SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARTICLE THERAPY

Particle therapy systems and methods for treating patients are provided. In one implementation, a particle therapy system may include an interaction chamber for containing a target and an electromagnetic radiation source configured to generate a pulsed electromagnetic radiation beam of at least about 100 terawatts and at a repetition rate of at least about 20 Hz. The particle therapy system may further include optics configured to direct the pulsed electromagnetic radiation beam along a path towards a target in the interaction chamber. The particle therapy system may further include an actuator configured to cause relative movement between the target and the electromagnetic radiation beam at a speed associated with the repetition rate of the electromagnetic radiation source, to thereby vary a location of interaction of the pulsed electromagnetic radiation beam on a surface of the target and thereby cause a resultant emission from the target of at least about 3×106 charged particles per pulse.