Differentiation of the proton therapy
We provide personalized treatment corresponding to the patient’s characteristics and precise treatment through innovative technologies.
- 01.
- We facilitate personalized treatments that incorporate patient’s characteristics
Every patient has cancer tissues of different size and shape and in varying locations. Therefore, personalized treatments that incorporate the characteristics of each patient are need to transfer a precise radiation dose to the cancer tissues.
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Suggested optimal treatment methods to suit patients’ conditions
Proton therapy is divided into two categories depending on how the proton beam is transferred.
Suggested optimal treatment methods to suit patients’ conditions Wobbling Scanning This method is suitable for large treatment sites or treatments for organs with high level of movements influenced by respiration. It method is suitable if a precise treatment is needed due to the concentration of normal organs near the cancer tissues - At the Samsung Proton Therapy Center, we provide optimal treatment methods for each patient’s personalized treatment from existing X-ray treatments to the proton therapy mentioned above.
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Composition of personalized shield material and compensator for each patient
To prevent the transfer of radiation dose to the normal tissues during the Wobbling treatment, customized shield material and a compensator to fit the shape of each patient’s cancer tissues are under development.
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Respiratory-gated simulation
The movements of tumors are influenced by respiration and are different for each patient. Therefore, we implement personalized proton therapy for each patient according to their respiration cycle by identifying organ movements beforehand through the simulation. Generally, respiration movements are assessed by obtaining a respiration cycle computed tomography (4DCT) during the simulation CT. Based on these movements, a proton therapy plan is established and is used to accurately deliver a radiation dose according to the respiration cycle during the actual treatment.
- [FAQ] Wobbling and Scanning
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[Wobbling Method]
[Scanning Method]
Wobbling method creates a dose distribution that corresponds to the thickness of the tumor by using the Ridge Filter, which spreads the Bragg Peak widely.
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Controlling the optimal movements in patients
The Robotic Couch used at the Samsung Proton Therapy Center is a treatment table that can move freely in six different directions and fixes the patient’s position precisely in 0.1 mm units without the patient having to move manually. In addition, the 360 Rotating Gantry enables precise selection of the gantry angle according to the location of the cancer tissues in 0.1° units.
[Robotic Couch]
[360 Rotating Gantry]
- 02.
- Precise treatments are conducted through advanced technologies
With the advanced technologies of the Samsung Proton Therapy Center, optimized treatments are facilitated by transferring a high radiation dose to the cancer tissues while minimizing radiation exposure to the normal tissues.
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Scanning Treatment
At the Samsung Proton Therapy Center, IMPT (Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy) is available. It transfers a precise radiation dose to the shape of the tumor by controlling the intensity of the proton beam corresponding to each type of energy. The IMPT at the Samsung Proton Therapy Center uses the Line Scanning method. This method is an advanced technology that has been introduced in only a small number of hospitals worldwide. It is more precise and fast compared to the Spot Scanning method which is currently being used or under development in some of the proton therapy hospitals.
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Precise image-guided therapy
In order to transfer radiation corresponding to the treatment plans, it is important to reenact the same position, achieved during the simulation CT, in the treatment room. At the Samsung Proton Therapy Center, the accuracy of treatments has taken a step further through the image-guided technique of the CBCT (Cone Beam CT) which obtains precise, 3 dimensional information around the tumor, fluoroscopy that identifies movements, and a 2 dimensional X-ray that secures precise transfer of the radiation dose.
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Multi-Leaf Collimator
The MLC (Multi-Leaf Collimator), which instantly changes the shape in order to fit the cancer tissues of the patient, has been installed at the Samsung Proton Therapy Center. A treatment technique that innovatively decreases the treatment preparation time and protects the normal tissues even more during the IMPT is under development.
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