Intensity modulated three-dimensional radiation scanning method and apparatus

An apparatus configured to control a charged particle beam for irradiation of a tumor of a patient, comprising:

• a synchrotron configured with an extraction foil, wherein a timing controller times the charged particle beam striking said extraction foil in an acceleration period in said synchrotron resulting in extraction of the charged particle beam at a selected energy;
• a raster beam scanning system configured to scan the charged particle beam across delivery positions while both (1) delivering the charged particle beam at and between the delivery positions and (2) simultaneously varying said selected energy level of the charged particle beam across the delivery positions;
• and
• an intensity controller configured to measure a current resulting from the charged particle beam striking said extraction foil, said current used as a feedback control to a radio-frequency cavity system, wherein an applied radio frequency, using said feedback control, in said radio-frequency cavity system controls the number of particles in the charged particle beam striking said extraction foil resulting in intensity control of the charged particle beam.

A method for controlling a charged particle beam for irradiation of a tumor of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• a timing controller timing a synchrotron configured with an extraction foil, said timing controller timing the charged particle beam to strike said extraction foil in an acceleration period in said synchrotron resulting in extraction of the charged particle beam at a selected energy;
• a raster beam scanning system scanning the charged particle beam across delivery positions while both (1) delivering the charged particle beam at and between the delivery positions and (2) simultaneously varying said selected energy level of the charged particle beam across the delivery positions;
• an intensity controller measuring a current resulting from the charged particle beam striking said extraction foil, said current used as a feedback control to a radio-frequency cavity system;
• and
• controlling an applied radio frequency, using said feedback control, in said radio-frequency cavity system to control the number of particles in the charged particle beam striking said extraction foil resulting in intensity control of the charged particle beam.