Proton Therapy Unit Technology
The Hitachi synchrotron, featuring pencil beam scanning and a 360° gantry, tailored to each patient’s needs
The Hitachi synchrotron installed in the Proton Therapy Unit at the University of Navarra Cancer Centre produces a beam consisting solely of protons, with no residual neutrons that could cause side effects. It accelerates the particles to precisely the energy required for each patient’s tumour on an individual basis, without the need for artificial filters.
More than 60,000 patients worldwide have been treated using this technology at centres such as the Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson, Johns Hopkins, St. Jude and Hokkaido University. The 360° gantry allows the most appropriate treatment angle to be selected for each tumour location.
Do you need us to help you?
Complete this form and our specialists will contact you to discuss the case.
Advantages of synchrotron technology
Increased precision and accuracy of dose delivery, greater patient comfort and safety, and more efficient energy use.
Efficient use
The linear accelerator releases only the protons needed in each beam, thus achieving more efficient energy use, and no secondary neutrons (pollutants) are released.
Multi-energy system
This element changes the energy extremely quickly for the next treatment layer sweep: this means the radiation dose is deposited with maximum accuracy in the shortest-possible time.
360° rotation
Full gantry rotation reduces treatment time and increases precision, above all in locations where the tumor can move (lung, breast, pancreas, etc.).
Maximum field
This feature facilitates treatment of large tumor areas (e.g. craniospinal tumors and retroperitoneal sarcomas) with fewer patches.
Integrated CT
This enables verification of the patient’s positioning by making an automatic record with the planning CT. It precisely reproduces the tumor location on treatment day.
Pencil beam scanning
The tumor is scanned using this technology, which allows for enhanced dose–tumor conformity, maximizing the dose deposited in the tumor and minimizing the dose in healthy tissue.
Synchrotron, a “clean” accelerator
This device enables proton beam acceleration to the energy level required to reach each patient’s individual tumor, without the need for artificial filters to drive the “braking” process.
The Clínica’s facilities also include a system enabling proton treatment for tumors subject to respiratory movement, with a solution that is fully integrated in the instrument system. Real-time tracking is able to locate and quantify tumor movement and synchronize irradiation timing for minimal impact on healthy tissue.
Radiation Oncology
