Proton therapy particle accelerators, usually cyclotrons, are large and expensive devices, and only about 1% of proton therapy treatment candidates have access to proton therapy. The research at Antaya Science and Technology aims to reduce the overall cost, simplify the operation, and increase the availability of proton therapy to all candidate patients. The proposed research activity aims to enable the use of an external ECR proton injector, operation at an order of magnitude higher intensity, and with ultra-precise beam control. Use of an ECR ion source eliminates the maintenance issues associated with internal ion sources, whose cathodes erode and require frequent replacement. ECR ion sources also allow order of magnitude higher proton intensities and reduce the amount of hydrogen gas present in the cyclotron, improving overall operation. Operating at an order of magnitude higher intensity allows, for the first time ever, treatment of tumors in a single breath-hold, reducing issues with organ motion. In combination with ultra-precise beam control, spot-to-spot intensity variation becomes possible, improving the efficiency of spot-beam-scanning (SBS) treatments. Treatment planning options will be expanded, and patient outcomes improved over conventional treatment. The research project will address the technical challenge of injecting high-intensity, low-velocity protons into the center of a high-field compact cyclotron and successfully capturing them into orbits and accelerating them to extraction. Internal space charge is an issue at high intensity and energy below ~1 MeV. Benchmarked cyclotron design codes cannot presently analyze all the associated particle dynamics. The research strategy is therefore to build a prototype ion source, injector, high-field magnet, cyclotron central region, and extraction apparatus. Extensive diagnostics will enable the benchmarking of codes for future development. This Phase II work establishes a prototype high-intensity proton injection system for cyclotron accelerators and demonstrate all the key parameters required to ultimately commercialize the technology. Commercial applications include retrofits to extant machines, new proton therapy machines designed with high-intensity injection built-in, and applications outside radiation therapy including but not limited to isotope production cyclotrons, basic research cyclotrons, and proton radiography. This research will de-risk the technology and bring it to market years earlier; more importantly, the research will resul in advanced spot-beam-scanning technology reaching the clinic years earlier, improving patient treatment and outcomes.
Proton therapy is a promising cancer treatment that can treat tumors with lower total dose and side effects than x-ray treatments, but is presently only used for about 1% of candidate patients. This project will reduce the cost, boost the intensity by at least a factor of ten, and improve the beam control of proton therapy cyclotrons, enabling faster spot beam scanning treatment and wider availability to patients. Moreover, this research will enable treatments rapid enough to treat small tumors in a single breath-hold, reducing issues associated with organ motion during treatment.
