2005 JINST TH 006
Ph.D. degree thesis
accepted by
Universit� Claude Bernard Lyon I, Institut de Physique Nucl�aire,
France and Fondazione TERA, Italy, in 2005
Paolo Berra
Supervisors: Ugo Amaldi, Albert Demeyer and Joseph Remillieux
Design, construction and tests of a 3 GHz proton linac booster (LIBO) for cancer therapy
Keywords:
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Instrumentation for particle accelerators and storage rings - high
energy (linear accelerators, synchrotrons)
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Instrumentation for hadron therapy
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Acceleration cavities and magnets superconducting (high-temperature
superconductor; radiation hardened magnets; normal-conducting; permanent
magnet devices; wigglers and undulators)
Abstract:
In the last ten years the use of proton beams in radiation therapy has
become a clinical tool for treatment of deep-seated tumours. LIBO is a
RF compact and low cost proton linear accelerator (SCL type) for
hadrontherapy. It is conceived by TERA Foundation as a 3 GHz Linac
Booster, to be mounted downstream of an existing cyclotron in order to
boost the energy of the proton beam up to 200 MeV, needed for deep
treatment (~25 cm) in the human body. With this solution it is
possible to transform a low energy commercial cyclotron, normally used
for eye melanoma therapy, isotope production and nuclear physics
research, into an accelerator for deep-seated tumours. LIBO is also
naturally very suitable for the spot scanning techniques now in use in
hadrontherapy for the beam delivery to the tumour.
A prototype module of LIBO has been built and successfully tested with
full RF power at CERN and with proton beam at INFN Laboratori
Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania, within an international
collaboration between TERA Foundation, CERN, the Universities and INFN
groups of Milan and Naples.
As a consequence of these tests we prove, for the first time, that it
is possible to inject and accelerate proton beams from a cyclotron
into a 3 GHz linear accelerator. The prototype construction proves
also that standard technology can be adopted for fabrication, covering
at the same time the stringent physical performances of a compact
linac for hadrontherapy. A final accelerating gradient of 29 MV/m has
been then reached, so even better than the design value of 15.3
MV/m. The mid-term aim of the project is the technology transfer of
the accumulated know-how to a consortium of companies and to bring
this novel medical tool to hospitals. The design, construction and
tests of the LIBO prototype are described in detail.
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