title: [Proton therapy and particle accelerators].
abstract: Since the high energy accelerator plan was changed from a 40 GeV direct machine to a 12GeV cascade one, a 500 MeV rapid cycling booster synchrotron was installed between the injector linac and the 12 GeV main ring at KEK, National Lab. for High Energy Physics. The booster beams were used not only for injection to the main ring but also for medical use. Their energy was reduced to 250 MeV by a graphite block for clinical trial of cancer therapy. In 1970's, pi(-) or heavy ions were supposed to be promising. Although advantage of protons with Bragg Peak was pointed out earlier, they seemed effective only for eye melanoma at that time. In early 1980's, it was shown that they were effective for deep-seated tumor by Tsukuba University with KEK beams. The first dedicated facility was built at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Its synchrotron was made by Fermi National Accelerator Lab. Since a non-resonant accelerating rf cavity was installed, operation of the synchrotron became much easier. Later, innovation of the cyclotron was achieved. Its weight was reduced from 1,000 ton to 200 ton. Some of the cyclotrons are equipped with superconducting coils.
authors.affiliation: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Tsukuba, lbaraki 305-0046, Japan.
authors.forename: Sadayoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D017357:Cyclotrons / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009686:Nuclear Physics; D061766:Proton Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D017356:Synchrotrons