Abstract: The invention relates to a method of checking the calculated [sic] irradiation control unit of an ion beam therapy system which comprises a raster scanning device arranged in a beam guidance system and having vertical deflection means and horizontal deflection means for the vertical and horizontal deflection of a treatment beam at right angles to its beam direction, so that the treatment beam is deflected by the raster scanning device onto an isocenter of the irradiation station and scans a specific area surrounding the isocenter, data sets and permanently stored data of a control computer, parameters of measuring sensors and desired current values of scanner magnets being checked.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ionization chamber for ion beams and to a method of monitoring the intensity of an ion therapy beam by way of such an ionization chamber. For that purpose, the ionization chamber includes a chamber housing, a beam inlet window and a beam outlet window, a chamber volume filled with counting gas, a high-voltage anode and a high-voltage cathode, wherein the ionization chamber is constructed flat and sandwich-like from plate-shaped large-surface-area structures of the above-mentioned components, which are aligned orthogonally relative to the axis of the ion beam, and a centrally arranged large-surface-area orthogonally aligned plate-shaped counting anode is surrounded on both sides by a large-surface-area plate-shaped high-voltage cathode consisting of two parallel cathode plates, and the chamber housing consists of a housing frame, which frames a square ionization chamber volume, and on which frame the beam inlet window and the beam outlet window are mounted gas-impermeably.

Abstract: There is disclosed a surgical instrument for implanting in bodily tissue, wound staples each comprising two legs and a crown connecting the legs. The staples are moved in succession out of a magazine onto an anvil, to be deformed thereon by means of a driver. The driver is lowered from a position of rest towards the staple on the anvil, and is further moved to close the staple on the anvil by bending the staple theraround, and to insert the legs of the staple into the bodily tissue. For problem-free and symmmetrical deformation of the staple, a hold-down device is lowered onto the anvil and upon deformation of the staple thereon presses the crown of the staple onto the anvil and so prevents the staple from moving laterally during its deformation.