Particle beam irradiation equipment and particle beam irradiation method

Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

• wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises a first scatterer device including a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes, and a second scatterer device including a plurality of second scatterers to be positioned in a passage region of said charged particle beam after having passed said first scatterer;
• and
• said particle beam irradiation equipment includes a control system for controlling said second scatterer device such that one of said plurality of second scatterers is positioned in said passage region at one of plural different positions in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam.

Particle beam irradiation equipment comprising charged particle beam generation equipment and a charged particle beam irradiation nozzle for irradiating a charged particle beam extracted from said charged particle beam generation equipment to an irradiation target,

• wherein said charged particle beam irradiation nozzle comprises a first scatterer device including a first scatterer through which said charged particle beam passes, an upstream second scatterer device including a second scatterer to be positioned at a first position downstream of said first scatterer device in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam, and a downstream second scatterer device including another second scatterer to be positioned at a second position downstream of said first position in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam;
• and
• said particle beam irradiation equipment a control system for controlling a selected one of said upstream second scatterer device and said downstream second scatterer device such that the second scatterer included in said selected second scatterer device is positioned in a passage region of said charged particle beam.

A particle beam irradiation method comprising the steps of:

• placing a second scatterer, through which a charged particle beam passes after having passed a first scatterer, in a passage region of said charged particle beam at a selected one of plural different positions in the direction of travel of said charged particle beam;
• and
• irradiating said charged particle beam after having passed said first scatterer and said second scatterer positioned at said selected position.