The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a multi-layer multi-color scintillation based detector element to image a tumor of a patient using a process of determining residual energies of positively charged particles after passing through the patient, the process comprising the steps of: (1) transmitting the positively charged particles at known energies through the patient and into a multi-layer detector element; (2) detecting first and second secondary photons, resultant from passage of the positively charged particles, respectively from a first layer of a first scintillation material and a second layer of a second scintillation material at two respective layer depths, where the first wavelength range differs from the second wavelength range; (4) determining residual energies of the positively charged particles, using output from the step of detecting; and (5) relating the residual energies to body densities to generate an image.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a turning magnet of an accelerator of a cancer therapy system, the accelerator comprising first magnet coils and second correction coils wound about a magnet core where: (1) at a first time, the second correction coils are used to correct a magnetic field, resultant from the first magnet coils, used to turn cations and (2) at a second time, after reversing polarity of the correction coils, the correction coils are used to turn anions and/or electrons, the cations and electrons used to treat a tumor of a patient positioned in a treatment position relative to a treatment beam from the accelerator during the first and second time periods.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for controlling tumor treatment, comprising the steps of: (1) a control system controlling a cancer therapy system, the control system comprising a set of modular control units, the cancer therapy system comprising a set of subsystem elements, (2) altering a first subsystem of the set of subsystem elements; and (3) updating a first modular control unit, of the set of modular control units, corresponding to the first subsystem without a necessitated change of remaining code elements of the set of modular control units corresponding to non-altered subsystem elements of the set of subsystem elements with an optional step of altering main subsystem controller code configured to control the set of subsystem control modules. Optionally the control system directly controls each of the subsystem elements and/or communicates with each of the set of subsystem elements without direct communication between the set of subsystem elements.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for proton treatment of a tumor, comprising the steps of a central control system: (1) receiving an initial cancer treatment irradiation plan; (2) directing a treatment of the tumor using the positively charged particles; (3) during a treatment session and after the step of directing the treatment of the tumor, receiving imaging input from an imaging system; (4) generating an updated cancer treatment irradiation plan using the imaging input; (5) continuing the treatment session using the updated cancer treatment irradiation plan; and (6) optionally, while the patient remains in the treatment room and under approval of a medical professional not in line of sight of the patient, repeating at least three times the steps of: receiving imaging input from the imaging system; generating an updated cancer treatment irradiation plan; and continuing the treatment session using the updated cancer treatment irradiation plan.

Interference of dose application in scanned ion beam therapy and organ motion, also called interplay effect, may lead to dose deviations at target volumes. Current repainting methods are susceptible to artifacts due to a predominant scanning direction, ranging from fringed field edges to under and overdosed regions (hot and cold spots). To overcome the difficulties inherent in the repainting techniques of conventional proton therapy systems, new random repainting techniques are described herein for mitigating the under-dose and/or over-dose pattern inherent in existing repainting techniques using a random repainting approach that randomly selects spot locations within the target area.

The invention comprises a system for controlling a charged particle beam shape and direction relative to a controlled and dynamically positioned patient and/or an imaging surface, such as a scintillation plate of a tomography system and/or a first two-dimensional imaging system coupled to a second two-dimensional imaging system. Multiple interlinked beam/patient/imaging control stations allow safe zone operation and clear interaction with the charged particle beam system and the patient. Both treatment and imaging are facilitated using automated sequences controlled with a work-flow control system.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for control of a charged particle cancer therapy system. A treatment delivery control system is used to directly control multiple subsystems of the cancer therapy system without direct communication between selected subsystems, which enhances safety, simplifies quality assurance and quality control, and facilitates programming. For example, the treatment delivery control system directly controls one or more of: an imaging system, a positioning system, an injection system, a radio-frequency quadrupole system, a ring accelerator or synchrotron, an extraction system, a beam line, an irradiation nozzle, a gantry, a display system, a targeting system, and a verification system. Generally, the control system integrates subsystems and/or integrates output of one or more of the above described cancer therapy system elements with inputs of one or more of the above described cancer therapy system elements.

A phantom and method for quality assurance of a particle therapy apparatus used in the intensity modulated particle therapy (IMPT) mode is provided. The phantom comprises a frame structure having a first face and a second face that is parallel to the first face. The phantom further comprises one or more wedges, and a first and second block of material each having a first block face and a second block face parallel thereto. In addition, the phantom further includes an absolute dosimeter arranged at the first block face. A plurality of beads of high density material is located in the first or second block, and a 2D detector is arranged at the second face of the frame structure.

In a particle beam irradiation apparatus that controls a scanning apparatus so that each irradiation position is irradiated with a particle beam a rescan-count number of times by repeating for the rescan-count number of times the irradiation of all irradiation positions in the irradiation target, the irradiation apparatus includes a calculator that receives either one of a rescan count n or a beam intensity J that is a particle beam dose per unit time, to calculate a maximum value of the other satisfying the following conditional expression (P1) for all irradiation positions to present the maximum value to a user.
J*t.sub.id.sub.i/n(P1)

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.