adjustment system; timing the applied radio-frequency and the potential difference to alter a remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles in said circulation beam path from the first energy to a second energy; subsequent to said step of removing, extracting a portion of the remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles, from said synchrotron, at the second energy prior to reloading said synchrotron using said loading system; and treating the tumor using the portion of the remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for treatment of a tumor of a patient with positively charged particles, comprising:
a charged particle cancer therapy system, comprising; an accelerator comprising a circulation beam path; a loading system configured to load said accelerator with the positively charged particles, said accelerator configured to accelerate the positively charge particles; a beam energy adjustment system, comprising; a first gap axially crossing the circulation beam path; and a first radio-frequency controller configured to repeatedly apply at least one potential difference at at least one radio-frequency, the at least one potential difference and the at least one radio-frequency timed to alter a remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles from the first energy to a second energy; and a beam extraction system configured to;
(1) remove from said accelerator a first set of the positively charged particles at the first energy for treatment of the tumor and (2) prior to reloading said accelerator using said loading system, subsequently extract from said accelerator a portion of the remaining grouped bunch of the positively charged particles at the second energy for treatment of the tumor.- View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
Specification