Theory, Design and Tests on a Prototype Module of a Compact ...

4 1. INTRODUCTION TO THE HADRONTHERAPY
Figure 1.1. The Bragg peak phenomenon. Comparison
between proton <strong>and</strong> electron penetration depth in water.
Also shown is a proton depth dose curve with a spreadout
Bragg (SOBP) of 5 cm.
that the risk of late effects, as radiation-induced tumors, should be
minimized.
3. Hadrontherapy in the world
The first proposal to use protons for tumor therapy was put forward
in 1947 by Robert Wilson <strong>and</strong> pioneer treatments started in 1954 at
the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (USA). At present, protontherapy
centers are located in the United States, in Russia, in Japan, in South
Africa <strong>and</strong> in Europe. Most of the clinical experience has so far been
obtained at physics research institutions which have devoted part of
the accelerator time to medical uses.
Loma Linda is one of the first hospital-based proton radiotherapy
facility for treatment of deep-seated tumors. In figure 1.3 a sketch of
the radiotherapy center is shown.
The table 1.1 shows the main center in the world that use hadrontherapy,
the source is from the site:
http://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/hcl/ptles.htm
<strong>and</strong> it is updated to July 2000.