Inner gantry

1. A system comprising:

a patient support to hold a patient;

a synchrocyclotron to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient, the energy level being at least 150 MeV;

a gantry on which the synchrocyclotron is mounted to move the synchrocyclotron through a range of positions around the patient on the patient support; and

scanning elements that act on the proton or ion beam output from the synchrocyclotron, the scanning elements being between the patient and a location at which the proton or ion beam exits the synchrocyclotron.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises ferromagnetic pole faces that define a space in which to accelerate particles to produce the proton or ion beam; and

wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises an extraction channel to output the proton or ion beam from the synchrocyclotron.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the ferromagnetic pole faces comprises two ferromagnetic pole faces, each of the ferromagnetic pole faces being associated with a respective superconducting coil for carrying current to generate a magnetic field in the space to cause the particles in the space to travel in a spiral path that increases in radius as the particles move around the space prior to output to the extraction channel.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the ferromagnetic pole faces comprises a pole face configured to shape the magnetic field so that a field index is kept positive to maintain weak focusing within the space.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises superconducting coils for carrying current to generate a magnetic field in a space to cause particles to travel in a spiral path; and

wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises a helium-based cooling system to cool the superconducting coils to a superconducting temperature.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises:

superconducting coils to generate a magnetic field to support production of the proton or ion beam;

a cold mass holding the superconducting coils; and

straps to support the cold mass during movement of the gantry.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises:

an enclosure around the cold mass; and

straps to support the cold mass within the enclosure during movement of the gantry, each of the straps comprising two links, a first of the two links connecting to the enclosure, and a second of the two links connecting to the cold mass.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the two links comprise a fiberglass link.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchrocyclotron is configured to produce a maximum magnetic field between 6 Tesla (T) and 20 T, and wherein the energy level is between 150 MeV and 300 MeV.

10. A system comprising:

a patient support to hold a patient;

a synchrocyclotron to produce a proton or ion beam having an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient; and

a gantry on which the synchrocyclotron is mounted to move the synchrocyclotron through a range of positions around the patient on the patient support;

wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises:

superconducting coils to generate a magnetic field;

ferromagnetic pole faces to shape the magnetic field through a space in which particles are accelerated to form the proton or ion beam;

a cryostat to maintain the superconducting coils at a superconducting temperature; and

straps to support the cryostat, the straps being arranged based on gravitational force on the superconducting coils caused by rotation of the gantry.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises an extraction channel to output the proton or ion beam from the synchrocyclotron.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ferromagnetic pole faces comprises two ferromagnetic pole faces, each of the ferromagnetic pole faces being associated with a respective superconducting coil for carrying current to generate a magnetic field in the space to cause the particles in the space to travel in a spiral path that increases in radius as the particles move around the space prior to output to the extraction channel.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the ferromagnetic pole faces comprises a pole face configured to shape the magnetic field so that a field index is kept positive to maintain weak focusing within the space.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises a helium-based cooling system to cool the superconducting coils to a superconducting temperature.

15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:

at least one scatterer in a path of the proton or ion beam between the synchrocyclotron and the patient.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the straps comprises two links, a first of the two links connecting to an enclosure around the cryostat, and a second of the two links connecting to the cryostat.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the two links comprise a fiberglass link.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the synchrocyclotron is configured to produce a maximum magnetic field between 6 Tesla (T) and 20 T, and wherein the energy level is between 150 MeV and 300 MeV.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the synchrocyclotron weighs less than 40 Tons and occupies a volume of less than 4.5 cubic meters.

20. The system of claim 10 , wherein the gantry comprises two arms, each of the two arms supporting a different side of the synchrocyclotron to rotate the synchrocyclotron through a range of positions around the patient on the patient support.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchrocyclotron comprises:

superconducting coils to generate a magnetic field;

ferromagnetic pole faces to shape the magnetic field through a space in which particles are accelerated to form the proton or ion beam;

a cryostat to maintain the superconducting coils at a superconducting temperature; and

straps to support the cryostat, the straps being arranged based on gravitational force on the superconducting coils caused by rotation of the gantry.