MedAustron

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MedAustron in Wiener Neustadt (2015)

MedAustron is an interdisciplinary and supraregional Austrian center for cancer treatment with particle therapy , the research and further development of this relatively new form of therapy as well as non-clinical research with protons and heavier ions . After the construction phase in 2011, the installation of the particle accelerator in 2012 and the technical and medical trial operation in 2013 and 2014, the first patient irradiation took place in 2016.

The facility in Wiener Neustadt was realized with an investment volume of around 200 million euros. When the facility is in full operation, it should be possible to treat around 1200 patients per year. Around 150 people work at MedAustron, plus around 30 scientists .

history

Originally, in the early 1990s, as part of the Austron project, an association of the same name pursued the plan to build a neutron spallation source in Austria as a large-scale research facility for particle radiation. As a cost-effective alternative to this project, MedAustron was designed in parallel from the end of the 1990s. In 1996, with the financial support of the City of Wiener Neustadt and the State of Lower Austria, a basis was created in the form of an office in the Regional Innovation Center (RIZ), where essential parts of a three-volume feasibility study were developed. This formed the basis of the following design study, which was published in 2004. After numerous financing negotiations on the part of the operating and construction companies with the state of Lower Austria, the city of Wiener Neustadt and the federal government, as well as a failed tender in 2006, the foundation stone was laid in 2011. The building was completed in 2012 and the construction of the particle accelerator and the positioning system began the following year . The first ion source was ceremoniously handed over in January 2013. At the same time, the project was submitted to the Court of Auditors. The technical trial operation and the installation of the medical technology took place from 2014, the medical-physical commissioning in 2015.

In August 2016, the irradiation room including the proton beam was officially handed over to science.

The first tumor patient should have been treated on December 5, 2016. However, due to a lack of permits, this date had to be postponed at short notice. The last missing certification took place on December 14, 2016; The legally binding use permit was thus granted and the first tumor patients could be treated. The second treatment room was put into operation in mid-2017. In July 2019 it was possible to start working with carbon ions for the first time.

Particle accelerator and facility

The entire MedAustron facility consists of three areas: the particle accelerator , the therapy and the research area.

Particle accelerator

In order to be able to generate different types of charged particles for therapy and research , a synchrotron- based system is required. A synchrotron is a type of ring-shaped particle accelerator . At MedAustron, three ion sources generate the particles used for the irradiation: For this purpose, carbon dioxide CO 2 or hydrogen gas H 2 is heated to extremely high temperatures and thus plasma is generated. The positively charged ions are separated from the negatively charged electrons from this plasma by electric fields . Then the first step of accelerating the ions to around 12 percent of the speed of light takes place in a linear accelerator . In the next step, the ions in the synchrotron are guided on a circular path with a length of around 80 meters, where strong magnetic fields deflect the charged particles and gradually accelerate them with each pass. The accelerator facility was developed and assembled from more than 1,000 components from 23 countries and by over 200 manufacturers in Wiener Neustadt . The largest control magnet weighs 120 tons .

The MedAustron system enables an energy range of 60 to 250 MeV for protons and 120 to 400 MeV / u for carbon ions in medical operation. Proton energies of up to 800 MeV are available for research. The particles reach about two thirds of the speed of light, or around 200,000 kilometers per second. The energy of the particles corresponds to the depth of penetration of the beam into the body, whereby a maximum of 30 centimeters can be reached.

The particles are then directed into one of the four radiation rooms, one of which is optimized for non-clinical research and the three remaining rooms are used to treat cancer patients.

In November 2019, two horizontal and one vertical beams were available for proton therapy and carbon therapy, and a movable beam guide (gantry) for proton therapy is under construction.

Construction

When high-energy particles hit shielding components, secondary radiation fields are created, which were initially intended to be shielded from solid concrete components many meters thick. The entire construction of the radiation shielding was carried out in a Forster sandwich construction, with 30 cm thick walls. This also made it possible to dispense with expansion joints . The construction follows bionic ideas and is crossed by a reinforced concrete network of honeycombs. Depending on the type and exposure to radiation, these cells are then filled with minerals that have been compacted as densely as possible without replenishment. In the project at hand, the naturally occurring gravel from the building pit itself, but also imported magnetite, was built with quality assurance.

The sandwich construction made it possible to dispense with large quantities of cement and reinforcing steel .

therapy

Ion therapy

In the ion therapy not come, as in the conventional radiotherapy, photon or electron beams are used, but ion beams. All proton and ion therapies make use of the so-called “ Bragg peak effect”: the particles release their energy unevenly when they fly through the tissue; the energy release is most intense shortly before they come to a standstill. This point can be determined with the initial particle speed, the tissue behind it is spared. Therefore, ion therapy is used to treat tumors near organs that are sensitive to radiation , such as the brain and spinal cord , eyes , liver, and lungs .

Ion therapy is also often indicated for childhood tumors.

Treatment & treatment rooms

MedAustron has four radiation rooms, three of which are for patients. The rooms differ in terms of the flexibility of the particle beam. A key factor is the precise positioning of the patient during treatment. An industrial robot was specially developed for MedAustron for medical use and the exact positioning of patients. All treatment rooms are equipped with these special treatment tables. The ceiling-mounted system enables the patient to be aligned to within half a millimeter. Before treatment, the tumor is scanned layer by layer in order to obtain a 1: 1 replica of the tumor and the surrounding area. These images serve as the basis for planning the radiation that doctors carry out together with medical physicists. Depending on the location and nature of the tumor, the particle beam is directed into the treatment room with the required energy. The MedAustron synchrotron delivers beams at 256 energy levels.

From full operation in 2020, 24,000 irradiations are expected on around 1,200 patients per year. The treatment always takes place on an outpatient basis, with radiation being carried out daily for several weeks. The duration varies individually between three and seven weeks.

research

The translational research is a dedicated treatment room available. Among other things, research is being carried out into how the use of imaging can enable the precise irradiation of tumors. Corresponding findings could quickly be transferred to therapy. It will also be investigated how radiation affects certain organs and tissue parts.

The Radiation Biology studied the biological effects of radiation on living organisms . Especially chronic effects on tumor and normal industries in connection with radiation therapy are the subject of research. She works with molecular biological , cytogenetic and cytometric methods on different organisms and cell systems. At the DNA level, radiation-induced mutagenesis and its repair are investigated. An important part of the research is the identification of tumor and side effect markers .

Medical radiation physics and radiation oncology are closely linked in high-tech applications such as ion therapy. On the one hand, this involves research into the core topics of medical radiation physics, such as dosimetry , dose calculation and radiation planning, and, on the other hand, new fields such as functional and morphological imaging. The latter is of particular importance in adaptive and image-guided radiation therapy. The results of the radiation physics work can provide knowledge about secondary radiation, contribute to the improvement of radiation planning systems, enable the monitoring of the therapy by means of in vivo range measurement and provide basic parameters for the description of nuclear reactions.

Professorships at universities

In cooperation with the Medical University of Vienna and the Technical University of Vienna , a total of three professorships were created in 2014 and 2015. These include the two professorships “Medical Radiation Physics and Oncotechnology” and “Applied and Translational Radiation Biology” at the Medical University of Vienna. At the Atomic Institute of the Vienna University of Technology, a separate professorship was set up in the Radiation Physics group.

Companies

employment

Around 50 of the current employees were previously employed at the European nuclear research center CERN in Switzerland . 150 employees from 18 nations currently work at MedAustron. In full operation there will be around 180 employees. Typical job profiles at MedAustron are physicists , technicians from various fields, specialists in radio-oncology, medical physicists and radiology technologists . There are cooperations with international and Austrian medical universities and clinics for the training and further education of medical specialists.

financing

The MedAustron Center for Ion Therapy and Research is made possible by financial support from the Republic of Austria, the State of Lower Austria and the City of Wiener Neustadt. The EBG MedAustron is indirectly owned by the State of Lower Austria. Around 200 million euros were invested in building the center.

After the start-up financing of 41 million euros from the federal government, the property and 1.9 million euros from the city and 3.7 million euros as well as guarantees over 290 million euros from the state of Lower Austria, the city expects that from 2022 “positive numbers” will be written.

Location

Wiener Neustadt is an education, research and business location. Nearby are the State Clinic Wiener Neustadt with a tumor center (research center) and the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt with branches in technology and health.

Others

Construction of a similar project in Tehran began in 2017 under the direction of MedAustron .

Technical literature and scientific papers

Web links

Commons : MedAustron  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Review and annual report 2009 of the board of the AUSTRON association. Retrieved October 24, 2018 .
  2. ^ R. Pötter, T. Auberger: Med-AUSTRON feasibility study, Volume I, Significance of hadron therapy for cancer treatment . Ed .: R. Pötter, T. Auberger, M. Regulator. tape I . Wr. Neustadt 1998, ISBN 3-9500952-0-9 , p. 159 .
  3. ↑ M. Regulator, U. Haverkamp, ​​E. Griesmayer: Med-AUSTRON - feasibility study The Med-AUSTRON accelerator - a European concept for proton and ion therapy - aspects of accelerator physics and medical physics . Ed .: R. Pötter, T. Auberger, M. Regulator. tape II . Wr. Neustadt 1998, ISBN 3-9500952-1-7 , p. 249 .
  4. ↑ T. Auberger, R. Poetter, K. Poljanc: Med-AUSTRON - Feasibility Study, Volume III, Concept for the Realization of an Austrian Hadron Therapy Center . Ed .: R. Pötter, T. Auberger, M. Regulator. tape III . Wr. Neustadt 1998, ISBN 3-9500952-2-5 , p. 204 .
  5. ^ T. Auberger, E. Griesmayr: The MedAustron project . Ed .: T. Auberger, E. Griesmayr. Wr. Neustadt, ISBN 3-200-00141-0 , p. 439 .
  6. ^ First positioning robot for MedAustron ORF Niederösterreich, 23 August 2013
  7. ^ Ceremonial handover of the ion source for MedAustron . In: OTS.at . ( ots.at [accessed October 24, 2018]).
  8. ^ Court of Auditors: Report of the Court of Auditors - Establishment of MedAustron; Follow-up review. Retrieved October 24, 2018 .
  9. ↑ MedAustron starts tests for system approval ( memento of the original from December 20, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. medianet, July 10, 2015 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / medianet.at
  10. ↑ Medaustron: Start for Research in NÖN, August 24, 2016
  11. ↑ Fighting Cancer: MedAustron Opened to Scientists Courier, August 20, 2016
  12. ↑ MedAustron: Waiting for approval on ORF on December 5, 2016. Accessed on December 5, 2016
  13. ↑ Clear start for particle therapy Wiener Zeitung, December 14, 2016
  14. ↑ Interview with MedAustron managing director DI Alfred Zens
  15. ↑ New therapy in the fight against cancer
  16. ↑ At 200,000 kilometers per second against cancer cells Futurezone, January 16, 2015
  17. ↑ At 200,000 kilometers per second against cancer cells Futurezone, January 16, 2015
  18. ↑ M. Benedict, A. Wrulich: MedAustron Project overview and status . In: The European Physical Journal Plus . tape 126 , no. 7 , July 2011, ISSN  2190-5444 , p. 69 , doi : 10.1140 / epjp / i2011-11069-9 ( springer.com [accessed January 12, 2020]).
  19. ↑ At 200,000 kilometers per second against cancer cells Futurezone, January 16, 2015
  20. ↑ Particle accelerator www.medaustron.at, 2016
  21. ↑ Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group Accessed November 29, 2019
  22. ↑ Ramona Mayer, Stanislav Vatnitsky, Bernd Mößlacher: Requirements for Setting Up a Particle Therapy Center . In: Advances in Particle Therapy . 1st edition. CRC Press, 2018, ISBN 978-1-315-16038-2 , pp. 55-65 , doi : 10.1201 / b22229-5 ( taylorfrancis.com [accessed January 12, 2020]).
  23. ↑ Dosanjh, Manjit, Bernier, Jacques ,: Advances in Particle Therapy: a Multidisciplinary Approach . First ed. Boca Raton, FL, ISBN 978-1-315-16038-2 .
  24. ↑ M. Benedict, A. Wrulich: MedAustron Project overview and status . In: The European Physical Journal Plus . tape 126 , no. 7 , July 2011, ISSN  2190-5444 , p. 69 , doi : 10.1140 / epjp / i2011-11069-9 ( springer.com [accessed January 12, 2020]).
  25. ^ Michael Benedikt: MedAustron: The Austrian ion therapy facility . In: Challenges and Goals for Accelerators in the XXI Century . WORLD SCIENTIFIC, 2016, ISBN 978-981-4436-39-7 , pp. 813-824 , doi : 10.1142 / 9789814436403_0043 ( worldscientific.com [accessed January 12, 2020]).
  26. ^ MedAustron - topping-out ceremony. Retrieved January 12, 2020 .
  27. ↑ With ion beams from the mini-LHC against cancer Der Standard, August 25, 2016
  28. ↑ https://www.gsi.de/forschungbeschränktiger/forschung_ein_ueberblick/ionenverbindungen_im_kampf_gegen_krebs/gezielt_gegen_krebszellen.htm
  29. ↑ Treatment www.medaustron.at
  30. ^ First positioning robot for MedAustron ORF Niederösterreich, 23 August 2013
  31. ↑ At 200,000 kilometers per second against cancer cells Futurezone, January 16, 2015
  32. ^ A laboratory based on the sandwich principle Die Presse, August 27, 2016
  33. ↑ From November: Help for cancer patients: MedAustron starts Kronen Zeitung, autumn 2016, undated
  34. ↑ With ion beams from the mini-LHC against cancer Der Standard, August 25, 2016
  35. ↑ With ion beams from the mini-LHC against cancer Der Standard, August 25, 2016
  36. ↑ Radiation Biology www.medaustron.at
  37. ↑ Medical radiation physics www.medaustron.at
  38. ↑ Medaustron press kit ( Memento of the original from December 21, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. www.medaustron.at, July 19, 2016 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.medaustron.at
  39. ↑ More research in Wiener Neustadt: Vienna University of Technology establishes two professorships at MedAustron Wiener Zeitung, September 28, 2011
  40. ^ An Austrian accelerator: MedAustron Die Presse, September 2, 2008
  41. ↑ Medaustron press kit ( Memento of the original from December 30, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. www.medaustron.at, March 16, 2018 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.medaustron.at
  42. ↑ MedAustron starts tests for system approval ( memento of the original from December 20, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. medianet, July 10, 2015 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / medianet.at
  43. ↑ New therapy in the fight against cancer
  44. ↑ Center www.medaustron.at
  45. ↑ expertise from northeast for Iran in the NÖN 21/2017 NE-9

Coordinates: 47 ° 50 ′ 12.5 ″  N , 16 ° 15 ′ 18.4 ″  E