A particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator to output a particle beam; and a scanning system for the particle accelerator to scan the particle beam across at least part of an irradiation target. The scanning system is configured to scan the particle beam in two dimensions that are at an angle relative to a direction of the particle beam. A structure defines an edge. The structure is controllable to move in the two dimensions relative to the irradiation target such that at least part of the structure is between at least part of the particle beam and the irradiation target. The structure includes a material that inhibits transmission of the particle beam.

Ions are released over time from an ion source into a beam area proximate a central axis. A radiofrequency (RF) system with a variable frequency and variable voltage accelerates the ions in orbiting trajectories expanding outward from the central axis. The ions are accelerated to different extraction energy levels within a given design range at a shared extraction radius from the central axis. An RF-frequency versus ion-time-of-flight scenario is set such that the frequency versus time scenario is the same for any ion extraction energy from the given design range, and a constant-or-variable-RF-voltage versus ion-time-of-flight scenario is adjusted to provide ion acceleration from injection to extraction for ions with different respective extraction energy levels within the given design range; and the ions are extracted at the different energy levels at the shared extraction radius.

Ions are released over time from an ion source into a beam area proximate a central axis. A radiofrequency (RF) system with a variable frequency and variable voltage accelerates the ions in orbiting trajectories expanding outward from the central axis. The ions are accelerated to different extraction energy levels within a given design range at a shared extraction radius from the central axis. An RF-frequency versus ion-time-of-flight scenario is set such that the frequency versus time scenario is the same for any ion extraction energy from the given design range, and a constant-or-variable-RF-voltage versus ion-time-of-flight scenario is adjusted to provide ion acceleration from injection to extraction for ions with different respective extraction energy levels within the given design range; and the ions are extracted at the different energy levels at the shared extraction radius.

An example method includes: receiving, from a treatment planning process, information that is based on a dose distribution for an irradiation target; and performing at least one of the following operations: moving structures to trim spots of a particle beam so that the spots of the particle beam approximate pre-trimmed spots for which characteristics are obtained based on the information received; moving structures to produce a trimming curve for a layer of an irradiation target based on a specification of a trimming curve for the layer included in the information received; moving structures to produce a single trimming curve for all radiation fields of an irradiation target based on specifications of the single trimming curve included in the information received; or moving structures based on configuration information for the structures in the information received.

An example method includes: receiving, from a treatment planning process, information that is based on a dose distribution for an irradiation target; and performing at least one of the following operations: moving structures to trim spots of a particle beam so that the spots of the particle beam approximate pre-trimmed spots for which characteristics are obtained based on the information received; moving structures to produce a trimming curve for a layer of an irradiation target based on a specification of a trimming curve for the layer included in the information received; moving structures to produce a single trimming curve for all radiation fields of an irradiation target based on specifications of the single trimming curve included in the information received; or moving structures based on configuration information for the structures in the information received.

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and system for controlling the extraction of ion beam pulses produced by a synchrocyclotron. The synchrocyclotron comprises electrodes configured to be placed in a magnetic field. An alternating voltage is applied between the electrodes, and the frequency of the alternating voltage is modulated in a cyclic manner. In other embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of starting an acceleration cycle of the synchrocyclotron, generating a reference signal when the modulated frequency reaches a predefined value, communicating the time, at which the reference signal is generated, to the beam control elements, assessing one or more status parameters of the one or more beam control elements, and cancelling or proceeding with the extraction of the beam pulse depending on the results of the assessment.

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and system for controlling the extraction of ion beam pulses produced by a synchrocyclotron. The synchrocyclotron comprises electrodes configured to be placed in a magnetic field. An alternating voltage is applied between the electrodes, and the frequency of the alternating voltage is modulated in a cyclic manner. In other embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of starting an acceleration cycle of the synchrocyclotron, generating a reference signal when the modulated frequency reaches a predefined value, communicating the time, at which the reference signal is generated, to the beam control elements, assessing one or more status parameters of the one or more beam control elements, and cancelling or proceeding with the extraction of the beam pulse depending on the results of the assessment.

A system includes a patient support and an outer gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient. An inner gantry includes an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam towards the target.

A system includes a patient support and an outer gantry on which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support. The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient. An inner gantry includes an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam towards the target.

An example particle therapy system includes: a synchrocyclotron to output a particle beam; a magnet to affect a direction of the particle beam to scan the particle beam across at least part of an irradiation target; scattering material that is configurable to change a spot size of the particle beam, where the scattering material is down-beam of the magnet relative to the synchrocyclotron; and a degrader to change an energy of the beam prior to output of the particle beam to the irradiation target, where the degrader is down-beam of the scattering material relative to the synchrocyclotron.