Worldwide, NRoCK will be the first center of its kind to offer all radiation techniques, as well as chemotherapy and full imaging diagnostics under one roof. This ensures an optimal clinical process from initial diagnosis to therapy and after-care. For particle therapy, an especially tissue-sparing and precise form of treatment will be available.
The subsequent illustration demonstrates the level of treatment provided.
Equipment:
Treatment rooms for particle therapy
Upon opening the center, treatment will be provided in three treatment rooms. A horizontal beam exit is present in each room, in the other room an additional vertical radiation exit and in the third room, an oblique radiation exit at a 45 degree angle is available. This allows for selecting the most optimal combination of radiation angles for each patient. State-of-the art robot technology is used for position verification and patient positioning. The use of robots together with the new treatment approach provides highest treatment precision and a new level of comfort for the patient.
Conventional therapy
Two state-of-the art linear accelerators identically configured and coordinated with one another are used to perform photon and electron radiation across a wide energy range. They include established equipment characteristics such as a multileaf collimator and devices for position verification. The most modern radiation techniques, for example, image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) can be performed. Also whole-body radiation, a long-standing practice at Kiel, continues to be performed with this equipment.
Brachytherapy
Two afterloading devices, one HDR and one PDR, are used in two treatment rooms, an preparation room is connected upstream with one of the afterloading devices. This area is also equipped with imaging devices especially applicable for this purpose (ultrasound device, isocentric C-arms) to increase patient comfort.
Isotope production
Radioisotopes, such as F-18 and C-11 are required for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Due to the extremely short half-life of C-11 that makes purchasing them simply impossible, the isotope production was integrated into the center. This entire area is designed for the production as well as the sale of radiopharmaceuticals (F-18). The production of the isotopes complies with the legal requirements for producing and distributing pharmaceuticals (GMP and AMG). Isotopes are not only produced for our own use but also for other interested parties. Should you be interested, please contact us.
Imaging area
The heart piece of our diagnostics center is the imaging area which houses a computed tomograph (CT), a magnetic resonance imaging system (MRI), and a positron emission tomograph in combination with a computed tomograph (PET-CT). Only the most performance-oriented systems with the most modern technology and designed for meeting the requirements of radiation therapy will be implemented. This ensures that highest-quality examinations are performed quickly and sparing for the patient while in full compliance with the requirements for radiation therapy.
