Abstract: The present invention relates to a gantry system for transport, delivery and treatment of a high energy ion beam in a heavy ion cancer therapy facility, which comprises two gantry quadrupole magnets (1, 2) positioned on an axis (17) of said gantry downstream of an takeover point of a high energy ion beam transport line and a first 45° bending dipole magnet (3) bending the ion beam away from the gantry axis positioned down stream of said quadrupole magnets (1, 2). Four additional quadrupole magnets (4, 5, 6, 7) are positioned downstream of the first bending magnet for defocusing and focusing the heavy ion beam. A second 45° bending dipole magnet (8) bends the ion beam parallel to the gantry axis (17) and two subsequent quadrupole magnets (9, 10) focus the ion beam toward a scanning system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of checking the beam generation means and beam acceleration means of an ion beam therapy system that comprises a grid scanner device, arranged in a beam guidance system, having vertical deflection means and horizontal deflections means for the vertical and horizontal deflection of a treatment beam perpendicular to its beam direction, with the result that the treatment beam is deflected by the grid scanner device to an isocentre of the irradiation site, and a specific area surrounding the isocentre is scanned, wherein the type of ion, the ion beam energy, the ion beam intensity and the blocking of the accelerator and also the means for terminating extraction are checked.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scanning System for a heavy ion gantry comprising a scanner magnet (1-2; 3-4) for a high energy ion beam used in a heavy ion cancer therapy facility having a maximal bending angle (&agr;) of about 1.5. degree; a curvature radius of about 22 m; a path length of about 0.6 m and a gap height (h) and a gap width (w) in the range of 120 mm to 150 mm. Further each scanner magnet (1-2, 3-4) comprises one glued yoke element made of steel plates having a thickness of up to 0.3 mm and being alloyed with up to 2% silicon. This yoke element has a width in the range of 300 mm to 400 mm, a height in the range of 200 mm to 250 mm and a length in the range of 500 to 600 mm. A coil for each scanner magnet (1-2; 3-4) has a number of windings in the range of 50 to 70.

Abstract: An ion beam therapy system and method for operating the system includes a source of ions (300), an accelerator system (400) and an ion beam transport system (60) for directing an ion beam to a plurality of treatment stations (100) to treat patients. The ion beam transport system (60) includes a gantry (8) carrying a vertical deflection system (45) and horizontal deflection system (55) positioned upstream from a last bending magnet (65) so as to provide a parallel scanning mode by an edge focusing effect.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of checking the beam guidance of an ion beam therapy system that comprises a grid scanner device, arranged in a beam guidance system (6, 8), having vertical deflection means (13) and horizontal deflection means (14) for the vertical and horizontal deflection of a treatment beam (11) perpendicular to its beam direction, with the result that the treatment beam (11) is deflected by the grid scanner device to an isocentre (10) of the irradiation site, and a specific area surrounding the isocentre (10) is scanned, wherein redundancy means are used for a redundant termination of extraction and their functionality is checked and checking of the ability of beam guidance dipoles in the beam guidance to connect and disconnect is carried out.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scanning System for a heavy ion gantry comprising a scanner magnet (1-2; 3-4) for a high energy ion beam used in a heavy ion cancer therapy facility having a maximal bending angle (&agr;) of about 1.5. degree; a curvature radius of about 22 m; a path length of about 0.6 m and a gap height (h) and a gap width (w) in the range of 120 mm to 150 mm. Further each scanner magnet (1-2, 3-4 ) comprises one glued yoke element made of steel plates having a thickness of up to 0.3 mm and being alloyed with up to 2% silicon. This yoke element has a width in the range of 300 mm to 400 mm, a height in the range of 200 mm to 250 mm and a length in the range of 500 to 600 mm. A coil for each scanner magnet (1-2; 3-4) has a number of windings in the range of 50 to 70.

Abstract: A method for the operation of an ion beam therapy system that comprises a grid scanner device, arranged in a beam guidance system (6, 8), having vertical deflection means (13) and horizontal deflection means (14) for the vertical and horizontal deflection of a treatment beam (11) perpendicular to its beam direction, with the result that the treatment beam (11) is deflected by the grid scanner device to an isocentre (10) of the irradiation site and scans a specific area surrounding the isocentre (10). For monitoring the operational stability and operational safety of the therapy system, the beam position of the treatment beam (11) in the region of the isocentre (10) is monitored and evaluated, intervention in the ion beam therapy system being carried out if the evaluation of the beam position shows a departure, from a predetermined desired value, that exceeds a specific tolerance value based on a required half-value width of the beam profile.