Disclosed herein is a method of determining the nature of a fault in a radiotherapy device comprising a linear accelerator. The radiotherapy device is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising an electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation, and a flight tube. The electron gun is located at a first end of the vacuum tube and the flight tube is located at a second end of the vacuum tube. The radiotherapy device further comprises a first and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a first region inside the vacuum tube and the second sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a second region inside the vacuum tube. The first region is closer to the first end of the vacuum tube than the second region is. The method comprises processing a first value derived from signals from the first sensor and a second value derived from signals from the second sensor. The first value is indicative of pressure at the first region inside the vacuum tube, and the second value is indicative of pressure at the second region inside the vacuum tube. Processing the first and second value comprises comparing the first value with a first threshold and comparing the second value with a second threshold; and, based on the processing of the signals, determining that the nature of the fault is associated with the flight tube.

Disclosed herein is a method of determining the nature of a fault in a radiotherapy device comprising a linear accelerator. The radiotherapy device is configured to provide therapeutic radiation to a patient. The radiotherapy device comprises a vacuum tube comprising an electron gun, a waveguide configured to accelerate electrons emitted by the electron gun toward a target to produce said radiation, and a flight tube. The electron gun is located at a first end of the vacuum tube and the flight tube is located at a second end of the vacuum tube. The radiotherapy device further comprises a first and a second sensor. The first sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a first region inside the vacuum tube and the second sensor is configured to provide signals indicative of pressure at a second region inside the vacuum tube. The first region is closer to the first end of the vacuum tube than the second region is. The method comprises processing a first value derived from signals from the first sensor and a second value derived from signals from the second sensor. The first value is indicative of pressure at the first region inside the vacuum tube, and the second value is indicative of pressure at the second region inside the vacuum tube. Processing the first and second value comprises comparing the first value with a first threshold and comparing the second value with a second threshold; and, based on the processing of the signals, determining that the nature of the fault is associated with the flight tube.

A device for concentrating ionizing radiation fluence is disclosed having a coupling structure linking the external radiotherapy device with linear accelerator to an external structure, whose central axis is hollow with an input window through which electrons enter attaching to the rotation device; a rotation system linking the coupling structure with a coupling flange rotating an inner structure; a deflection system in the inner structure, wherein the deflection system has first and second magnetic deflection devices; a system for controlling the focal point, which is in the electron deflection system, having an electronic control system controlling a set of motors that produce coordinated movements of the second magnetic deflection device, a correction element and a collimator, which change the position of the focal point; and at least two laser diodes on the edge of the collimator (25) pointing towards the focal point determining the position of the electron beam generated.

A time-of-fight measurement system for measuring energy of a pulsed hadron beam, wherein each pulse of the beam is structured into a series of bunches of charged particles, said bunches being repeated according to a repetition rate of the order of magnitude of radiofrequency. The system comprises a first detector, a second detector and a third detector arranged along a beam path, each of the detectors being configured to detect the passage of a bunch of charged particles and provide an output signal dependent on phase of the detected bunch, wherein the second detector is spaced apart from the first detector by a first distance and wherein the third detector is spaced apart from the second detector by a second distance, wherein the first distance is set out in such a way as that time of flight of the bunch from the first detector to the second detector is approximately equal to, or lower than a repetition period of the bunches, and wherein the second distance is set out in such a way as that time of flight of the bunch from the second detector to the third detector is greater than a multiple of the repetition period of the bunches, and a processing unit configured to a) calculate phase shifts between the output signals of the detectors, and b) calculate energy of the pulse based on the calculated phase shifts.

A particle accelerator can include a first waveguide portion and a second waveguide portion. The first waveguide portion can include a first plurality of cell portions and a first iris portion that is disposed between two of the first plurality of cell portions. The first iris portion can include a first portion of an aperture such that the aperture is configured to be disposed about a beam axis. The first waveguide portion can further include a first bonding surface. The second waveguide portion can include a second plurality of cell portions and a second iris portion that is disposed between two of the second plurality of cell portions. The second iris portion can include a second portion of the aperture. The second waveguide portion can include a second bonding surface.

A linear accelerator comprises a plurality of cyclotrons arranged axially in a cyclotron stack, each cyclotron having a set of dees and a central aperture passing through the set of dees. Each central aperture is axially aligned with one another in the stack, forming a central channel having an inlet and an outlet that passes through the stack. Magnets are positioned so as to generate a magnetic field perpendicular to the set of dees. A power supply applies an oscillating voltage to each set of dees of the stack. In operation, subatomic particles are ejected radially outwardly of the stack, creating a dead zone within the central channel that is void of particles and electromagnetic fields. A mass or light beam is accelerated as it passes through the central channel's dead zone, due to the absence of frictional forces acting on the mass or light within the dead zone.

A linear accelerator comprises a plurality of cyclotrons arranged axially in a cyclotron stack, each cyclotron having a set of dees and a central aperture passing through the set of dees. Each central aperture is axially aligned with one another in the stack, forming a central channel having an inlet and an outlet that passes through the stack. Magnets are positioned so as to generate a magnetic field perpendicular to the set of dees. A power supply applies an oscillating voltage to each set of dees of the stack. In operation, subatomic particles are ejected radially outwardly of the stack, creating a dead zone within the central channel that is void of particles and electromagnetic fields. A mass or light beam is accelerated as it passes through the central channel's dead zone, due to the absence of frictional forces acting on the mass or light within the dead zone.

A system to determine the isocenter of a LINAC includes apparatus and processes to determine the axis of rotation for the collimator, the gantry and the patient couch. The system and apparatus enable the tracking of the translation-rotation of mechanical components attached to the LINAC to compute the axis of rotation of Gantry, Collimator and Table. Based on the data collected related to these axis's the LINAC isocenter is determined. The apparatus utilized in the system includes a single emitter module, a signal receiver module, a positioning module. The system also includes a isocenter target module and a gravity module to determine a gravity vector for the LINAC

The invention relates to a drum assembly for a linear accelerator, the drum assembly comprising a drum having a front face including a front rim and a rear face including a rear rim, one or more support wheels supporting the drum, an arm extending from the front face of the drum and including a beam collimator through which a beam of radiation is emitted to form a radiation isocentre. One or more rear rim members are associated with the rear rim, the rear rim members adapted to substantially offset isocentre distortion due to unintended movement of the drum assembly. The invention also relates to variants thereto and combinations thereof.

An electromagnetic accelerator system may include a barrel defining a bore through which an acceleration path extends. An electromagnetic coil may be positioned around the barrel such that the acceleration path extends through a core of the electromagnetic coil. A first electrical contact may be positioned along the acceleration path approximately within the core of the electromagnetic coil and electrically coupled to the electromagnetic coil. A second electrical contact may position along the acceleration path approximately within the core of the electromagnetic coil and spaced apart from the first electrical contact. The second electrical contact may be electrically coupleable to the first electrical contact to complete a circuit when a projectile to be accelerated is positioned therebetween.