Performance test of electron cyclotron resonance ion sources for the Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center

Abstract

Two electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources were manufactured for the accelerator facility at the Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center. H2+, He2+, and C4+ were chosen as the accelerating ions because they have the highest charge to mass ratio among ion states which satisfy the required intensity and quality. The sources have the same structure as the 10 GHz ECR source at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba except for a few improvements in the magnetic structure. Their performance was investigated at the Sumitomo Heavy Industries factory before shipment. The maximum intensity was 1500 μA for H2+, 1320 μA for He2+, and 580 μA for C4+ at the end of the ion source beam transport line. These are several times higher than required. Sufficient performance was also observed in the flatness and long-term stability of the pulsed beams. These test results satisfy the requirements for medical use.

Review on heavy ion radiotherapy facilities and related ion sources (invited)

“…If the wobbler method is expected to be utilized, the consideration for the additional shielding is necessary before the construction. 38 HIBMC switches the carbon and proton beams during daily operation. In order to supply carbon ions for clinical treatments at HIMAC, C 2+ or C 4+ ions are produced for daily clinical treatments, mainly by the 10 GHz NIRS-ECR ion source.…”

Cyclinac medical accelerators using pulsed C6+/H2+ion sources

“…The Japanese centers use sources coming from the research and experience developed over the years at NIRS and more precisely, on its NIRS-ECRIS permanent magnet 10 GHz source. At HIBMC, two identical sources ECR1 and ECR2 are used, for fast switching between proton and carbon ion treatments [26]. The GHMC uses the Kei-GM, a 10 GHz permanent magnet source similar to the NIRS-Kei2 prototype [27].…”

The biological effects induced by high-charged and energy particles and its application in cancer therapy

“…In 1997, the GSI (Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung) in Darmstadt, Germany, started clinical trials with carbon, which terminated clinical application and was succeeded by Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) in 2009 (59) . In 2001, the Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center (HIBMC) was established in Japan as the 2irst commercial heavy-ion radiotherapy facility with the support of NIRS (60) The main reason to use heavy charged particles in therapy instead of conventional photons is the inversed dose pro2ile. The increase of energy deposition with penetration depth up to a sharp maximum at the end of the particle range, the Bragg peak, named after William Bragg, who measured an increase of ionization at the end of the range of alpha particles in air.…”