Particle Accelerator Tech from CERN now Treats Brain Tumors

Transitioning from colossal 26 km (16 miles) particle accelerators to operating rooms for brain surgeries, a particle detector initially engineered by physicists at CERN is now employed by researchers in Germany to enhance the precision and safety of brain tumor treatments.

Eliminating tumors in the head and neck region may seem straightforward: administer appropriate chemicals or deliver sufficiently potent radiation. However, the challenge lies in eradicating cancer cells while preserving the patient’s well-being.

Leveraging Ion Beams for Tumor Treatment

An efficient method for treating such tumors involves utilizing ion beams. By accelerating charged particles to speeds reaching three quarters of the speed of light, they can penetrate living tissue up to a foot deep. To safeguard healthy cells, the conventional approach entails moving the ion projector along a curved path with the tumor positioned at the focal point. Consequently, the tumor receives continuous bombardment while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue.

The conventional method is effective but not flawless, especially in brain tumor cases. There’s a risk of exposing nearby healthy cells to secondary radiation from the ion beam, leading to potential memory loss, optic nerve damage, and other complications.

To mitigate this risk, X-ray computed tomography (CT) scans are employed to precisely pinpoint the tumor’s location for treatment planning. However, pre-operative scans may be inaccurate due to brain movement within the skull.

Utilizing Advanced Imaging Technology to Enhance Treatment Accuracy

To address this challenge, researchers from the German National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) at Heidelberg University Hospital have employed a new imaging device developed by Czech company ADVACAM. This device incorporates the Timepix3 pixel detector technology originally developed at CERN.

Crafted to function with both semiconductor and gas-filled detectors, the Timepix3 is a versatile integrated circuit capable of processing sparse detection data and delivering high-resolution outputs swiftly. This enables ADVACAM to utilize secondary radiation from the ion beam to update tissue maps, employing the radiation as a tracking signal.

“Our cameras can capture every charged particle emitted from the patient’s body,” explained Lukáš Marek from ADVACAM. “It’s akin to observing billiard balls scatter after a shot. If the ball trajectory aligns with the CT image, we confirm accurate targeting. Otherwise, it indicates a deviation from the ‘map,’ prompting the need for treatment reevaluation.”

Enhancing Tumor Targeting Precision while Minimizing Patient Radiation Exposure

The objective is to refine tumor targeting while minimizing unintended radiation exposure to the patient by delivering elevated radiation levels precisely to the tumor.

Currently, the detector necessitates treatment interruption for re-planning. However, future phases of the program will enable real-time beam path corrections.

“When we initiated the development of pixel detectors for the LHC, our primary goal was to detect and image each particle interaction, aiding physicists in unraveling Nature’s mysteries at high energies,” remarked Michael Campbell, Spokesperson of the Medipix Collaborations.

“The Timepix detectors, developed by the multidisciplinary Medipix Collaborations, aim to extend this technology to new domains. This application exemplifies the unforeseen potential of the technology.”

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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