A Variable-Energy CW Compact Accelerator for Ion Cancer Therapy

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel compact, continuous-wave light ion accelerator based on FFAG technology, designed to meet clinical requirements for cancer therapy with improved efficiency and reduced energy loss.

Contribution

It presents a new FFAG-based accelerator design that enables variable energy, CW operation, and compact size for ion cancer therapy, improving upon traditional designs.

Findings

Design achieves low-loss, CW extraction without energy degraders

Incorporates long straight sections for beam delivery

Based on advances in non-scaling FFAG technology

Abstract

This paper reports on the conclusions of a 2013 Joint DOE/NCI Workshop, and translates clinical accelerator facility requirements into accelerator and beam-delivery technical specifications. Available or feasible accelerator technologies are compared, including a new concept for a compact, CW, and variable energy light ion accelerator currently under development. This new light ion accelerator is based on advances in non-scaling Fixed-Field Alternating gradient (FFAG) accelerator design. The new design concepts combine isochronous orbits with long (up to 4m) straight sections in a compact racetrack format allowing inner circulating orbits to be energy selected for low-loss, CW extraction, effectively eliminating the high-loss energy degrader in conventional CW cyclotron designs.