Energetic carbon ions are characterized by a high ionization density and a high relative biological effectiveness, culminating in a sharp maximum at a discrete penetration depth that coincides with the maximum physical dose around the so-called Bragg peak. The peak energy depositions can be targeted three-dimensionally with a minimal risk of directly harming surrounding healthy tissue. Heavy ion beam is considered to be the most optimal radiation for tumor treatment in the field of radiotherapy, and therefore heavy ion tumor therapy is attracting growing interest all over the world. 

The Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, cooperating with Lanzhou Kejin Taiji Corpration, Ltd., developed china’s first hospital-based tumor therapy facility—Heavy Ion Medical Machine (HIMM), which was installed in Wuwei, Gansu Province of China. The facility was certificated as the medical device on Sept, 2019 and was put into clinical treatment on March, 2020. Until the end of 2020, 183 patients have been treated with good therapeutic effects and the facility has received much attention from the society. 

New carbon ion projects have been constructed in Lanzhou, Putian, Wuhan, Hangzhou and so on. As more carbon ion projects are built and put into operation, heavy ion therapy technology will benefit more cancer patients.  

As the first heavy ion medical device with independent intellectual property rights in China, HIMM is of great significance for improving cancer treatment in China. With considerable contributions to the national health, HIMM is regarded as the excellent example of large science facility benefiting society. 

Figure 1:  Carbon ion cancer therapy facility—synchrotron accelerator 

Figure 2: Vertical + horizontal treatment terminal  

Tel: 86-931-4969623  

mail:wangk@impcas.ac.cn