Fast control of the reach of high-energy ion beams for precision irradiation of moving target volumes

An apparatus for adjusting the range of an ion beam (10), particularly for the therapeutic treatment of a patient by means of irradiation of a target volume (20) by ion comprising - a range adjustment device (2) for the ion beam (10), in which the ion beam (10) when passing through different areas of the range adjustment device (2) experiences a different energy loss, - a sensor (6) for detecting the position (21, 22, 23) of the target volume (20) having a position (21, 22, 23) descriptive information (30) provides a control device (7), which information the (30) of the sensor (6) and provides a to position (21, 22, 23) of the target volume (20) generated correlated control signal (31) and - a controllable first deflector (1) which in the beam direction in front of the range adjustment device (2) is arranged for deflecting the ion beam (10) from its original beam axis (11), so that the ion beam (10) (on different areas of the range adjustment device 2 ) can be guided, the deflection of the ion beam (10) in response to the ...