Elekta Ab

U.S. Philips Corporation

Terence Bates

John Allen

Terry Arthur Large

Leonard Knowles Brundle

Kevin J Brown

William R Harwood

An accelerator comprises a plurality of accelerating cells arranged to convey a beam, adjacent cells being linked by a coupling cell, the coupling cells being arranged to dictate the ratio of electric field in the respective adjacent accelerating cells, at least one coupling cell being switchable between a positive ratio and a negative ratio. Such an accelerator in effect inserts a phase change into the E field by imposing a negative ratio, meaning that the beam will meet a reversed electric field in subsequent cells and will in fact be decelerated. As a result, the beam can be developed and bunched in early cells while accelerating to and/or at relativistic energies, and then bled of energy in later cells to bring the beam energy down to (say) between 100 and 300 KeV. Energies of this magnitude are comparable to diagnostic X-rays, where much higher contrast of bony structures exists. Hence the accelerator can be used to take kilovoltage portal images.

Linear accelerator

A standing wave linear accelerator has a plurality of resonant cavities located along a particle beam axis. One or more pairs of resonant cavities are electromagnetically coupled via a coupling cavity. A rotationally asymmetric element within the coupling cavity is adapted to rotate about an axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of the coupling cavity. The coupling cavity is imperfectly symmetric about its axis due to a relative excess of material disposed within the cavity in the portion opposed to the apertures. Rotation of the polarization of a TE mode inside the cylindrical cavity provided a simple single mechanical control of coupling value, that has negligible effect on the phase shift across the device. A slight frequency dependence on the angle of rotation is correctable by a relative excess of material located opposite the apertures between the coupling cavity and the accelerating cavities.

This device allows the variation of the coupling between two points in an RF circuit in a very simple way while maintaining the RF phase relationship and varying the relative magnitude of the RF fields. The device is characterized by a simple mechanical control of coupling value, that has negligible effect on the phase shift across the device. This is achieved by the simple rotation of the polarisation of a TE mode inside a cylindrical cavity. Such a device does not contain resistive elements, and the sliding mechanical surfaces are free from high RF currents. This device finds an application in standing wave linear accelerators, where it is desirable to vary the relative RF field in one set of cavities with respect to another, in order that the accelerator can operate successfully over a wide range of energies.

A treatment source (4) such as a radiation source, is attached to the inner surface 50a of a drum 50, which drum 50 is mounted to a support (3) so as to be rotatable with respect to the support (3) about a central axis (R) displaced from the treatment source (4). The source provides a treatment beam (X) having a treatment beam axis (TB) extending through the rotation axis (R). A patient support (6) for receiving a patient (2) to locate a target treatment area (6) on the treatment beam axis (TB) is housed at least partially within the passageway defined by the inner surface 50a. The overall size of the apparatus is thus reduced. A preferred treatment technique, to which the apparatus may be adapted, is also described.

Apparatus for treating a patient

A system for achromatically deflecting a beam of charged particles without producing net divergence of the beam comprises three successive magnetic deflection means (A,B,C) which deflect the beam alternately in opposite directions, the first (A) and second (B) by angles of less than 50.degree. and the third (C) by an angle of at least 90.degree.; particles with different respective energies are transversely spaced as they enter the third deflection means (C), but emerge completely superimposed in both position and direction, and may be brought to a focus (F) in each of two mutually perpendicular planes a short distance thereafter. Such a system may be particularly compact, especially in the direction in which the beam leaves the system, and is suitable for deflecting a beam of electrons from a linear accelerator (5,6,7) so as to produce a vertical beam of electrons (or with an X-ray target, of X-rays) which can be rotated about a horizontal patient for radiation therapy.

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Horsham, United Kingdom

Terence Bates