The world’s first proton treatment of ventricular arrhythmia

Developments

19 February 2020

1 minute

For the first time, proton therapy has been used to treat a cardiac pathology. Proton therapy precisely deposits energy in a specific region, and does not damage the surrounding tissue. It is routinely used in hadrontherapy centres to treat radio-resistant and non-operable tumors. In this case on ventricular arrhythmia, the affected area of the patient's heart received a precise dose of radiation from a proton beam. The patient is reportedly recovering well. 

The CNAO (National Center of Oncological Hadrontherapy) hadrontherapy centre in Pavia, Italy, in collaboration with CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) and the Irccs Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, developed and performed the technique. This is potentially just the beginning of utilizing hadrontherapy for medical purposes outside the field of oncology, and points to an exciting future of further collaboration between institutions such as CNAO and CERN. 

Read the full story by CERN here.

Image: Treatment room of the CNAO hadrontherapy centre 
Credit: CNAO

 

Written by
WNU Coordinating Centre

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