1000 MeV Proton beam therapy facility at Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute Synchrocyclotron

Since 1975 proton beam of PNPI synchrocyclotron with fixed energy of 1000 MeV is used for the stereotaxic proton therapy of different head brain diseases. 1300 patients have been treated during this time. The advantage of high energy beam (1000 MeV) is low scattering of protons in the irradiated tissue. This factor allows to form the dose field with high edge gradients (20%/mm) that is especially important for the irradiation of the intra-cranium targets placed in immediate proximity to the life critical parts of the brain. Fixation of the 6 0mm diameter proton beam at the isodose centre with accuracy of ±1.0 mm, two-dimensional rotation technique of the irradiation provide a very high ratio of the dose in the irradiation zone to the dose at the object's surface equal to 200:1. The absorbed doses are: 120-150 Gy for normal hypophysis, 100-120 Gy for pituitary adenomas and 40-70 Gy for arterio-venous malformation at the rate of absorbed dose up to 50 Gy/min. In the paper the dynamics and the efficiency of 1000 MeV proton therapy treatment of the brain deceases are given. At present time the feasibility study is in progress with the goal to create a proton therapy on Bragg peak by means of the moderation of 1000 MeV proton beam in the absorber down to 200 MeV, energy required for radiotherapy of deep seated tumors.