Gold marks the spot in new proton beam tumor tracking system

A partnership between Hitachi and Hokkaido University in Tokyo has led to the first molecular tumor-tracking proton therapy system, Hitachi announced today.

The Advanced Radiation Therapy Project Real-time Tumor-tracking with Molecular Imaging Technique (PROBEAT-RT) project received a significant grant in 2010 from a Japanese government-sponsored research and development funding program.

The idea behind the technology was to create an add-on system for compact, low-cost tumor tracking to reduce collateral damage during radiation therapy and compensate for motion, for example due to respiration.

The tumor-tracking technology combines gold biomarkers, which are positioned around the tumor, and a high-speed, dual-direction CT and X-ray fluoroscopy system that zeroes in on the gold markers at regular intervals. The proton beam is only activated when the markers are found to be inside a few millimeters of the planned treatment area.

Hitachi is estimating a 50-75 percent reduction in irradiation volume with the addition of this proton beam tumor tracking system. Treatments are scheduled to begin at the Hokkaido University Hospital this week.