FLASH DOSE RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for rapidly delivering high doses of radiation, also known as, flash dose radiotherapy or flash radiotherapy. One variation of a system for flash radiotherapy has a plurality of therapeutic radiation sources on a support structure (e.g., a gantry or arm) and configured to toward a patient target region, and a controller in communication with all of the therapeutic radiation sources. The controller is configured to activate the plurality of therapeutic radiation sources simultaneously so that the patient target region rapidly receives a high dose of radiation, e.g. the entire prescribed dose of radiation. In some variations, a flash radiotherapy system has a pulsed, high-power source that may be used to generate an X-ray pulse that delivers a dose having a dose rate from about 7.5 Gy/s to about 70 Gy/s. Flash radiotherapy systems may also include one or more imaging systems mounted on the support structure.