Linac booster for high energy proton therapy and imaging

Abstract

For an optimal exploitation of the benefits of proton therapy the most accurate dose delivery system should be used. The TERA Foundation has extensive experience in the field of high gradient high frequency linacs. This paper describes a particular design of a 3 GHz linac boosting the typical cyclotron beams for proton therapy of 230–250 MeV up to 350 MeV. Such an upgrade of a typical proton therapy facility enables performing proton radiography, as well as extending therapeutic capabilities with high energy proton therapy (HEPT). The recent studies and measurements in high-gradient linac technology demonstrated that average fields in the accelerating structures of up to 25–30 MV/m can be achieved, which results in a total linac length of less than 7 m. To test several characteristics of such a linac as a booster of a cyclotron beam, a design has been made of a linac unit accelerating from 250 MeV to 275 MeV, which could be built and inserted for tests in an existing beam line at the PSI proton therapy facility. The feasibility considerations, along with the design of the linac booster and the issues related to a possible integration in an existing cyclotron beam line are detailed in this study.