NCBJ presented two advanced medical devices at an exhibition accompanying the ESTRO 2012 medical conference held in Barcelona: the Coline 6 medical accelerator and the Inline PN50 electronic X-ray source for brachytherapy, both developed to treat cancer cases. The project was assisted by some EU funding. The applied Hi-Tech solutions may help Polish medical products to come back to international markets.

Presentation of the latest devices developed in NCBJ for radiotherapy of cancer at an exhibition accompanying ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology) International Conference held between May 9 and May 13, 2012 in Barcelona (Spain) is undoubtedly a significant event for the involved researchers, but may also be a milestone for oncology patients and medical equipment manufacturers in Poland. The two presented machines included the Coline 6 fully-automatic medical accelerator, and the Inline PN50 electronic source for brachytherapy. Both machines offer improved accuracy of targeting their beams, which translates into larger effectiveness of tumour irradiation sessions and increased patient safety.

„Our latest equipment is extremely effective in treating many cancer cases because parameters of the accelerated electron beams may be precisely adjusted and are automatically controlled”– said Dr. Jacek Rzadkiewicz, Manager of the AiD (Accelerators & Detectors) project currently under accomplishment in NCBJ – „The equipment we have just presented on international forum of experts meets the highest-class global standards. It is a product of our engineering tradition largely supported – if not revived – by EU funding. Our achievements have attracted pretty high interest of the international community of radiological oncologists gathered in Barcelona.  One may hope that both Coline 6 and Inline PN50 machines will soon find their applications in clinics, not only in Polish ones”.

Coline 6 is a new generation medical accelerator. Its 6 MeV electron beam may be used to carry out complex radiation treatments. The applied advanced technical solutions help physicians to synchronize its all operating parameters according to treatment plan of the given patient. Advanced multi-leaf collimator composed of 80 independent leaves may shape the beam, influence its direction, and adjust its intensity. That way the beam may be more precisely than in older machines adjusted to the given patient tumour shape and location – positioning accuracy is better than 1 mm. Besides, the Coline 6 accelerator is equipped with some highest-quality radiation detection panels that during the entire irradiation session are monitoring the beam to provide the highest level of patient safety.

The Inline PN50 electronic X-ray source for brachytherapy is in fact also a miniature medical accelerator. Its small-diameter long protruding needle-like anode can be inserted inside patient body. It is used for intra-operative irradiation of lesions after resected tumours, in particular breast cancers. Surgeon inserts tip of the needle into the lesion to clean it up from any residue cancer cells that might be missed during the surgery. Low-energy, high intensity X-ray radiation of strictly controlled parameters emitted in all directions from the anode bombarded by accelerated electrons kill cancer cells and that way significantly minimize the risk of cancer metastasis in treated patient organism. Once irradiated, post-operative lesion is sutured, and the patient may leave the clinic next day.

„We may be proud that our knowledge, skills, and know-how help to save human life” – said Professor  Grzegorz Wrochna, NCBJ Director General – „National Centre for Nuclear Research offers some comprehensive solutions for medicine. We irradiate some nuclides in our 'Maria' nuclear to produce radioisotopes, which – after processing in our POLATOM Radioisotope Centre – are used primarily as diagnostics preparations in nuclear medicine. We manufacture also some highest-class equipment for cancer radiotherapy. Irradiation is most often used in combination with other treatment methods to minimize the risk of cancer metastasis in treated patient organism”.

The Coline 6 medical accelerator and the Inline PN50 electronic X-ray source for brachytherapy are developed within the “Development of dedicated systems based on accelerators and detectors of ionizing radiation for medical therapy and in detection of hazardous materials and toxic wastes” (AiD) R&D project currently under development in NCBJ. The 86 million PLN-worth project is accomplished within framework of the Innovative Economy Operation Programme co-financed by EU via European Regional Development Fund. The main objective of the project is to improve innovativeness and competitiveness of Polish R&D/industry sectors in the area of cancer diagnosis/radiotherapy equipment and in the area of cargo gammascopy equipment. Such equipment needs new technologies to be developed in such fields as electron accelerating structures, electron beam monitoring & control systems, detectors of photons, neutrons & electrons, computer methods to simulate interaction of ionizing radiation with matter, electronic data acquisition/processing systems, image re-construction & identification algorithms.

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