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Proton therapy centre PARTICLE

Infrastructure of the proton therapy centre

The supplier of the proton therapy device is IBA. This Belgian company is the worldwide technological leader in the field of proton therapy. The device that has been installed in the clinical bunker is the Proteus®ONE: a compact device that left sufficient room for a second bunker specifically for research.
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Particle accelerator

In April 2018 the two particle accelerators (superconductive synchrocyclotrons) that constitute the heart of the proton therapy centre were installed in two underground bunkers, with the highest of  precision. One cyclotron will be used for the treatment of patients, the other one for high-technological research. In these particle accelerators protons will be accelerated to up to 2/3 the speed of light. Subsequently the protons are conducted to the treatment or research room with the help of magnet and a bundle line. 

 

Gantry

In the treatment room the patient will be radiated from different angles with the so-called gantry. This was also delivered in the April 2018 and installing it was a real feat. 

Pencil beam scanning

The Proteus®ONE device is equipped with ‘pencil beam scanning’, the most advanced type of proton technology that allows the administration of extremely precise radiation. The ultra-fine proton bundle (pencil beam) makes a kind of zig-zagging movement (scanning) during which a small part of the tumour is radiated layer by layer until the full volume has been radiated up to the required radiation dose. At the same time, the surrounding healthy tissue is spared as much as possible. 

Pencil beam scanning

Imaging

In addition the Proteus®ONE device as well as the treatment room are equipped with quite a number of imaging modalities, including fixed x-ray tubes, a cone-beam CT, an in-room on-rails CT (Siemens SOMATOM Definition Edge), and a camera system for 3D-surface scanning (AlignRT® – Vision RT).

Planning system and process management

For setting up treatment plans we use the planning system RayStation (RaySearch). For the daily management of the proton therapy process of the oncological treatment we use the RayCare (RaySearch) software.

'Lichtpuntjes tegen kanker' at UZ Leuven

22 February 2023
In the 'Lichtpuntjes tegen Kanker' series on Eén, Siska Schoeters' mobile studio also made a stop at UZ Leuven. Patients Jordi (17) and Britt (15) talk about their proton therapy treatment and you get a behind-the-scenes look of the proton therapy centre PARTICLE.

First patient with oesophageal cancer treated with proton therapy

14 December 2022
At the end of November, it was the first time a patient with oesophageal cancer was treated in Belgium. This was done in the Leuven proton therapy centre PARTICLE, as part of the first European phase 3 study on the potential benefits of proton irradiation in that type of cancer.

Building with proton therapy bricks

1 May 2021
A gigantic radiation machine revolving around you while you're all alone in a medical bunker: a treatment in the Leuven proton therapy centre can be pretty frightening for children. To familiarise them a bit with what will happen in the hospital, a Lego building set was devised.
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Last edit: 16 february 2023