Rapid cycling medical synchrotron and beam delivery system

A medical synchrotron for accelerating particles in a particle beam therapy system, the synchrotron comprising:

• a radiofrequency (RF) cavity for accelerating the particles as a beam;
• and
• a plurality of combined function magnets arranged in a ring, each of said combined function magnets performing a first function of bending the particle beam alone an orbital path around said ring and a second function of focusing or defocusing the particle beam,
• wherein said radiofrequency (RF) cavity is a ferrite loaded cavity adapted for high speed frequency swings for rapid cycling acceleration of the particles, and
• wherein said ferrite loaded RF cavity comprises:
• a housing;
• a beam pipe centrally disposed in said housing, said beam pipe having two longitudinal gaps;
• and
• a plurality of ferrite rings associated with each gap surrounding said beam pipe.

A method for accelerating particles in a medical synchrotron of a particle beam therapy system, the method comprising the steps of:

• steering particles of a particle beam along an orbital path with a plurality of magnets arranged in a ring defining said orbital path;
• and
• applying a tuning current to a ferrite loaded radiofrequency (RF) cavity disposed in said orbital path to achieve a high speed frequency swing for rapid cycling acceleration of the particles in said particle beam,
• wherein said ferrite loaded RF cavity comprises:
• a housing;
• a beam pipe centrally disposed in said housing, said beam pipe having two longitudinal gaps;
• and
• a plurality of ferrite rings associated with each gap surrounding said beam pipe.

A particle beam therapy system comprising:

• a source of particles;
• a synchrotron for accelerating the particles as a particle beam, said synchrotron including a plurality of combined function magnets arranged in a ring and a ferrite loaded radiofrequency (RF) cavity disposed in said ring, each of said combined function magnets performing a first function of bending the particle beam along an orbital path around said ring and a second function of focusing or defocusing the particle beam and said radiofrequency cavity being adapted for high speed frequency swings for rapid cycling acceleration of the particles;
• an injector for transporting particles from said source to said synchrotron;
• a patient treatment station including a rotatable gantry for delivering a particle beam to a patient;
• and
• a beam transport system for transporting the accelerated beam from said synchrotron to said patient treatment station,
• wherein said ferrite loaded RF cavity comprises:
• a housing;
• a beam pipe centrally disposed in said housing, said beam pipe having two longitudinal gaps;
• and
• a plurality of ferrite rings associated with each gap surrounding said beam pipe.

A particle beam therapy system comprising:

• a source of particles;
• a synchrotron for accelerating the particles as a particle beam, aid synchrotron including a plurality of combined function magnets arranged in a ring and a ferrite loaded radiofrequency (RF) cavity disposed in said ring, each of said combined function magnets performing a first function of bending the particle beam along an orbital path around said ring and a second function of focusing or defocusing the particle beam and said radiofrequency cavity being adapted for high speed frequency swings for rapid cycling acceleration of the particles;
• an injector for transporting particles from said source to said synchrotron;
• a patient treatment station including a rotatable gantry for delivering a particle beam to a patient;
• and a beam transport system for transporting the accelerated beam from said synchrotron to said patient treatment station wherein said combined function magnets comprise:
• an arcuate beam pipe defined by a center of curvature;
• two saddle coils arranged on opposite sides of said beam pipe;
• and a ferro-magnetic core surrounding said beam pipe and said saddle coils, said core having a structural configuration for providing a magnetic field in said beam pipe which varies in strength in a direction toward said beam pipe center of curvature.