A smaller, lighter delivery system for proton-beam radiotherapy
MIT will be the lead research institution in a project to develop ironless superconducting cyclotrons, an effort that will make highly sought-after proton radiotherapy cancer treatment more available. The Institute's Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) will be collaborating with ProNova Solutions, an organization focused on developing and providing proton-beam technology. A proton beam, when used for cancer treatment, can be more precisely shaped to the size and thickness of tumors than traditional radiotherapy, while considerably reducing damage to surrounding tissue and reducing or eliminating side effects. This type of treatment is especially effective for children with tumors in the brain, head, neck, spinal cord, heart, lungs and other areas that are sensitive to radiation.