Abstract: RF device (1) able to generate an RF acceleration voltage in a synchrocyclotron. The device comprises a resonant cavity (2) formed by a grounded conducting enclosure (5) and enveloping a conducting pillar (3) to a first end of which an accelerating electrode (4) is linked. A rotary variable capacitor (10) is mounted in the conducting enclosure at a second end of the pillar, opposite from the first end, comprising at least one fixed electrode (stator) (11) and a rotor (13) exhibiting a rotation shaft (14) supported and guided in rotation by galvanically isolating bearings (20), said rotor (13) comprising one moveable electrode (12) possibly facing the stator (11). When the shaft (14) rotates, the stator and the moveable electrode together form a variable capacitance whose value varies cyclically with time. The rotor (13) is galvanically isolated from the conducting enclosure (5) and from the pillar (3). The stator (11) is connected to the second end of the pillar (3) or to the conducting enclosure (5).

Abstract: The invention concerns methods for adjusting the position of a main coil assembly in a cyclotron with respect to a median plane (M) and/or to a central axis (Z) of the cyclotron.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and method for verification of the quality of a radiation beam in conformal radiation therapy, and in particular for IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) applications. The actual 3D dose distribution in the patient is tracked during the course of the entire treatment by reconstructing the photon fluences from measured 2D detector responses during irradiation in conjunction with updated patient images.

Abstract: The present invention is related to an apparatus and method for hadron beam verification. The apparatus allows to verify a number of different characteristics in a brief time span. The apparatus comprises at least one main degrader element and associated therewith a multiple thickness degrader element. The latter may comprise a number of patches of beam degrading material, the patches having constant but mutually different thicknesses. Alternatively, it may be a wedge-shaped element. By aiming a pencil beam at the various thicknesses, data points can be obtained which allow to make an estimation of the beam range. In addition to this, the apparatus comprises a zone where no degrader material is present, and where a measurement of the spot size can be obtained, without moving or replacing the apparatus.

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 invention relates to a magnet structure for a superconducting isochronous cyclotron for use in particle therapy. The cyclotron according to the invention is using two sets of three or more superconducting sector coil elements for generating an azimuthally varying magnetic field across the acceleration region. In this way, high-field (e.g. above 4 T) isochronous cyclotrons are provided which do not suffer the problem of a low flutter amplitude.

Abstract: Radiation detector for measuring one or more characteristics of a radiation, comprising one or more detector pixels, a clock pulse generator, each detector pixel comprising a sensor producing an electrical signal in response to an event of a photon or charged particle of said radiation impinging on said sensor; a pixel electronics adapted for receiving and processing said electrical signal, comprising an analog processing unit for amplifying and shaping said electrical signal and producing a shaped pulse said pixel electronics comprises time determination unit for counting the TOT-count, the TOT-count being the number of clock pulses occurring during the time interval when said shaped pulse is above a threshold. Said pixel electronics comprises a plurality of event counters, each event counter counting the number of events having a TOT-count in a predefined ranges.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cyclotron capable or producing a first beam of accelerated charged particles defined by a first <<charge-over-mass>> ratio (q/m) or a second beam of accelerated charged particles defined by a second <<charge-over-mass>> ratio (q/m)? less than said first <<charge-over-mass>> ratio (q/m), said cyclotron comprising: an electromagnet comprising two poles, preferably an upper pole and a lower pole, positioned symmetrically relatively to a middle plane perpendicular to the central axis of the cyclotron and separated by a gap provided for circulation of the charged particles, each of said poles comprising several sectors positioned so as to have an alternation of areas with a narrow gap called <<hills>> and areas with a wide gap called <<valleys>>; a main induction coil for generating an essentially constant main induction field in the gap between said poles and a means for modifying the magnetic field profile according

Abstract: The present invention relates to a disposable module (100) for use in a device (300) for synthesizing radiopharmaceutical products starting with chemical reagents, said disposable module (100) comprising: a supporting plate (101) comprising rigid connection means (114) to at least one flask of chemical reagents (102, 103, 104, 105) in solution in a solvent, and a reactor (106); interface means (115) with a fixed module of said synthesis device (300), in contact with or integrated into said supporting plate (101), said interface means comprising at least one valve (V1-V8) and/or at least one fluid inlet (E1, E2) and/or at least one fluid outlet (O1, O2, O3); at least one conduit (1-20) connected to said at least one valve (V1-V8) or to said at least one fluid inlet (E1, E2) or to said at least one fluid outlet (O1, O2, O3), characterized in that at least one of said conduits (1-20) is integrated into the body of the disposable module (100).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a shielding element for minimizing the penumbra of a beam of hadrons outside a target area, the hadron beam being guided in a longitudinal direction by an irradiation unit, and the beam having a width (?). The method includes: (i) defining a closed or open contour of said target area; (ii) providing a block having a longitudinal thickness capable of blocking the passage of said beam and having a lateral surface perpendicular to said longitudinal thickness; (iii) forming an aperture of a shape similar to said contour and crossing said longitudinal thickness of said block for letting through said beam, said aperture forming a longitudinal internal surface; and (iv) trimming said block so as to form a longitudinal external surface around said longitudinal internals surface, said longitudinal internal and longitudinal external surfaces delimiting a side wall.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cyclotron. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include an upper and lower magnet pole, an upper and lower superconducting coil arranged around each of the magnetic poles, a ring-shaped magnetic return yoke, a beam chamber between the upper and lower magnetic poles having one or more electrodes configured to accelerate ions moving substantially in the median plane, and a cryostat. The ring-shaped magnetic return yoke and the coils may form a cold mass contained within the cryostat. Further, the cryostat may not contain the upper and lower poles.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a charged particle beam is provided. The apparatus may include: means for scanning the charged particle beam on a target, a dipole magnet arranged upstream of the means for scanning, at least three quadrupole lenses arranged between the dipole magnet and the means for scanning, and means for adjusting the field strength of at least three quadrupole lenses in function of the scanning angle of the charged particle beam. The apparatus can be made at least single achromatic.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a particle therapy system that comprises a spot scanning system to irradiate with a particle beam a plurality of spots in a layer of a target with prescribed spot doses for each spot of the layer. The therapy system is further adapted to perform multiple paintings of the layer and to deliver partial spot doses to selected spots of the layer during each painting time so that each spot of the layer will have received its prescribed dose after completion of the multiple paintings. The therapy system further comprises means for setting the partial spot doses and the number of times that a spot will be selected for irradiation in the course of the multiple paintings to such values that any spot of the layer will never have to be irradiated with a partial dose which would fall below a minimum dose deliverable by the system, and this whatever the number chosen for the number of layer paintings. The invention also relates to a corresponding irradiation method.

Abstract: The invention concerns methods for adjusting the position of a main coil assembly in a cyclotron with respect to a median plane (M) and/or to a central axis (Z) of the cyclotron.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a circular particle accelerator capable of modulating the particle beam current exiting the circular particle accelerator. The circular particle accelerator includes: an ion source for generating the particle beam; Dee electrode and counter-Dee electrode separated from each other by gaps for accelerating the particle beam, the counter-Dee electrode being grounded; a generator capable of applying an alternating high voltage to the Dee electrode, so as it is possible to have an electric field between the gaps; means for measuring the current intensity of the particle beam exiting the circular particle accelerator. It also comprises a regulator capable of modulating the Dee electrodes voltage amplitude (VD) by comparing a given set point (I0) of the current intensity of the particle beam and the measured value of the current intensity (I?M) of the particle beam.

Abstract: RF device (1) able to generate an RF acceleration voltage in a synchrocyclotron. The device comprises a resonant cavity (2) formed by a grounded conducting enclosure (5) and enveloping a conducting pillar (3) to a first end of which an accelerating electrode (4) is linked. A rotary variable capacitor (10) is mounted in the conducting enclosure at a second end of the pillar, opposite from the first end, comprising at least one fixed electrode (stator) (11) and a rotor (13) exhibiting a rotation shaft (14) supported and guided in rotation by galvanically isolating bearings (20), said rotor (13) comprising one moveable electrode (12) possibly facing the stator (11). When the shaft (14) rotates, the stator and the moveable electrode together form a variable capacitance whose value varies cyclically with time. The rotor (13) is galvanically isolated from the conducting enclosure (5) and from the pillar (3). The stator (11) is connected to the second end of the pillar (3) or to the conducting enclosure (5).

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 present disclosure relates to a cyclotron. Embodiments of the present disclosure may include an upper and lower magnet pole, an upper and lower superconducting coil arranged around each of the magnetic poles, a ring-shaped magnetic return yoke, a beam chamber between the upper and lower magnetic poles having one or more electrodes configured to accelerate ions moving substantially in the median plane, and a cryostat. The ring-shaped magnetic return yoke and the coils may form a cold mass contained within the cryostat. Further, the cryostat may not contain the upper and lower poles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dual-frequency resonant cavity (6) for cyclotron which includes a dee (10), a pillar (20), and a conducting enclosure (40) surrounding the pillar and the dee, an end of the pillar being connected to the base of the conducting enclosure and an opposite end of the pillar (20) supporting the dee (10). The conducting enclosure and the pillar form a transmission line comprising at least three portions (20a, 20b, 20c), each portion having a characteristic impedance (Zc1, Zc2, Zc3). The characteristic impedance Zc2 of the intermediate portion (20b) is substantially lower than the characteristic impedances Zc1 et Zc3 of the two other portions (20a, 20b), which makes it possible to have the cavity resonate according to two modes in order to produce two distinct frequencies, without having to make use of moving components such as for example sliding short-circuits or mobile plates.

Abstract: The present invention is related to device for selecting one of several triggering apparatuses, which are simultaneously connectable to said device. The triggering apparatuses are arranged for producing each a triggering signal to enable/disable one or more components of a radiation treatment apparatus. The triggering signals depend on detected parameters. The device is configured to receive triggering signals from the several triggering apparatuses, when all of the apparatuses are connected to the device, to receive a selection of one of the triggering apparatuses, to generate a universal triggering signal for the one or more components on the basis of said received triggering signal from the selected triggering apparatus, and to send the universal triggering signal to the one or more components.