Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a particle accelerator to output a beam of charged particles; and a scanning system to scan the beam across at least part of an irradiation target. An example scanning system includes: a scanning magnet to move the beam during scanning; and a control system (i) to control the scanning magnet to produce uninterrupted movement of the beam over at least part of a depth-wise layer of the irradiation target so as to deliver doses of charged particles to the irradiation target; and (ii) to determine, in synchronism with delivery of a dose, information identifying the dose actually delivered at different positions along the depth-wise layer.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a particle accelerator to output a beam of charged particles; and a scanning system to scan the beam across at least part of an irradiation target. An example scanning system includes: a scanning magnet to move the beam during scanning; and a control system (i) to control the scanning magnet to produce uninterrupted movement of the beam over at least part of a depth-wise layer of the irradiation target so as to deliver doses of charged particles to the irradiation target; and (ii) to determine, in synchronism with delivery of a dose, information identifying the dose actually delivered at different positions along the depth-wise layer.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a particle accelerator to output a beam of charged particles; and a scanning system to scan the beam across at least part of an irradiation target. An example scanning system includes: a scanning magnet to move the beam during scanning; and a control system (i) to control the scanning magnet to produce uninterrupted movement of the beam over at least part of a depth-wise layer of the irradiation target so as to deliver doses of charged particles to the irradiation target; and (ii) to determine, in synchronism with delivery of a dose, information identifying the dose actually delivered at different positions along the depth-wise layer.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes the following: a gantry that is rotatable relative to a patient position; a particle accelerator mounted to the gantry, where the particle accelerator is for outputting a particle beam essentially directly to the patient position; and a control system to receive a prescription and to generate machine instructions for configuring one or more operational characteristics of the particle therapy system. At least one of the operational characteristics relates to a rotational angle of the gantry relative to the patient position.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a particle accelerator to output a beam of charged particles; and a scanning system to scan the beam across at least part of an irradiation target. An example scanning system includes: a scanning magnet to move the beam during scanning; and a control system (i) to control the scanning magnet to produce uninterrupted movement of the beam over at least part of a depth-wise layer of the irradiation target so as to deliver doses of charged particles to the irradiation target; and (ii) to determine, in synchronism with delivery of a dose, information identifying the dose actually delivered at different positions along the depth-wise layer.

Abstract: In an example, a synchrocyclotron includes a particle source to provide pulses of ionized plasma to a cavity; a voltage source to provide a radio frequency (RF) voltage to the cavity to accelerate particles from the plasma column outwardly; and an extraction channel to receive a beam of particles from the cavity for output from the particle accelerator. The particle source is configured to control pulse widths of the ionized plasma in order to control an intensity of the beam of particles. This example synchrocyclotron may include one or more of the following features, either alone or in combination.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator to output a particle beam, where the particle accelerator includes: a particle source to provide pulses of ionized plasma to a cavity, where each pulse of the particle source has a pulse width corresponding to a duration of operation of the particle source to produce the corresponding pulse, and where the particle beam is based on the pulses of ionized plasma; and a modulator wheel having different thicknesses, where each thickness extends across a different circumferential length of the modulator wheel, and where the modulator wheel is arranged to receive a precursor to the particle beam and is configured to create a spread-out Bragg peak for the particle beam.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a particle accelerator to output a beam of charged particles; and a scanning system to scan the beam across at least part of an irradiation target. An example scanning system includes: a scanning magnet to move the beam during scanning; and a control system (i) to control the scanning magnet to produce uninterrupted movement of the beam over at least part of a depth-wise layer of the irradiation target so as to deliver doses of charged particles to the irradiation target; and (ii) to determine, in synchronism with delivery of a dose, information identifying the dose actually delivered at different positions along the depth-wise layer.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes the following: a gantry that is rotatable relative to a patient position; a particle accelerator mounted to the gantry, where the particle accelerator is for outputting a particle beam essentially directly to the patient position; and a control system to receive a prescription and to generate machine instructions for configuring one or more operational characteristics of the particle therapy system. At least one of the operational characteristics relates to a rotational angle of the gantry relative to the patient position.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes the following: a gantry that is rotatable relative to a patient position; a particle accelerator mounted to the gantry, where the particle accelerator is for outputting a particle beam essentially directly to the patient position; and a control system to receive a prescription and to generate machine instructions for configuring one or more operational characteristics of the particle therapy system. At least one of the operational characteristics relates to a rotational angle of the gantry relative to the patient position.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator to output a particle beam, where the particle accelerator includes: a particle source to provide pulses of ionized plasma to a cavity, where each pulse of the particle source has a pulse width corresponding to a duration of operation of the particle source to produce the corresponding pulse, and where the particle beam is based on the pulses of ionized plasma; and a modulator wheel having different thicknesses, where each thickness extends across a different circumferential length of the modulator wheel, and where the modulator wheel is arranged to receive a precursor to the particle beam and is configured to create a spread-out Bragg peak for the particle beam.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes: a particle accelerator to output a beam of charged particles; and a scanning system to scan the beam across at least part of an irradiation target. An example scanning system includes: a scanning magnet to move the beam during scanning; and a control system (i) to control the scanning magnet to produce uninterrupted movement of the beam over at least part of a depth-wise layer of the irradiation target so as to deliver doses of charged particles to the irradiation target; and (ii) to determine, in synchronism with delivery of a dose, information identifying the dose actually delivered at different positions along the depth-wise layer.

Abstract: A synchrocyclotron includes magnetic structures that define a resonant cavity, a source to provide particles to the resonant cavity, a voltage source to provide radio frequency (RF) voltage to the resonant cavity, a phase detector to detect a difference in phase between the RF voltage and a resonant frequency of the resonant cavity that changes over time, and a control circuit, responsive to the difference in phase, to control the voltage source so that a frequency of the RF voltage substantially matches the resonant frequency of the resonant cavity.

Abstract: In an example, a synchrocyclotron includes a particle source to provide pulses of ionized plasma to a cavity; a voltage source to provide a radio frequency (RF) voltage to the cavity to accelerate particles from the plasma column outwardly; and an extraction channel to receive a beam of particles from the cavity for output from the particle accelerator. The particle source is configured to control pulse widths of the ionized plasma in order to control an intensity of the beam of particles. This example synchrocyclotron may include one or more of the following features, either alone or in combination.

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes a particle accelerator to output a particle beam, where the particle accelerator includes: a particle source to provide pulses of ionized plasma to a cavity, where each pulse of the particle source has a pulse width corresponding to a duration of operation of the particle source to produce the corresponding pulse, and where the particle beam is based on the pulses of ionized plasma; and a modulator wheel having different thicknesses, where each thickness extends across a different circumferential length of the modulator wheel, and where the modulator wheel is arranged to receive a precursor to the particle beam and is configured to create a spread-out Bragg peak for the particle beam

Abstract: An example particle therapy system includes the following: a gantry that is rotatable relative to a patient position; a particle accelerator mounted to the gantry, where the particle accelerator is for outputting a particle beam essentially directly to the patient position; and a control system to receive a prescription and to generate machine instructions for configuring one or more operational characteristics of the particle therapy system. At least one of the operational characteristics relates to a rotational angle of the gantry relative to the patient position.

Abstract: A synchrocyclotron includes magnetic structures that define a resonant cavity, a source to provide particles to the resonant cavity, a voltage source to provide radio frequency (RF) voltage to the resonant cavity, a phase detector to detect a difference in phase between the RF voltage and a resonant frequency of the resonant cavity that changes over time, and a control circuit, responsive to the difference in phase, to control the voltage source so that a frequency of the RF voltage substantially matches the resonant frequency of the resonant cavity.