Construction of the Wuhan University Heavy Ion Medical Center, a world-class cancer hospital equipped with domestic heavy ion accelerators, will commence in September 2020. This large medical construction project will create the first hospital in central China and the fourth nationwide to use heavy ion radiotherapy technology to treat tumor diseases.

On June 9, specialists from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University (RHWU) visited Wuhan Development Zone to talk about the heavy ion hospital project as well as the renovation and expansion of the Hannan branch of RHWU. Located in Shamao Street, Hannan District, the Heavy Ion Medical Center will be jointly built by Wuhan Development Zone, RHWU and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The process of planning, design and construction will be simultaneous with that of the Hannan branch project. It is now a provincial and municipal key construction project, with an expected total investment of 2.4 billion yuan.

Heavy ion radiotherapy is one of the most advanced cancer treatment technologies in the world. Traditional radiotherapy, which uses X-ray and photon ray, kills not only cancer cells but also normal ones. With the help of the accelerator, invisible carbon ions, like “armor-piercing bullets”, can penetrate into the patient’s body at a speed of 210,000 kilometers per second and accurately kill cancer cells without injuring normal ones.

Regarded as “the pillar of great power”, the accelerators to be used in Wuhan University Heavy Ion Medical Center are independently developed in China. Compared with the imported ones, the price and maintenance costs are low, and the scanning mode is more reasonable and diversified.

Source: https://news.whu.edu.cn/info/1002/60797.htm

Wirtten: Zhang Min & Ren Yixuan

Edited by: Chen Lixia

Rewritten by: Qin Zichang

Edited by: Dong Xiaoqian, Zou Xiaohan, Sylvia and Hu Sijia