Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center

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The University of Indiana's Proton Therapy Health Therapy Center , formerly known as the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI), is the first proton facility in the Midwest. The center is located on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. The IU Proton Health Therapy Center is the only US proton therapy center that uses uniform scanning rays for dose delivery, which decreases undesirable neutron doses in patients. The center opened in 2004, and ceased operations in 2014.

Video Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center

Affiliate

The center is affiliated with Melvin Cancer Center and Bren Simon and Indiana University Health and is the only US proton therapy center associated with the university-based proton therapeutic research group IU Cyclotron Operations. The central pediatric program is affiliated with Riley Hospital for Children.

Maps Indiana University Health Proton Therapy Center

History

Proton therapy is not experimental and has been used in the United States since 1946. In 2014 there are only 12 centers in the US that provide proton therapy. The scarcity of proton centers is due to the cost of a cyclotron that produces a proton beam. The IU Health Proton Therapy Center is able to reuse the cyclotron located at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF) from a research facility to a proton therapy center.

The proton and cyclotron therapy centers shut down operations on December 5, 2014. The decision was made due to a lack of revenues and debt borne by the center, as well as advances in proton therapy across the country that "now make equipment and methods in proton therapy centers out of date." capable of producing spot scanning blocks in 2008 and gateways to the lungs and heart.

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Proton therapy

Radiation oncologists have been using proton therapy to treat cancer since the 1950s. Long known for their targeting capabilities, proton beams achieve greater precision than traditional X-rays, while exposing healthy tissue to less radiation. This allows doctors to provide high doses of radiation even when the tumor is close to sensitive organs and tissues. The powerful energy of proton therapy is focused directly on the patient's tumor. Once released, energy stops - no dose comes out and no additional radiation such as X-ray rays and gamma rays.

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References

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External links

• IU Health Proton Therapy Center

Source of the article : Wikipedia