About as
Introduction
Composition, Mission, and Goals
The Proton and Radiation Therapy Center at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is Taiwan's first hospital to introduce and operate proton radiation therapy equipment. The high-energy proton beam energy ranges from 70 to 230 MeV, suitable for treating various cancerous tumors. In order to expand the applications and enhance the utilization of this proton facility, as well as to boost domestic research in proton irradiation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University jointly established the Institute of Radiological Medicine. This institute brings together top researchers from Taiwan in fields such as medical physics, medical imaging, and radiation biology, providing a high-quality research environment and service team. Together, they explore possibilities in the field of radiological medicine, particularly various studies and industry services related to proton irradiation.
Given the lack of high-energy proton irradiation facilities domestically in the past, there has been a shortage of related research in this field. Even though there are academic institutions, research units, or technology industries in Taiwan engaging in relevant research with irradiation needs, researchers often need to seek assistance from overseas institutions with proton irradiation services. This increases the financial and time costs of research, involves competition for irradiation time with other research teams, and carries risks of sample damage during prolonged transportation, thereby adding uncertainty to the process.
The establishment of the Radiological Medicine Core Laboratory under this institute serves as a service platform supporting related research or industrial development, available for use by domestic and international entities. Its services include consultation on dose assessment for studies related to ionizing radiation and proton beam irradiation services for experimental samples. The laboratory offers dose assessment consultations for individuals requiring proton irradiation, regardless of their prior use of proton facilities or their status as professionals in the field of ionizing radiation. Additionally, it provides proton beam irradiation services for experimental samples from various research units.
The Proton and Radiation Therapy Center at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital is Taiwan's first hospital to introduce and operate proton radiation therapy equipment. The high-energy proton beam energy ranges from 70 to 230 MeV, suitable for treating various cancerous tumors. In order to expand the applications and enhance the utilization of this proton facility, as well as to boost domestic research in proton irradiation, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University jointly established the Institute of Radiological Medicine. This institute brings together top researchers from Taiwan in fields such as medical physics, medical imaging, and radiation biology, providing a high-quality research environment and service team. Together, they explore possibilities in the field of radiological medicine, particularly various studies and industry services related to proton irradiation.
Given the lack of high-energy proton irradiation facilities domestically in the past, there has been a shortage of related research in this field. Even though there are academic institutions, research units, or technology industries in Taiwan engaging in relevant research with irradiation needs, researchers often need to seek assistance from overseas institutions with proton irradiation services. This increases the financial and time costs of research, involves competition for irradiation time with other research teams, and carries risks of sample damage during prolonged transportation, thereby adding uncertainty to the process.
The establishment of the Radiological Medicine Core Laboratory under this institute serves as a service platform supporting related research or industrial development, available for use by domestic and international entities. Its services include consultation on dose assessment for studies related to ionizing radiation and proton beam irradiation services for experimental samples. The laboratory offers dose assessment consultations for individuals requiring proton irradiation, regardless of their prior use of proton facilities or their status as professionals in the field of ionizing radiation. Additionally, it provides proton beam irradiation services for experimental samples from various research units.
Core Technology
Electronics Testing Irradiation Platform
Instruments such as those used in high-altitude or outer space environments, like the International Space Station, artificial satellites, or space telescopes, are exposed to high-energy and high-intensity cosmic radiation. This exposure poses risks to their electronic components, including signal errors or circuit damage due to ionizing radiation. Internationally, various standards have been established to specify the radiation tolerance of these components, based on different types of ionizing radiation (such as protons, neutrons, or various heavy particles with different Linear Energy Transfer) and the different damages they can cause (such as cumulative effects or single event effects), specifying different levels of tolerance standards.
This laboratory offers proton irradiation services necessary for testing the tolerance of components under simulated space conditions as described above. Proton energies range from 30 MeV to 230 MeV, covering various beam fluences and intensities (Flux). Prior to irradiating components, the laboratory utilizes Monte Carlo simulation techniques for particle transport to customize the irradiation environment according to customer requirements. This customization includes proton energy range, field size, beam flatness, required beam intensity, irradiation time, and other parameters. Combined with beam measurement data from the proton irradiation system, the laboratory establishes optimized irradiation parameters to provide precise irradiation services to customers.
Instruments such as those used in high-altitude or outer space environments, like the International Space Station, artificial satellites, or space telescopes, are exposed to high-energy and high-intensity cosmic radiation. This exposure poses risks to their electronic components, including signal errors or circuit damage due to ionizing radiation. Internationally, various standards have been established to specify the radiation tolerance of these components, based on different types of ionizing radiation (such as protons, neutrons, or various heavy particles with different Linear Energy Transfer) and the different damages they can cause (such as cumulative effects or single event effects), specifying different levels of tolerance standards.
This laboratory offers proton irradiation services necessary for testing the tolerance of components under simulated space conditions as described above. Proton energies range from 30 MeV to 230 MeV, covering various beam fluences and intensities (Flux). Prior to irradiating components, the laboratory utilizes Monte Carlo simulation techniques for particle transport to customize the irradiation environment according to customer requirements. This customization includes proton energy range, field size, beam flatness, required beam intensity, irradiation time, and other parameters. Combined with beam measurement data from the proton irradiation system, the laboratory establishes optimized irradiation parameters to provide precise irradiation services to customers.