Japan – Hitachi’s Proton Therapy System Now in Use at National Cancer Centre Singapore

Oct 5, 2023 | Business

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501, “Hitachi”) and Hitachi Asia Ltd. announced today that it has delivered to National Cancer Centre Singapore (“NCCS”) a proton therapy system, with which NCCS has completed the first patient treatment as of 11 August 2023. This marks Hitachi’s first proton therapy system to start treatment in Southeast Asia.

Treatment Room

This system, installed in the basement of the new building of NCCS with 24 floors above ground, consists of five treatment rooms, four with rotating gantries and one with fixed beam, equipped with Real-time image Gating system for Proton Therapy (RGPT) to treat tumors in motion due to respiration and advanced spot scanning technology to irradiate even tumors with complex shapes with high precision.

NCCS is a leading national and regional tertiary cancer centre with specialists who are experts in treating cancer. The new NCCS building which officially opened on May 18th this year, has increased capacity and expanded facilities dedicated to cancer treatment, rehabilitation, research and education all under one roof.

Hitachi provides products and services of particle therapy systems with higher performance and added value, which can be found in leading hospitals around the world, ranging from proton therapy system, heavy ion therapy system to hybrid system combined with the capabilities of proton and carbon therapy. With over 85,000 patients* treated to date, the systems have an excellent reputation for reliability.

*Statistics based on data up to December 2021 published on the PTCOG’s website.

Hitachi will continue to support patient-friendly treatment and improvement of the quality of life (QoL) for cancer patients and contribute to the further development of minimally invasive cancer treatments.

Overview of Particle Therapy

Particle Therapy is an advanced type of cancer radiotherapy. Protons extracted from hydrogen atoms, or carbon ions are accelerated up to 70% of the speed of light. This energy is concentrated directly on the tumor while minimizing radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissue. Particle therapy improves the quality of life for cancer patients since the patient experiences no pain during treatment and the procedure has very few side effects compared to that of traditional radiotherapy. In most cases, patients can continue with their normal daily activities while undergoing treatment.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers’ and society’s challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the business structure of “Digital Systems & Services” – supporting our customers’ digital transformation; “Green Energy & Mobility” – contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and “Connective Industries” – connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen, with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.com.

About Hitachi Asia, Ltd.

Hitachi Asia Ltd., (Hitachi Asia) a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., is headquartered in Singapore. With offices across seven ASEAN countries Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – Hitachi Asia and Hitachi’s subsidiary companies offer IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products to support customers in their transformation journeys. We will contribute to the growth in the ASEAN region by co-creating with customers to identify the social challenges and needs and deliver the solutions. For more information on Hitachi Asia, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.asia/

Copyright ©2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network.

Hitachi: Proton Therapy Provider Chosen for UW Health Eastpark Medical Center

Jul 28, 2022 | Business

UW Health has selected Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501, “Hitachi”) to provide the infrastructure to support proton therapy at UW Health Eastpark Medical Center.

Proton therapy equipment combined with Hitachi’s 360° rotating gantry and Leo’s upright system

Hitachi will provide equipment and technology to support UW Health’s traditional proton therapy room equipped with spot scanning irradiation technology, a 360 degrees rotating gantry with cone-beam CT(1), and Real-time image Gated Proton Therapy (RGPT)(2), as well as the revolutionary upright proton therapy coming to UW Health from Leo Cancer Care, according to Dr. Paul Harari, radiation oncologist, UW Health, and chair of the Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

“We’re excited to reach this important milestone to offer state-of-the-art proton therapy at UW Health,” Harari said. “It’s particularly significant in linking together Hitachi, an experienced proton provider, a new technology from Leo Cancer Care and a major academic medical center with a track record of cutting-edge technology development and implementation, all working together on behalf of cancer patients.”

UW Health worked closely with Proton International, a consulting organization dedicated to connecting hospitals and physicians with proton specialists and developing state- of-the-art proton therapy facilities.

“The team at Proton International is excited to help UW Health bring this important technology to the people of Wisconsin,” said Chris Chandler, CEO, Proton International. “We also believe that the Leo Cancer Care’s upright treatment room is an important innovation that will help patients and we look forward to working on the project implementation.”

“We feel privileged that we were selected by UW Health, one of the top healthcare institutions in the nation,” said Hiroyuki Itami, General Manager of the Smart Therapy Division of Hitachi. “We are also thrilled to partner with Leo Cancer Care and Proton International to achieve a new innovative proton therapy solution. Hitachi is committed to supporting people’s quality of life through technical advancement.”

UW Health broke ground on Eastpark Medical Center in May and it is expected to open in 2024.

(1) Cone beam CT provides three-dimensional anatomical images of patients, at isocenter immediately prior to being treated. Information on the location of bone is obtained from traditional orthogonal x-rays and the motion of tumors is captured by RGPT. These are then combined with the ability to identify healthy tissue surrounding a tumor, particularly the location and shape of soft tissue, via Cone beam CT.
(2) RGPT allows real-time beam irradiation to the tumor while compensating for movement associated with respiration. This technology was collaboratively developed between Hokkaido University and Hitachi and supported by the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology (FIRST) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.






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