Advanced Robotic Patient Positioning for BNCT and Particle Therapy

Patient positioning for particle therapy and BNCT.

With exacure, we offer a state-of-the-art system that flexibly combines robotic patient positioning with additional modules for high-end radiation therapy. For more than two decades, we have been working closely with leading treatment centers and research institutes in radiotherapy.

The exacure system is the first certified patient positioning system to meet the demanding requirements in the field of BNCT treatment. This therapy method uses a neutron beam to deposit radiation specifically into tumor cells that have previously absorbed a boron-enriched drug. This enables very precise and localized treatment.

"Precisely irradiating a tumor while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue requires the ultimate solution in patient positioning technology. Transferring cutting-edge technology from industrial applications to medical robotics was a key factor in the successful development of the exacure system." - Matthias Buck, Managing Director

BNCT

The ideal system for BNCT treatment

A critical step for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in recent years has been the development of compact accelerator-based neutron sources (CANS) that are now being placed in hospitals, an environment much more suitable for clinical applications than a research reactor where patients previously had to be treated with BNCT.

The demanding requirements for CANS used for BNCT treatment differ significantly from those for systems used in conventional radiotherapy because material properties are degraded by neutron irradiation. Depending on the spectrum of the neutrons, the irradiation limits the lifetime of the components or even makes them unsuitable for BNCT treatment. BEC's patented exacure system is a certified medical device that meets these demanding requirements and ensures patient safety during BNCT treatment with full functionality, including patient positioning and imaging.