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.

A range shifting device configured to be placed close to a portion of a body of a patient during radiation beam treatment. The radiation beam treatment can include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The range shifting device can be incorporated into an existing SRS localization system during SRS treatment. The range shifting device is configured to be placed close to the head of a patient during SRS treatment. The range shifting device is comprised of range shifting material. The range shifting device can be a range shifting helmet. The range shifting helmet can include a hollow frame including a plurality of apertures in which inserts made of range shifting material can be inserted.

The invention comprises a multi-axis charged particle irradiation method and apparatus. The multi-axis controls includes separate or independent control of one or more of horizontal position, vertical position, energy control, and intensity control of the charged particle irradiation beam. Optionally, the charged particle beam is additionally controlled in terms of timing. Timing is coordinated with patient respiration and/or patient rotational positioning. Combined, the system allows multi-axis and multi-field charged particle irradiation of tumors yielding precise and accurate irradiation dosages to a tumor with distribution of harmful proximal distal energy about the tumor.

The invention comprises a multi-axis charged particle irradiation method and apparatus. The multi-axis controls includes separate or independent control of one or more of horizontal position, vertical position, energy control, and intensity control of the charged particle irradiation beam. Optionally, the charged particle beam is additionally controlled in terms of timing. Timing is coordinated with patient respiration and/or patient rotational positioning. Combined, the system allows multi-axis and multi-field charged particle irradiation of tumors yielding precise and accurate irradiation dosages to a tumor with distribution of harmful proximal distal energy about the tumor.

A machine, article, process of using, process of making, products produced thereby and necessary intermediates. Illustratively, there can be a process that includes: ionizing at least some injected gas to form ions; confining, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said ions to produce confined ions; accumulating at least some of said confined ions to produce accumulated ions; cooling at least some of said accumulated ions to produce cooled ions; compressing, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said accumulated ions to produce compressed ions; accelerating at least some of said compressed ions to produce accelerated ions; ejecting at least some of said accelerated ions; and measuring at least one property of said ejected ions.

The invention comprises a multi-axis charged particle irradiation method and apparatus. The multi-axis controls includes separate or independent control of one or more of horizontal position, vertical position, energy control, and intensity control of the charged particle irradiation beam. Optionally, the charged particle beam is additionally controlled in terms of timing. Timing is coordinated with patient respiration and/or patient rotational positioning. Combined, the system allows multi-axis and multi-field charged particle irradiation of tumors yielding precise and accurate irradiation dosages to a tumor with distribution of harmful proximal distal energy about the tumor.