Beam Production |
IBA has an extensive history building and operating high-energy particle accelerators, having developed expertise in custom and standard designs for market applications including sterilization, ionization, molecular imaging, and cancer therapy.
Most recently, IBA divested of the scanning and sterilization/ionization businesses in order to maintain a singular focus on healthcare applications – particularly cancer. IBA is committed to being the preferred supplier and trusted partner for two of the most important tools in the battle against cancer – PET and Particle Therapy.
In 1991, when IBA entered in PT, the consensus was that the best accelerator for PT was a synchrotron.
IBA introduced a very effective cyclotron design, and today the majority of Particle Therapy centers use cyclotron technology.
Over these 15 years, users came to appreciate the advantages of cyclotrons:
- Simplicity
- Reliability
- Lower cost and size
- But, most importantly, the ability to modulate rapidly and accurately the proton beam current
Why is this important to you? |
Fast current modulation allows multiple repainting of each layer of the tumor
Multiple repainting give much higher immunity against organ motion during irradiation
A faster system is more suited for 4D conformal treatments
Additional Beam Production Equipment |
The proton accelerator is a 230 MeV fixed energy isochronous cyclotron. The energy required for a particular treatment is transformed from the cyclotron energy using a variable Energy Degrader together with the Energy Selection System (ESS).
A Beam Transport and Switching system (BTS) connects the ESS to the entrance point of each treatment room. The BTS continues through an isocentric Gantry (or fixed beam line) to the beam delivery system (Nozzle). The BTS uses standard magnetic beam transport elements and is tuned automatically. It provides a centered beam with appropriate optics properties at the entrance of the nozzle. The entire beam delivery system is maintained under vacuum up to the nozzle entrance.
The function of the Energy Selection System (ESS) is to transform the 230 MeV fixed energy beam extracted from the cyclotron into a beam having an energy variable between 230 MeV and 70 MeV, with a verified and controlled absolute energy, energy spread and emittance.
Degrading and scraping the beam in the ESS shields the patient from neutrons that would otherwise be generated in the treatment room.
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