A combined function centre for deep seated cancer therapy and for the radionuclide production for imaging and medical use

por Vittorio Giorgio Vaccaro (Università di Napoli Federico II and INFN Sezione di Napol)

viernes 16 feb. 2007 12:30 → 13:30 Europe/Madrid

Sala Seminarios IFIC (Edf. Institutos de Investigación)

The use of energetic proton beams for deep seated cancer therapy is now well settled and applied in many centres in the world. Since 1957, 43.000 patients have been worldwide treated. In the beginning the medical treatment were given elementary particles research centres. Little by little this kind of therapy is moving into ad hoc conceived medical centres. The accelerators designed for this use must satisfy some requirements: simple in the use , if possible, reduced dimensions and reduced cost. In parallel more and more the production of radionuclides for imaging and therapy is increasing. This production is generally made by means of cyclotrons of energy ranging between 10MeV and 30MeV The seminar will illustrate the design of a combined function centre: cancer therapy and the radionuclide production. It is foreseen the sequence of a 30MeV cyclotron followed by a linear post-accelerator which brings the proton beam up to 240MeV. The LINAC is of the type Side Coupled (SCL). The working principle (linac coupled to a cyclotron) has been demonstrated in Laboratori del Sud of’ INFN, where a proton beam has been accelerated from 62MeV up to 74MeV by means of an SCL module. A second module, designed to accelerate protons from 30 to 35 MeV, is under construction. Power tests without beam and acceleration tests are foreseen on Spring and Fall. A business plan for this centre has been drawn up.