Experts develop innovative technologies to improve healthcare and border security

With a solemn ceremony organized on December 11, 2013 NCBJ concluded the 85.5 million PLN worth "AiD" R&D project co-financed by European Union. Project outcomes include 3 demonstrators of innovative medical devices (Coline 6, IntraLine, and InLine PN50) and 2 demonstrators of cargo scanners developed to improve security at European border crossing checkpoints (SWAN and CANIS). The outcomes confirm high competences of Polish scientists in building Poland's position on international arena.

5 demonstrators of innovative systems based on particle accelerators, photon detectors and neutron detectors developed within framework of the "Development of Dedicated Systems Based on Accelerators and Detectors of Ionizing Radiation for Medical Therapy and in Detection of Hazardous Materials and Toxic Wastes" (a.k.a. "Accelerators & Detectors", "AiD") R&D project include the Coline 6, IntraLine, and InLine PN50 medical devices, as well as the SWAN and CANIS scanners of hazardous materials/toxic waste.

Successful accomplishment of the AiD project, the first so large R&D venture co-financed by European Union undertaken in our Institute, is a clear confirmation of high competences of NCBJ staff. Our experts have developed five innovative demonstrators of systems applicable in healthcare and border security" - said Professor Grzegorz Wrochna, NCBJ Director General - „We hope that outcomes of our R&D works will soon find their practical applications and upgrade our Polish achievements on international arena. We also believe that unique know-how acquired during the project will help us to accomplish other large and needed projects. The project has proved that our Świerk Institute is an excellent place to accomplish such ventures".

The AiD project has been accomplished singlehandedly by NCBJ. Its mission was to improve innovativeness and competitive edge of the Polish Hi-Tech industry sectors engaged in systems for cancer diagnostics/radiotherapy and systems for scanning large cargo shipments. The 85,584,643 PLN worth project was co-financed from EU's Innovative Economy Operational Programme in the amount of 67,507,000 PLN.

AiD for medicine

In view of still rising cancer incidence all over the world and shortage of radiotherapy equipment (according to WHO, present count of such devices should be doubled), key part of the project was related to medical applications of ionizing radiation. Three accelerator-based medical radiotherapy system have been developed:

• COLINE 6          A highly specialized medical accelerator capable to perform advanced radiotherapy procedures
• IntraLine           A medical electron accelerator for intraoperative treatment
• IntraLine PN50   A low-energy accelerator (X-ray tube) for brachytherapy

The most significant advanced radiotherapy procedures featured by the highly specialized Coline 6 accelerator include: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT). The accelerator is equipped with an innovative multi-leaf collimator with a double positioning system (patent pending), megavolt imaging system, and control system based on state-of-the-art real-time circuits. A number of unique subsystems had to be developed by NCBJ researchers to achieve high quality and safety of the advanced radiotherapy procedures. Static and dynamic radiotherapy techniques with megavolt imaging have been demonstrated within the AiD project framework. All the developed highly specialized techniques have been positively evaluated by experts.

Purpose of the IntraLine electron accelerator for intraoperative radiotherapy is to increase efficiency of cancer surgery treatment. By using right after surgery (still in operating room) an intense beam of accelerated electrons of a wide energy spectrum to irradiate walls of the lesion left after surgical eradication of the tumour physicians can significantly reduce risk of cancer metastasis. Besides, the device helps to more accurate locate the tumour and may significantly shorten time of the entire treatment of the patient including time of his/her stay in hospital. Even if IntraLine employs the most refined radiotherapy methods, it will be a fully automated and easy-to-use device. Its heart, an accelerating structure made of 18 cavities, is capable to produce therapeutic beams of electrons of energies within the 4…12 MeV range and of 10…15 Gy/min dose-rates. The device may cooperate with various size applicators selected depending on size and location of the tumour. IntraLine has been developed by an interdisciplinary team composed of experts in structural design, physics of accelerating elementary particles, electronics, and software. The development resulted in 4 patent pending. Some new competences in the field of state-of-the-art computational techniques have been acquired.

InLine PN 50 is a modern X-ray tube-based mobile system for intra-operative radiotherapy of breast cancers in conservative treatment. Its main advantages include miniaturization, simplicity of use, and low cost. Therefore the system is targeted at small, regional oncology centres. Its innovative test chamber verifies operation of its X-ray tube before each radiotherapy treatment to increase safety of operation. System computer manages patients queue, verifies operation of the system X-ray tube in the system dedicated test chamber and controls the radiotherapy session while acquiring all key data. Needle-like anode X-ray tubes and miniature HV power supplies developed within the AiD project framework may find their applications elsewhere, including systems for non-destructive control, material composition analysis, monitoring of manufacturing processes.

AiD against terrorists

Two demonstrators of cargo scanners based on innovative radiography/neutron activation analysis methods have also been developed within the AiD project framework. Search for ever better methods to detect illegal trafficking and more tight border control became an urgent issue in view of growing threat of terrorist attacks in Europe. The issue became especially  important in Poland since joining the Schengen treaty. The methods include ever more popular X-ray scanning of moving containers and other large-size cargo shipments. In consultation with representatives of International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna NCBJ proposed some solutions based on mixed beams of ionizing radiation. When deployed the solutions might provide quite new quality in the field of border control. Scanners developed by researchers in Świerk include:

• CANIS    A radiographic system for scanning large dimension cargo shipments (trucks, containers) to locate hazardous/toxic substances
• SWAN    A mobile analyser capable to quickly detect explosives, drugs, etc.

CANIS may detect hazardous/toxic substances and/or illegally trafficked goods. That X-ray scanner may scan large dimension cargo shipments (trucks, airline containers, cargo railcars) at border crossing checkpoints. The system is composed of a 4MeV/6MeV double-energy accelerator, linear set of detectors, and complex software to control the hardware, acquire data, and produce images of the scanned cargo. The developed technology of accelerators capable to rapidly change energy of the accelerated particles has been patented. Such accelerators are among state-of-the-art devices very well suited to scan large-size cargo shipments. The CANIS scanner visualizes the scanned cargo in simulated colours (the so-called pseudo-colour). The system-generated beams of X-rays irradiate the scanned object. Intensities of X-rays behind the object are measured by a set of scintillation detectors (scintillators convert X-rays to light, then photodiodes convert the light to electric signals) and digitized. On the basis of the individual recorded intensities, advanced software of the scanner computes in real time distributions of densities within the scanned cargo and displays them as pseudo-colour cargo images. The software helps also to identify cargo contents on the basis of its detected density. Software modules are controlled by the Windows operating system. Data acquisition is based on some database solutions. The entire software is very flexible. Capability to deeply penetrate the scanned objects while maintaining a high safety level is the single most significant advantage of the CANIS scanner. Besides, the system may be relatively easily deployed.

SWAN is a mobile device developed to quickly detect and identify explosives and/or drugs. It employs the non-destructive Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) technique capable to determine isotope composition of the tested substance. In the NAA technique, the to-be-analysed substance is irradiated with a beam of 14 MeV (fast) neutrons that activate various atoms the substance is composed of. While de-exciting various atoms emit secondary gamma photons of various (specific) energies. Measuring energies of the emitted photons one can tell what atoms are present in the irradiated material and in what proportions, hence assess whether the material is or is not dangerous. Since neutrons relatively easily penetrate most of the matter that surrounds us, the single most significant advantage of the SWAN system is its capability to analyse composition of intentionally hidden, hermetically sealed and/or heavily shielded materials. The system is capable to detect explosives without any need to sample the material and/or generally to get in touch with the potentially hazardous object. Other potential SWAN applications are investigated. They include examination of quality of mine runs in the mining industry, quality control of constructional materials, identification of radioactive waste.