© International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements 2007
3 BEAM DELIVERY AND PROPERTIES
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3.1 PROTON-THERAPY FACILITIES
A typical proton-therapy facility, shown in Fig. 3.1, comprises several main components: (i) an accelerator with an energy-selection system to produce energetic protons, (ii) a beam-transport system to steer the beam to the treatment-delivery system, and (iii) a treatment-delivery system. The latter comprises several subsystems and may include some or all of the following: a gantry, a beam nozzle, a snout, a volume-tracking and beam-gating device, and a patient-positioning and immobilization system. The final component of the proton-therapy facility is a shielded enclosure to separate the accelerator and beam-transport system from the treatment rooms, in order to protect patients and to allow personnel to move freely between treatment rooms while the beam is in use within adjacent restricted areas. The accelerator and
3.2 THE TREATMENT-DELIVERY SYSTEM
3.2.1 The beam nozzle and snout
3.2.1.1 Passive beam-delivery techniques
3.2.1.2 Dynamic beam-delivery techniques
3.2.1.2.1 Wobbled beams
3.2.1.2.2 Repainting
3.2.2 Patient support and positioning
3.2.3 Special treatment techniques
3.2.3.1 Eye treatments
3.2.3.2 Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy
3.2.4 Rotating gantries
3.3 ACCELERATORS
3.3.1 Linear accelerators
3.3.2 Cyclotrons, isochronous cyclotrons, and synchrocyclotrons
3.3.3 Synchrotrons
3.3.4 Typical accelerator operating parameters
3.4 THE PROPERTIES OF PROTON BEAMS
3.4.1 Proton interactions with matter
3.4.2 Definition and specification of beam properties and beam parameters
3.4.2.1 Beam properties
3.4.2.2 Beam parameters
3.5 RADIATION QUALITY