Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a particle therapy system for irradiating a target with a scanning beam technique. In one implementation, the system includes an irradiation planning device with a planning algorithm configured to associate a particle beam energy E(i) to each spot of the irradiation plan and organize the spots in a sequence of spots according to energy. The system may further include a control system configured for controlling in parallel, from spot to spot, a variation of an output energy of a beam generator, a variation of a magnetic field of one or more electromagnets of a beam transport system and a variation of a magnetic field of the scanning magnet.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a medical apparatus including a hadron therapy device directing an imaging hadron beam along a beam path. The beam path crosses a subject of interest including a plurality of tissues having upstream and downstream boundaries and a target tissue having a target spot. The apparatus further includes a magnetic resonance imaging device for acquiring magnetic resonance data within an imaging volume including a portion of the subject of interest including the target spot and at least the portion of the beam path between the upstream boundary and the target spot. The apparatus further includes a hadron radiography system (HRS) acquiring a signal generated by the imaging hadron beam and a controller for determining a water equivalent path length of the beam path between upstream and downstream boundaries based on at least the signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a medical apparatus for visualizing a hadron beam traversing an organic body. In one implementation, the method may include capturing a magnetic resonance (MR) image including a volume of irradiated excitable atoms surrounding a hadron beam and having a magnetic susceptibility modified by the hadron beam captured as a hyposignal. For example, a hyposignal may be obtained by saturating the spins of the irradiated excitable atoms before capturing an MR image based on excitation of excitable atoms not affected by the hadron beam.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and a medical apparatus for visualizing on magnetic resonance (MR) images a hadron beam path traversing an organic body. The present method may utilize artefacts in MR image acquisition provoked by the changes in properties of excitable atoms when irradiated by a hadron beam. By synchronizing the hadron pulses with different steps of MR data acquisition, it is possible to identify such artefacts and determine, based on their positions, the hadron beam path and the corresponding position of the Bragg peak.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a medical apparatus. In one implementation, the medical apparatus includes a hadron therapy device adapted for directing a hadron beam having an initial beam energy along a beam path to a target spot located inside a subject of interest; an MRI for acquiring a magnetic resonance (MR) image within an imaging volume having the target spot; a prompt-? system adapted for acquiring a signal generated by the hadron beam; and a controller configured for computing an actual position of the Bragg peak of the hadron beam, based on the signal acquired by the PG system, and locating the actual position of the Bragg peak on the MR image.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a particle therapy system for irradiating a target with a scanning beam technique. In one implementation, the system includes an irradiation planning device with a planning algorithm configured to associate a particle beam energy E(i) to each spot of the irradiation plan and organize the spots in a sequence of spots according to energy. The system may further include a control system configured for controlling in parallel, from spot to spot, a variation of an output energy of a beam generator, a variation of a magnetic field of one or more electromagnets of a beam transport system and a variation of a magnetic field of the scanning magnet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dosimetry device for an energy particle beam from a source and including at least two ionization chambers, each of which includes a collector electrode and a polarization electrode, said electrodes in each ionization chamber being separated by a gap including a fluid, an energy beam from a single source passing through said ionization chambers, the device being characterized in that said ionization chambers have different charge collection efficiency factors. Said calculation algorithm for the dose rate deposited by said beam is based on the measurement of an output signal in each ionization chamber of the device and on a ?gain? factor related to a first ionization chamber, said ?gain? factor being theoretically predetermined on the basis of said intrinsic and/or extrinsic parameters of said ionization chambers.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method for monitoring a range of a particle beam in a target. The method is using gamma detectors for detecting prompt gammas produced in the target. The time differences between the time of detecting a gamma quantum and a time of emission of a particle or a bunch of particles from the radiation device are determined. A statistical distribution of those time difference is used to deduce information related to the range of the beam. The invention is also related to an apparatus for monitoring a range based on measured time profiles of detected prompt gammas.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method and apparatus for verifying the beam range in a target irradiated with a charged hadron beam, such as a proton beam. The beam range is the location of the Bragg peak in the target, being the location where the largest portion of the dose is delivered. The method utilizes a prompt gamma camera provided with a slit-shaped opening, so as to be able to produced a 1-dimensional profile of the dose distribution along the beam line. The camera is mounted with the slit oriented perpendicularly to the beam line. The method comprises the steps of calculating a position of the camera with respect to a target, for a plurality of beam energies and spots to be irradiated. The method further comprises the steps of verifying the beam range for said plurality of spots, and delivering a value representative of the difference between the estimated beam range and the actual beam range. The apparatus of the invention is provided with a positioning module for positioning the camera.

Abstract: A charged hadron therapy system for delivering charged hadron radiation to a target is provided. The system comprises a target positioning couch for supporting the target being moveable along a translation direction and a beam delivery system comprising a beam scanning means for scanning a hadron pencil beam over said target in a first scanning direction and a second scanning direction being substantially parallel with the translation direction. The beam scanning means is limited for providing a maximum scanning amplitude AY in the second scanning direction. The system comprises an irradiation controller configured for simultaneously and synchronously performing the moving of the couch and the scanning, so as to deliver charged hadron radiation to a target over a target size being larger in the Y direction than the maximum scanning amplitude AY.

Abstract: The invention is related to an apparatus and method for charged hadron therapy verification by detecting and/or quantifying prompt gammas produced when irradiating a target (6) with a charged hadron beam. The apparatus comprises a collimator (1) provided with a slit-shaped portion (2) configured to be arranged perpendicularly to the beam line and facing the target, a detection means (3,4) suitable for detecting said prompt gammas and a calculation and representation means. In the apparatus and method of the invention, the slit is configured to allow the passage of prompt gammas emitted from a range of depths in said target (6), said depths being measured in the direction of the charged hadron beam.

Abstract: A charged hadron therapy system for delivering charged hadron radiation to a target is provided. The system comprises a target positioning couch for supporting the target being moveable along a translation direction and a beam delivery system comprising a beam scanning means for scanning a hadron pencil beam over said target in a first scanning direction and a second scanning direction being substantially parallel with the translation direction. The beam scanning means is limited for providing a maximum scanning amplitude AY in the second scanning direction. The system comprises an irradiation controller configured for simultaneously and synchronously performing the moving of the couch and the scanning, so as to deliver charged hadron radiation to a target over a target size being larger in the Y direction than the maximum scanning amplitude AY.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method for monitoring a range of a particle beam in a target. The method is using gamma detectors for detecting prompt gammas produced in the target. The time differences between the time of detecting a gamma quantum and a time of emission of a particle or a bunch of particles from the radiation device are determined. A statistical distribution of those time difference is used to deduce information related to the range of the beam. The invention is also related to an apparatus for monitoring a range based on measured time profiles of detected prompt gammas.

Abstract: A device and method for on line dosimetry monitoring of a hadron beam generated from a source of radiation and delivered to a target, the device comprising a plurality of support plates arranged in parallel in a face-to-face relation, separated from each other by gas filled gaps and perpendicularly to the central axis of said hadron beam, and forming a plurality of ionization chambers, each support plate having on a first side one or more collecting electrodes and on a second side one or more high voltage electrode, arranged in such a way that each support plate has said first side substantially opposed to said second side of another support plate. Each support plate has an opening so as to form an inner cavity for allowing the undisturbed passage of a central portion of the hadron beam delivered to said target and a peripheral region for intercepting and measuring, by means of said plurality of ionization chambers, a peripheral portion of said hadron beam.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method and apparatus for verifying the beam range in a target irradiated with a charged hadron beam, such as a proton beam. The beam range is the location of the Bragg peak in the target, being the location where the largest portion of the dose is delivered. The method utilizes a prompt gamma camera provided with a slit-shaped opening, so as to be able to produced a 1-dimensional profile of the dose distribution along the beam line. The camera is mounted with the slit oriented perpendicularly to the beam line. The method comprises the steps of calculating a position of the camera with respect to a target, for a plurality of beam energies and spots to be irradiated. The method further comprises the steps of verifying the beam range for said plurality of spots, and delivering a value representative of the difference between the estimated beam range and the actual beam range. The apparatus of the invention is provided with a positioning module for positioning the camera.

Abstract: The invention is related to an apparatus and method for charged hadron therapy verification by detecting and/or quantifying prompt gammas produced when irradiating a target (6) with a charged hadron beam. The apparatus comprises a collimator (1) provided with a slit-shaped portion (2) configured to be arranged perpendicularly to the beam line and facing the target, a detection means (3,4) suitable for detecting said prompt gammas and a calculation and representation means. In the apparatus and method of the invention, the slit is configured to allow the passage of prompt gammas emitted from a range of depths in said target (6), said depths being measured in the direction of the charged hadron beam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detector for measuring characteristics of an energetic particle beam generated by a radiation source, the detector including means to vary the incoming particle beam energy; a plurality of sensors arranged in parallel; and processing means capable of processing signals coming from said sensors in correlation with said energy variation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dosimetry device for an energy particle beam from a source and including at least two ionization chambers, each of which includes a collector electrode and a polarization electrode, said electrodes in each ionization chamber being separated by a gap including a fluid, an energy beam from a single source passing through said ionization chambers, the device being characterized in that said ionization chambers have different charge collection efficiency factors. Said calculation algorithm for the dose rate deposited by said beam is based on the measurement of an output signal in each ionization chamber of the device and on a gain factor related to a first ionization chamber, said gain factor being theoretically predetermined on the basis of said intrinsic and/or extrinsic parameters of said ionization chambers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a detector for measuring characteristics of an energetic particle beam generated by a radiation source, the detector including means to vary the incoming particle beam energy; a plurality of sensors arranged in parallel; and processing means capable of processing signals coming from said sensors in correlation with said energy variation.

Abstract: A device and method for on line dosimetry monitoring of a hadron beam generated from a source of radiation and delivered to a target, the device comprising a plurality of support plates arranged in parallel in a face-to-face relation, separated from each other by gas filled gaps and perpendicularly to the central axis of said hadron beam, and forming a plurality of ionization chambers, each support plate having on a first side one or more collecting electrodes and on a second side one or more high voltage electrode, arranged in such a way that each support plate has said first side substantially opposed to said second side of another support plate. Each support plate has an opening so as to form an inner cavity for allowing the undisturbed passage of a central portion of the hadron beam delivered to said target and a peripheral region for intercepting and measuring, by means of said plurality of ionization chambers, a peripheral portion of said hadron beam.