An irradiation method and system for irradiating a target volume, the method comprising: providing thermal neutron absorbing nuclides (such as in the form of a high neutron cross-section agent) at the target volume; and producing neutrons by irradiating nuclei in or adjacent to the target volume with a beam of particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons and heavy ions, thereby prompting production of the neutrons through non-elastic collisions between the atoms in the path of the beam (including the target) and the particles. The neutron absorbing nuclides absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the target volume.

An irradiation method and system for irradiating a target volume, the method comprising: providing thermal neutron absorbing nuclides (such as in the form of a high neutron cross-section agent) at the target volume; and producing neutrons by irradiating nuclei in or adjacent to the target volume with a beam of particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons and heavy ions, thereby prompting production of the neutrons through non-elastic collisions between the atoms in the path of the beam (including the target) and the particles. The neutron absorbing nuclides absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the target volume.

To enable avoiding interference between a path of a separated charged particle beam and an electromagnet as well as providing a sufficient separation distance between: a path of a separated charged particle beam; and a path of a charged particle beam traveling in a main region. A quadrupole electromagnet includes: an iron core provided with a beam passing gap for travel of an output beam that is a separated charged particle beam, in addition to a main region for travel of a circulating beam that is a charged particle beam; excitation coils, and each wound around the iron core; a main vacuum duct, provided in a main region of the iron core, inside which the circulating beam travels; and a sub-vacuum duct, provided in the beam passing gap of the iron core, inside which the output beam travels.

To enable avoiding interference between a path of a separated charged particle beam and an electromagnet as well as providing a sufficient separation distance between: a path of a separated charged particle beam; and a path of a charged particle beam traveling in a main region. A quadrupole electromagnet includes: an iron core provided with a beam passing gap for travel of an output beam that is a separated charged particle beam, in addition to a main region for travel of a circulating beam that is a charged particle beam; excitation coils, and each wound around the iron core; a main vacuum duct, provided in a main region of the iron core, inside which the circulating beam travels; and a sub-vacuum duct, provided in the beam passing gap of the iron core, inside which the output beam travels.

A gantry-less particle therapy system is provided. Charged particles are extracted from an ion source and accelerated in a beam transport system having an annular portion extending in a first plane and that circumscribes a volume, an arcuate portion extending in a second plane, and a transition portion that connects the annular portion and the arcuate portion. The arcuate portion terminates at a beam nozzle extending radially inward from the annular portion to deliver an ion beam to a treatment area contained in the volume circumscribed by the annular portion.

A gantry-less particle therapy system is provided. Charged particles are extracted from an ion source and accelerated in a beam transport system having an annular portion extending in a first plane and that circumscribes a volume, an arcuate portion extending in a second plane, and a transition portion that connects the annular portion and the arcuate portion. The arcuate portion terminates at a beam nozzle extending radially inward from the annular portion to deliver an ion beam to a treatment area contained in the volume circumscribed by the annular portion.

A control method for an accelerator according to the present embodiment is a control method for an accelerator that supplies a current generating a magnetic field to a plurality of deflection electromagnets based on a current-value instruction signal. The method includes providing a flat region that makes a current value of the deflection electromagnet constant in a case of an acceleration cycle involving emission of the charged particles, not providing the flat region in the current-value instruction signal in a case of an acceleration cycle, smoothing time change of a current value in a transition of the current value to the flat region or a transition from the flat region, and determining a time required for the smoothing based on a predetermined energy for extracting the charged particles or a difference between energies before and after change to the predetermined extraction energy.

A control method for an accelerator according to the present embodiment is a control method for an accelerator that supplies a current generating a magnetic field to a plurality of deflection electromagnets based on a current-value instruction signal. The method includes providing a flat region that makes a current value of the deflection electromagnet constant in a case of an acceleration cycle involving emission of the charged particles, not providing the flat region in the current-value instruction signal in a case of an acceleration cycle, smoothing time change of a current value in a transition of the current value to the flat region or a transition from the flat region, and determining a time required for the smoothing based on a predetermined energy for extracting the charged particles or a difference between energies before and after change to the predetermined extraction energy.

A proton therapy system based on a compact superconducting cyclotron, including: a superconducting cyclotron system, an energy selection system, a beam transport system, a fixed therapy room subsystem and a rotating frame therapy subsystem; a fixed-energy proton beam extracted from a superconducting cyclotron of the superconducting cyclotron system is adjusted into a continuous and adjustable proton beam of 70 MeV to 200 MeV by the energy selection system, thus realizing a longitudinal adjustment for a proton range during treating a tumor, and the continuous and adjustable proton beam is respectively transmitted to the fixed therapy room subsystem and the rotating frame therapy subsystem by the beam transport system. The cooperative control of the superconducting cyclotron system, the energy selection system, the beam transport system and the therapy head realizes the transverse expansion of proton beams, thus realizing intensity modulated radiation therapy for the tumor.

A proton therapy system based on a compact superconducting cyclotron, including: a superconducting cyclotron system, an energy selection system, a beam transport system, a fixed therapy room subsystem and a rotating frame therapy subsystem; a fixed-energy proton beam extracted from a superconducting cyclotron of the superconducting cyclotron system is adjusted into a continuous and adjustable proton beam of 70 MeV to 200 MeV by the energy selection system, thus realizing a longitudinal adjustment for a proton range during treating a tumor, and the continuous and adjustable proton beam is respectively transmitted to the fixed therapy room subsystem and the rotating frame therapy subsystem by the beam transport system. The cooperative control of the superconducting cyclotron system, the energy selection system, the beam transport system and the therapy head realizes the transverse expansion of proton beams, thus realizing intensity modulated radiation therapy for the tumor.