Vall d'Hebron gets top-of-the-range radiotherapy accelerator

Patients at Barcelona's Vall d'Hebron hospital can now benefit from the Halcyon radiotherapy linear accelerator, an innovative platform that improves the precision and safety of cancer treatments.

At a cost of two million euros, it is the first piece of medical equipment to be installed in Catalonia through the donation provided by the Amancio Ortega Foundation.

"The high precision allows the radiation to better adapt to the shape of the tumor so as to protect the healthy tissue. Moreover, it simplifies and automates the procedure in a way that is much safer for the patient," says the head of the Radiation Oncology Service at the Vall Hebron University Hospital, Jordi Giralt.

The accelerator is the first to be installed in Spain, and the 19th in Europe. "It puts us at the top level of technology in the radiotherapy treatment of our patients," adds Giralt.

47 million euro to purchase radiotherapy equipment

The Amancio Ortega Foundation signed an agreement with the Catalan government in 2017 to provide 47 million euros to purchase radiotherapy equipment as well as screening and diagnostic technology for breast cancer.

Vall d'Hebron already has four linear accelerators and the Halcyon replaces the oldest of them. The new accelerator will treat more than 400 patients a year, and will focus on tumors in the pelvic area and the lungs.

Vall d'Hebron plans to renew two more of its accelerators this year, thanks to the agreement with the Amancio Ortega Foundation. The next device will be for the control of respiratory movement, while the third will treat small lesions, particularly in children with cancer.

The Vall d'Hebron hospital's Radiation Oncology Service treats some 2,000 patients every year, with over 75% of cases requiring complex techniques. It is also Catalonia's top radiation oncology center for children.