1. Hitachi’s First Proton Therapy System in Europe Opens at Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Spain
Hitachi has supplied its proton therapy system to Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Madrid, Spain and treatment started on April 17, 2020. Clínica Universidad de Navarra is the first hospital in Europe to which Hitachi has delivered the proton therapy system. With sites in both Navarra and Madrid, Clínica Universidad de Navarra is a private hospital that combines medical research and education with the provision of clinical care. It is recognized as a world-leading medical institution and was listed among the top 50 world hospitals in the 2020 Newsweek magazine rankings*1.
The supplied system has a treatment room and is equipped with leading-edge technologies, including spot scanning to precisely target the proton beam based on the shape of the tumor, a 360-degree rotating gantry with cone beam computed tomography (CT), and real-time image gated proton therapy (RGPT)*2. Furthermore, this system has the option to add an additional gantry treatment room in the existing building without interrupting treatment.
- *1
- The World’s Best Hospitals: A ranking list published annually by the US magazine Newsweek.
- *2
- RGPT allows real-time beam irradiation to the tumor while compensating for movement associated with respiration. The technology was collaboratively developed between Hokkaido University and Hitachi, supported by the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology (FIRST) of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.