Experimental assessment of the electromagnetic background noise in the Trento Proton Therapy Center

This work is aimed at the assessment of electromagnetic background noise measurement in the Trento Proton Therapy Center, a medical and experimental Facility located in Trento (Italy). The objective is to assess the level of electromagnetic pollution in a frequency up to 6 GHz. Since the assessment of electromagnetic pollution is very important to guarantee the correct behaviors of devices and systems used, the electromagnetic pollution level in three locations of the facility were measured: the two therapy rooms, used for oncological patient treatment, and the experimental area, used for biological/biophysics cells irradiation and particle silicon sensors characterization. The experimental measurement campaign has been carried on with a wide band omnidirectional antenna and a spectrum analyzer able to store the measurements for hours. The obtained measurement demonstrated that in the two rooms aimed at the patient proton therapy and in the experimental area, devoted to research irradiation, the level of electromagnetic noise is compatible with the Italian and European regulations. Also the activation of the proton beam during the operations do not create electromagnetic compatibility problems with the instruments used in any of these three locations.