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13.07.2009
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A.D.A.M. SA selected CAEN as partner for the RF Measurements of the First Unit of LIGHT, an advanced linear accelerator for cancer therapy
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Geneva, July 2009 - ADAM launched the construction of the first unit of its protons linear accelerator for cancer
therapy.
The First Unit of LIGHT (Linac for Image Guided Hadron Therapy) will
be the initial of a series of units that will be lined up in a single
accelerator to reach the proton energy needed to cure the tumors.
ADAM enters with LIGHT into the market of the protontherapy
accelerator.
The energy of the beam is directly related to the maximum depth
reached by the protons in the body as
described by Bragg in 1903
.
By changing the number of total
units it is possible to customize the accelerator LIGHT to the type of
tumor that the facility decides to treat: superficial tumors as eye
tumors need only three units of LIGHT, pediatric tumors need 8 units,
deep sited tumors need 10 units.
The production of the first module is an important step of a process
started eleven years ago with LIBO, a collaboration of CERN, TERA,
and the INFN sections of Milan and Naples. The experience and the
continuous research for improving and simplifying the design of the
accelerator design and the radiofrequency power have reached the
most advanced stage today. Unlike the prototypes that were built
solely by research institutions, LIGHT will be made entirely by
industrial companies. In the effort of optimizing the production
processes, ADAM is successfully transferring the competences from the
highest research institutions to top class industries so to use the
results of the scientific research to make high-tech industrial product.
Among other companies chosen for
their excellent competences and
proven performances, ADAM has
selected CAEN as partner for the
realization of the radiofrequency
measurements during the construction
of the first accelerating unit.
ADAM will complete the assembly and
the test of the first accelerating unit
by June 2010.
The cyclinac
Cyclinac has, in a single word, the names of the two accelerators, the
cyclotron and a linac, that are used to provide to the protons the
energy to treat the tumors. The cyclinac provides two separate
outcomes: the production of radioisotopes using directly the
commercial cyclotron of 30 MeV (or mega electron volt that is a unit of
energy) and the protontherapy using both the cyclotron and the linac.
The modularity of the linac mechanical structure allows to change the
final energy required by the different protontherapy centers adjusting
the total number of accelerating units. The protons with the energy of
70 MeV are used in eye-tumors centers, energies of 160 MeV are used
in centers for pediatric tumors, and energies of 230 MeV are used in
centers that treat also deep sited tumors.
ADAM
ADAM has been founded as CERN spin-off Company in Geneva on
December 2007 to promote scientific know-how particularly in medical
and industrial fields. The mission of ADAM is to create a center of
excellence for research and industrialization of applications of linear
accelerators and detectors.
ADAM’s main activities today are the realization of the linear
accelerator LIGHT and the research and development of medical
equipment for tumor radiotherapy as detectors, dosimeters, and beam
profile monitors.
ADAM has exclusive rights on the present and future know-how of the
TERA Foundation.
ADAM can access world-level experts and CERN facilities. Collaboration
agreements with Agencies and Companies of strategic importance
have been signed.
For more information please contact:
ADAM SA
Rue de Lyon 62
1203 GENEVA
SWITZERLAND
Phone: +41 (022) 345 2330
e-mail : info@adam-geneva.com
Web: http://www.adam-geneva.com/ |
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