The building was realised with a construction team formula, consisting of contractor BAM Contractors, architects dJGA, AR-TE, engineering firm MACOBO-STABO and safety coordinator VEKMO.
Design
The essence of the building's design was to offer patients a high-tech form of radiotherapy in a qualitative and safe way.
The building was designed to eliminate stress-inducing factors as much as possible. One of the key elements is to make optimal use of natural daylight. Although the new building is largely underground, the terrace-shaped volume and several patios allow daylight to reach deep into the building.
In addition, due attention went to providing sufficient spaciousness and openness, a clear layout and high-quality materials.
Patients’ experience within the building was not the only concern: the terraces with roof gardens create an scenic added value to the outside.
The new building also houses an extension of the radiology department, more specifically a space designed to install magnetic resonance (MR) scanners. Such design will strongly boost joint operations of the two departments. Through a common waiting room, patients will be escorted to the proton and/or MR centre. The induction area and recovery rooms for anaesthesiology will also be used by both departments.
Evolution of the construction
Infrastructure
The supplier of the proton therapy equipment is IBA. This Belgian company is the global technological leader in proton therapy.
In April 2018, the two particle accelerators (superconducting synchrocyclotrons), which form the heart of the proton therapy centre, were installed with high precision in two underground bunkers. In these particle accelerators, protons are accelerated to about 2/3 of the speed of light. The protons are then guided to their target using magnets and a beam line.
One bunker is further equipped with a so-called Proteus®ONE compact gantry. Its installation in 2018 was a real feat. The other bunker contains a fixed horizontal beamline.
The Proteus®ONE device is equipped with 'pencil beam scanning', the most advanced proton technology that allows for extremely precise radiation. The ultrafine proton beam (pencil beam) makes a zigzagging movement (scanning) during which a small part of the tumour is radiated layer by layer until the required dose has been administered. At the same time, the surrounding healthy tissue is spared as much as possible.
The Proteus®ONE device as well as the treatment room itself are equipped with a number of imaging modalities, including fixed X-ray tubes, cone-beam CT, an in-room CT on-rails (Siemens SOMATOM Definition Edge), and a camera system for 3D surface scanning (AlignRT® - Vision RT).
The RayStation planning system (RaySearch) is used to set up treatment plans. For daily management of the proton therapy process of oncological treatment, the RayCare (RaySearch) software is used.