Particle beam therapy system

A particle beam therapy system comprising:

• a charged particle beam generator for emitting a charged particle beam;
• a plurality of treatment rooms in each of which an irradiation unit for irradiating the charged particle beam is disposed;
• a first beam transport system connected to said charged particle beam generator and transporting the charged particle beam emitted from said charged particle beam generator;
• a plurality of second beam transport systems provided respectively corresponding to said treatment rooms, connected to said first beam transport system, and transporting the charged particle beam transported through said first beam transport system to the corresponding irradiation units mounted to rotating gantries disposed in said treatment rooms;
• a path switching device disposed at each of junctions between a beam path in said first beam transport system and beam paths in said plurality of second beam transport systems, and switching the beam path in which the charged particle beam is introduced;
• and
• a plurality of first shutters provided respectively in said plurality of second beam transport systems downstream of said path switching devices in the direction of advance of the charged particle beam, and shutting off the beam path in the corresponding second beam transport system.

A particle beam therapy system comprising:

• a charged particle beam generator for emitting a charged particle beam;
• a plurality of treatment rooms in each of which an irradiation unit for irradiating the charged particle beam is disposed;
• a charged particle beam transport apparatus having a plurality of beam paths, communicated with said charged particle beam generator, and transporting the charged particle beam emitted from said charged particle beam generator separately to said respective irradiation units in said plurality of treatment rooms;
• and
• a plurality of element groups;
• said plurality of element groups being successively arranged in said beam paths in the direction in which the charged particle beam advances through said beam paths, and said element groups including respective elements disposed in said plurality of beam paths,
• said element groups being each provided with an alternatively selecting device for alternatively selecting the respective elements in said element groups.

A particle beam therapy system comprising:

• a charged particle beam generator for emitting a charged particle beam;.
• a plurality of treatment rooms in each of which an irradiation unit for irradiating the charged particle beam is disposed;
• a charged particle beam transport apparatus having a plurality of beam paths, communicated with said charged particle beam generator, and transporting the charged particle beam emitted from said charged particle beam generator separately to said respective irradiation units in said plurality of treatment rooms;
• a plurality of element groups each having a plurality of elements;
• and
• said element groups being disposed in said plurality of beam paths in a one-to-one relation, and said plurality of elements in each of said element groups being successively arranged in the corresponding beam path in the direction of advance of the charged particle beam;
• an alternatively selecting device for alternatively selecting any one of said element groups.

A particle beam irradiating method comprising the steps of causing a plurality patients to enter a plurality of treatment rooms, respectively, and selectively introducing a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle beam generator to irradiation units disposed in said treatment rooms for irradiation to the patients in sequence, the irradiating method comprising the steps of:

• electromagnet groups disposed in a one-to-one relation to a plurality of beam transport paths extended from said charged particle beam generator to said irradiation units in said plurality of treatment rooms;
• forming no beam transport paths when electric power from a power supply is supplied to plural ones of said electromagnet groups;
• and
• when electric power from said power supply is supplied to only one of said electromagnet groups, forming one corresponding beam transport path and irradiating the charged particle beam to the patient by the irradiation unit in the corresponding treatment room through the formed beam transport path.