Abstract: At the start of beam extraction, the amplitude value of an acceleration radio frequency voltage is held at a first amplitude value. When the irradiation dose stemming from beam extraction reaches a prescribed dose, the amplitude value of the acceleration radio frequency voltage applied to an accelerating cavity starts to be increased from the first amplitude value to a second amplitude value. When the irradiation dose reaches a target dose, the amplitude value is raised to and held at the second amplitude value. By the time the irradiation is restarted, the amplitude value of the acceleration radio frequency voltage applied to the accelerating cavity is reduced from the second amplitude value to the first amplitude value. At the start of beam extraction, the amplitude value is held at the first amplitude value.

Abstract: When controlling the ejection of a charged particle beam from a synchrotron, a radiofrequency voltage is applied, which serves as the radio-frequency voltage to be applied to an ejection radio-frequency electrode equipping the synchrotron, and which is constituted by a first radio-frequency voltage for increasing an oscillation amplitude in such a way as to exceed a stable limit in order to eject to the exterior of the synchrotron a beam that circles inside the synchrotron, and a second radio-frequency voltage for preferentially ejecting a charged particle beam that circles in the vicinity of the stable limit, with the amplitude value of the second radiofrequency voltage being controlled in such a way that the amplitude value is 0 prior to the beam ejection start, the amplitude value increases gradually from the beam ejection start, and, once a predetermined amplitude value has been reached, this value is maintained.

Abstract: When controlling the ejection of a charged particle beam from a synchrotron, a radiofrequency voltage is applied, which serves as the radio-frequency voltage to be applied to an ejection radio-frequency electrode equipping the synchrotron, and which is constituted by a first radio-frequency voltage for increasing an oscillation amplitude in such a way as to exceed a stable limit in order to eject to the exterior of the synchrotron a beam that circles inside the synchrotron, and a second radio-frequency voltage for preferentially ejecting a charged particle beam that circles in the vicinity of the stable limit, with the amplitude value of the second radio-frequency voltage being controlled in such a way that the amplitude value is 0 prior to the beam ejection start, the amplitude value increases gradually from the beam ejection start, and, once a predetermined amplitude value has been reached, this value is maintained.

Abstract: A charged particle beam irradiation system in which the energy, Bragg peak, and irradiation depth of a charged particle beam, with which a patient is to be irradiated, can be checked in real time just before actual irradiation. Just before the actual irradiation, by providing a high-speed steering magnet with 100% current, a checking beam is intentionally hit into a beam damper. By using a dosimeter and a dose measuring device in front thereof, extraction beam intensity is measured. By using a multi-layer beam monitor, a dose distribution thereof is measured. Accordingly, just before the actual irradiation, the energy, Bragg peak, and irradiation depth of the charged particle beam, with which the patient is to be irradiated, can be checked accurately and in real time. When the beam has a desired dose distribution as a result of checking, continuously, extraction control is performed.

Abstract: A beam monitor system having a simple configuration for improving a measurement precision specifying a position and the width. A beam monitor system, comprising collection electrodes that include a plurality of groups each having a plurality of adjacent wire electrodes, and detect an ionized particle beam passing therethrough, a first signal processing device that sets one wire electrode in the groups of the collection electrodes as a typical wire electrode, receives a detection signal output from the typical wire electrode to process the signal and a beam monitor controller that obtains a beam position of the ionized particle beam that has passed through the wire electrodes on the basis of a processed signal from the first signal processing device.

Abstract: At the start of beam extraction, the amplitude value of an acceleration radio frequency voltage is held at a first amplitude value. When the irradiation dose stemming from beam extraction reaches a prescribed dose, the amplitude value of the acceleration radio frequency voltage applied to an accelerating cavity starts to be increased from the first amplitude value to a second amplitude value. When the irradiation dose reaches a target dose, the amplitude value is raised to and held at the second amplitude value. By the time the irradiation is restarted, the amplitude value of the acceleration radio frequency voltage applied to the accelerating cavity is reduced from the second amplitude value to the first amplitude value. At the start of beam extraction, the amplitude value is held at the first amplitude value.

Abstract: A beam monitor system having a simple configuration for improving a measurement precision specifying a position and the width. A beam monitor system, comprising collection electrodes that include a plurality of groups each having a plurality of adjacent wire electrodes, and detect an ionized particle beam passing therethrough, a first signal processing device that sets one wire electrode in the groups of the collection electrodes as a typical wire electrode, receives a detection signal output from the typical wire electrode to process the signal and a beam monitor controller that obtains a beam position of the ionized particle beam that has passed through the wire electrodes on the basis of a processed signal from the first signal processing device.

Abstract: A charge collection electrode is formed of a plurality of groups each of which is made up of a plurality of adjoining wire electrodes. Further, all the wire electrodes are connected to channels of a signal processing device by the same number of lines as the wire electrodes belonging to one group so that each detection signal outputted from one wire electrode selected from each group is inputted through the same line and so that no two adjoining channels are physically continuous in regard to a certain set of consecutive measurement channels. The signal processing device determines group information indicating to which group the wire electrodes that sent the inputted detection signals belong and outputs a processing signal including the group information to a beam monitor controller. The beam monitor controller determines the position and the beam width of the charged particle beam that passed through the wire electrodes.

Abstract: A control data about the devices constituting the synchrotron are formed by an initial acceleration control data item, a plural extraction control data items, a plural energy change control data items connecting the plural extraction control data items, and a plural deceleration control data items corresponding to the plural extraction control data items. An affected part position detection unit and an extraction permission determination unit are provided to determine whether the position of a marker shown in transparent image information is included within a beam irradiation permission range. If the marker position is found included, the extraction permission determination unit outputs to an interlock system an extraction permission determination signal permitting beam extraction.

Abstract: A charge collection electrode is formed of a plurality of groups each of which is made up of a plurality of adjoining wire electrodes. Further, all the wire electrodes are connected to channels of a signal processing device by the same number of lines as the wire electrodes belonging to one group so that each detection signal outputted from one wire electrode selected from each group is inputted through the same line and so that no two adjoining channels are physically continuous in regard to a certain set of consecutive measurement channels. The signal processing device determines group information indicating to which group the wire electrodes that sent the inputted detection signals belong and outputs a processing signal including the group information to a beam monitor controller. The beam monitor controller determines the position and the beam width of the charged particle beam that passed through the wire electrodes.

Abstract: A control data about the devices constituting the synchrotron are formed by an initial acceleration control data item, a plural extraction control data items, a plural energy change control data items connecting the plural extraction control data items, and a plural deceleration control data items corresponding to the plural extraction control data items. An affected part position detection unit and an extraction permission determination unit are provided to determine whether the position of a marker shown in transparent image information is included within a beam irradiation permission range. If the marker position is found included, the extraction permission determination unit outputs to an interlock system an extraction permission determination signal permitting beam extraction.

Abstract: A charged particle beam irradiation system in which the energy, Bragg peak, and irradiation depth of a charged particle beam, with which a patient is to be irradiated, can be checked in real time just before actual irradiation. Just before the actual irradiation, by providing a high-speed steering magnet with 100% current, a checking beam is intentionally hit into a beam damper. By using a dosimeter and a dose measuring device in front thereof, extraction beam intensity is measured. By using a multi-layer beam monitor, a dose distribution thereof is measured. Accordingly, just before the actual irradiation, the energy, Bragg peak, and irradiation depth of the charged particle beam, with which the patient is to be irradiated, can be checked accurately and in real time. When the beam has a desired dose distribution as a result of checking, continuously, extraction control is performed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a beam monitor system in which signals outputted from a plurality of wires are divided in a multi-wire type monitor for measuring a beam profile of a charged particle beam, an identical number of the wires are grouped, the signals of the respective groups are taken out one piece by one piece to be connected with each other, and the number of the pieces, corresponding to a number of the wires belonging to the one group, are put together to be connected to a signal processor storing connection information.

Abstract: A beam extraction process (interruption and restart) is appropriately performed when a failure occurs during irradiation of a spot group. A charged particle irradiation system includes a synchrotron 12 and a scanning irradiation unit 15 that scans an ion beam extracted from the synchrotron over a subject. The extraction of the ion beam from the synchrotron is stopped on the basis of a beam extraction stop command. Scanning magnets 5A and 5B are controlled to change a point (spot) to be irradiated with the ion beam, while the extraction of the ion beam is stopped. The extraction of the ion beam from the synchrotron is restarted after the change of the spot to be irradiated. When a relatively minor failure in which continuous irradiation would be possible occurs during irradiation of a certain spot with the beam, the extraction of the beam is not immediately stopped.

Abstract: Disclosed is a beam monitor system in which signals outputted from a plurality of wires are divided in a multi-wire type monitor for measuring a beam profile of a charged particle beam, an identical number of the wires are grouped, the signals of the respective groups are taken out one piece by one piece to be connected with each other, and the number of the pieces, corresponding to a number of the wires belonging to the one group, are put together to be connected to a signal processor storing connection information.

Abstract: A beam extraction process (interruption and restart) is appropriately performed when a failure occurs during irradiation of a spot group. A charged particle irradiation system includes a synchrotron 12 and a scanning irradiation unit 15 that scans an ion beam extracted from the synchrotron over a subject. The extraction of the ion beam from the synchrotron is stopped on the basis of a beam extraction stop command. Scanning magnets 5A and 5B are controlled to change a point (spot) to be irradiated with the ion beam, while the extraction of the ion beam is stopped. The extraction of the ion beam from the synchrotron is restarted after the change of the spot to be irradiated. When a relatively minor failure in which continuous irradiation would be possible occurs during irradiation of a certain spot with the beam, the extraction of the beam is not immediately stopped.

Abstract: A charged particle beam irradiation system comprises a high-speed steerer (beam dump device) 100 disposed in a course of a beam transport line 4 through which an ion beam is extracted from a charged-particle beam generator 1. The beam dump device 100 is provided with dose monitoring devices 105, 106 for measuring a dose of an ion beam applied to a beam dump 104 so that the intensity of the ion beam can be measured without transporting the ion beam to irradiation nozzles 15A through 15D. Thus, the system is capable of adjusting the intensity of an ion beam extracted from a synchrotron without operating each component of a beam transport line, and an irradiation nozzle.

Abstract: To ensure irradiation accuracy and safety, even when an irradiation device employing a different irradiation method is used, disclosed is herein a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates an irradiation target with charged particle beams includes: a charged particle beam generator for generating the charged particle beams; a passive scattering irradiation device and a scanning irradiation device, both for irradiating the irradiation target with the charged particle beams; a beam transport system for transporting the charged particles beam extracted from the charged particle beam generator, to selected one of the two irradiation devices; and a central controller that modifies operating parameters on the charged particle beam generator, according to the irradiation method adopted for the selected irradiation device.

Abstract: To ensure irradiation accuracy and safety, even when an irradiation device employing a different irradiation method is used, disclosed is herein a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus that irradiates an irradiation target with charged particle beams includes: a charged particle beam generator for generating the charged particle beams; a passive scattering irradiation device and a scanning irradiation device, both for irradiating the irradiation target with the charged particle beams; a beam transport system for transporting the charged particles beam extracted from the charged particle beam generator, to selected one of the two irradiation devices; and a central controller that modifies operating parameters on the charged particle beam generator, according to the irradiation method adopted for the selected irradiation device.

Abstract: The present invention improves the accuracy of therapy by checking in real time whether an spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) width agrees with a desired width during irradiation with a beam. The device for outputting a charged particle beam includes a charged particle beam generator 1 including a synchrotron 4; a range modulation device such as a range modulation wheel (RMW) 28 which forms a Bragg peak of an ion beam extracted from this charged particle beam generator 1; an irradiation device 16 which is located in the direction of ion beam propagation of this RMW device 28 and includes a dose monitor 31 for detecting a dose of the ion beam; and an SOBP width calculation device 73 which calculates ion beam Bragg peak formed by the RMW device 28 based on a detection value of the dose monitor 31.