Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An ion selection system, comprising:a collimation device capable of collimating a laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam, said laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam comprising a plurality of high energy polyenergetic positive ions;a first magnetic field source capable of spatially separating said high energy polyenergetic positive ions according to their energy levels;an aperture capable of modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions; anda second magnetic field source capable of recombining the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions. 2. The ion selection system of claim 1, wherein the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions have energy levels in the range of from about 50 MeV to about 250 MeV. 3. The ion selection system of claim 1, wherein said first magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of the high energy polyenergetic positive ions away from a beam axis of said laser-accelerated polyenergetic ion beam. 4. The ion selection system of claim 3, further comprising a third magnetic field source, said third magnetic field source capable of bending the trajectories of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards the aperture. 5. The ion selection system of claim 4, wherein the aperture is placed outside of the magnetic field of said third magnetic field. 6. The ion selection system of claim 4, wherein the magnetic field of said third magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards the second magnetic field source. 7. The ion selection system of claim 6, wherein the second magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards a direction parallel to the direction of the laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam. 8. The ion selection system of claim 1, further comprising a secondary collimation device capable of fluidically communicating a portion of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions therethrough. 9. The ion selection system of claim 8, wherein said secondary collimation device is capable of modulating the beam shape of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions. 10. The ion selection system of claim 1, wherein said aperture comprises a plurality of openings, each of the openings capable of fluidically communicating high energy polyenergetic positive ions therethrough. 11. The ion selection system of claim 10, wherein the aperture is a multileaf collimator. 12. A method of forming a high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam, comprising:forming a laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam comprising a plurality of high energy polyenergetic positive ions, said high energy polyenergetic positive ions characterized as having a distribution of energy levels;collimating said laser-accelerated ion beam using a collimation device;spatially separating said high energy positive ions according to their energy levels using a first magnetic field;modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions using an aperture; andrecombining the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions using a second magnetic field. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions gives rise to a portion of the positive ions being transmitted through the aperture, said portion of the positive ions having energy levels in the range of from about 50 MeV to about 250 MeV. 14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said trajectories of the high energy polyenergetic positive ions are bent away from a beam axis of said laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam using said first magnetic field. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the trajectories of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are further bent towards the aperture using a third magnetic field. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the spatially separated high energy positive ions are modulated by energy level using a plurality of controllable openings in said aperture. 17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the third magnetic field further bends said trajectories towards the second magnetic field. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the second magnetic field bends said trajectories towards a direction parallel to the direction of a laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam. 19. The method according to claim 12, wherein a portion of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions is fluidically communicated through a secondary collimation device. 20. The method according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of high energy polyenergetic positive ion beamlets are fluidically communicated through a plurality of controllable openings in said aperture to modulate the spatially separated high energy positive ions. 21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the high energy polyenergetic positive ions are spatially separated over distances up to about 50 cm according to an energy distribution of the high energy polyenergetic positive ions, said distances being measured perpendicularly to a beam axis of said laser-accelerated ion beam entering the first magnetic field. 22. The method of claim 12, further comprising irradiating a radioisotope precursor with the recombined spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions. 23. A laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system, comprising:a laser-targeting system, said laser-targeting comprising a laser and a targeting system capable of producing a high energy polyenergetic ion beam, said high energy polyenergetic ion beam comprising high energy polyenergetic positive ions having energy levels of at least about 50 MeV, the high energy polyenergetic positive ions being spatially separated based on energy level;an ion selection system capable of producing a therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam from a portion of said high energy polyenergetic positive ions; andan ion beam monitoring and control system. 24. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 23, wherein the ion selection system comprises:a collimation device capable of collimating said laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam;a first magnetic field source capable of spatially separating said high energy polyenergetic positive ions according to their energy levels;an aperture capable of modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions; anda second magnetic field source capable of recombining the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions. 25. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 24, wherein the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are characterized as having energy levels in the range of from about 50 MeV to about 250 MeV. 26. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 24, wherein said first magnetic field source provides a first magnetic field, said first magnetic field capable of bending the trajectories of the high energy polyenergetic positive ions, said bending being in a direction away from a beam axis of said laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam. 27. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 26, wherein the ion selection system further comprises a third magnetic field source, said third magnetic field source capable of bending the trajectories of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards the aperture. 28. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 27, wherein the aperture is placed outside of the magnetic field of said third magnetic field. 29. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 27, wherein the magnetic field of said third magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of said portion of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards the second magnetic field source. 30. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 29, wherein the second magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of said portion of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards a direction parallel to a beam axis of the laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam. 31. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 24, further comprising a secondary collimation device capable of fluidically communicating a portion of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions therethrough. 32. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 31, wherein the secondary collimation device is capable of modulating a beam shape of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions. 33. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system of claim 24, wherein said aperture comprises a plurality of openings, each of the openings capable of fluidically communicating ion beamlets therethrough. 34. A method of treating a patient with a laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system, comprising:identifying the position of a targeted region in a patient;determining the treatment strategy of the targeted region, said treatment strategy comprising determining the dose distributions of a plurality of therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beams for irradiating the targeted region;forming said plurality of therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beams from a plurality of high energy polyenergetic positive ions, the high energy polyenergetic positive ions being spatially separated based on energy level; anddelivering the plurality of therapeutically suitable polyenergetic positive ion beams to the targeted region according to the treatment strategy. 35. The method of treating a patient according to claim 34, wherein determining the dose distributions comprises determining the energy distribution, intensity and direction of a plurality of therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beams. 36. The method of treating a patient according to claim 34, wherein said therapeutically suitable polyenergetic positive ion beams are prepared by:forming a laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam comprising high energy polyenergetic positive ions;collimating said laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam using at least one collimation device;spatially separating said high energy polyenergetic positive ions according to their energy levels using a first magnetic field;modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions using an aperture; andrecombining the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions using a second magnetic field. 37. The method of treating a patient according to claim 36, wherein the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions have energy levels in the range of from about 50 MeV to about 250 MeV. 38. The method of treating a patient according to claim 36, wherein the trajectories of the high energy polyenergetic positive ions are bent away from a beam axis of said laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam using said first magnetic field. 39. The method of treating a patient according to claim 38, wherein the trajectories of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are bent towards the aperture using a third magnetic field. 40. The method of treating a patient according to claim 39, wherein the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are modulated by energy level using a plurality of controllable openings in said aperture. 41. The method of treating a patient according to claim 40, wherein the trajectories of the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are further bent towards the second magnetic field using said third magnetic field. 42. The method of treating a patient according to claim 41, wherein the trajectories of the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are bent towards a direction parallel to the direction of a beam axis of the laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam using said second magnetic field. 43. The method of treating a patient according to claim 36, wherein a portion of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions are fluidically communicated through a secondary collimation device. 44. The method of treating a patient according to claim 43, wherein the beam shape of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions is modulated by the secondary collimation device. 45. A laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center, comprising:a location for securing a patient; anda laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion therapy system capable of delivering a therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam to a patient at said location, the ion therapy system comprising:a laser-targeting system, said laser-targeting system comprising a laser and a target assembly capable of producing a high energy polyenergetic ion beam, said high energy polyenergetic ion beam comprising high energy polyenergetic positive ions having energy levels of at least about 50 MeV;an ion selection system capable of producing a therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam using said high energy polyenergetic positive ions, the high energy polyenergetic positive ions being spatially separated based on energy level; anda monitoring and control system for said therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam. 46. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 45, wherein the ion selection system comprises:a collimation device capable of collimating said high energy polyenergetic ion beam;a first magnetic field source capable of spatially separating said high energy polyenergetic positive ions according to their energy levels;an aperture capable of modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions; anda second magnetic field source capable of recombining the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions into said therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam. 47. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 46, wherein the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions are characterized as having energy levels in the range of from about 50 MeV to about 250 MeV. 48. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 46, wherein said first magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of the high energy polyenergetic positive ions away from a beam axis of said laser-accelerated polyenergetic ion beam entering the first magnetic field. 49. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 48, wherein the ion selection system further comprises a third magnetic field source capable of bending the trajectories of the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards the aperture. 50. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 49, wherein the aperture is placed outside of the magnetic field of said third magnetic field. 51. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 49, wherein the magnetic field of said third magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of the modulated high energy positive ions towards the second magnetic field source. 52. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 51, wherein the second magnetic field source is capable of bending the trajectories of the modulated high energy polyenergetic positive ions towards a direction parallel to a beam axis of the laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam. 53. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 48, further comprising a secondary collimation device capable of fluidically communicating a portion of the recombined high energy polyenergetic positive ions therethrough. 54. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 46, wherein said aperture comprises a plurality of openings, each of the openings capable of fluidically communicating ion beamlets therethrough. 55. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 45, wherein the target assembly and the ion selection system are placed on a rotating gantry. 56. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 45, wherein a laser beam of said laser is reflectively transported to the target assembly using a plurality of mirrors. 57. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 56, wherein the ion selection system is robotically mounted to give permit scanning of the therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam. 58. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 56, further comprising at least one beam splitter to split the laser beam to each of at least two target assemblies. 59. The laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam treatment center of claim 45, wherein the laser-targeting system comprises a plurality of target assemblies, each of said target assemblies capable of producing a high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam, said high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam comprising high energy polyenergetic positive ions comprising energy levels of at least about 50 MeV;a plurality of ion selection systems each capable of individually producing a therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam from each of said individual high energy polyenergetic positive ion beams; andan individual polyenergetic ion beam monitoring and control system for each of said therapeutically suitable high energy polyenergetic positive ion beams. 60. A method of producing radioisotopes, comprising:forming a high energy polyenergetic positive ion beam, comprising:forming a laser-accelerated high energy polyenergetic ion beam comprising a plurality of high energy polyenergetic positive ions, said high energy positive ions characterized as having an energy distribution;collimating said laser-accelerated ion beam using at least one collimation device;spatially separating said high energy polyenergetic positive ions according to energy using a first magnetic field;modulating the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions using an aperture; andrecombining the spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions using a second magnetic field; andirradiating a radioisotope precursor with the recombined spatially separated high energy polyenergetic positive ions.