SIT – Sordina IORT Technologies S.p.A. continues to promote the integration of advanced technologies in oncology care pathways, supporting international clinical centers in the adoption of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT). In this context, the activation of the LIAC HWL system at the Hospital General Universitario de Elche in Spain has taken place, where the first IORT procedure was successfully performed.
“A key feature of the LIAC HWL is its ability to deliver the therapeutic dose in a very short time, generally around two minutes. This not only facilitates its integration into the surgical procedure, but can also enhance the effectiveness of the radiation,” explains Dr. Natividad Bascón Santaló, Director of the Radiation Oncology Department.
On March 10, in Elche, the first intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) procedure was performed at the Hospital General Universitario of the city, in the presence of the hospital’s radiobiologists and medical physicists, as well as representatives of SIT. During the procedure, the LIAC HWL enabled precise irradiation of the tumor bed immediately after excision, integrating radiotherapy directly into the surgical act and optimizing treatment for the patient.
The activation of the device is the result of teamwork involving several key professionals essential to the success of the procedure. On the clinical side, this includes surgeons, radiation oncologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and healthcare technicians, while on the technical-scientific side, medical physicists, dosimetrists, and radiotherapy technicians are responsible for dosimetric planning, quality assurance, and proper system configuration.
The irradiation process, which lasts less than 150 seconds, represents an extremely delicate phase and makes maximum precision in dose delivery essential, as highlighted by Dr. Raffaele Danilo Esposito, Head of the Radiophysics and Radiation Protection Service; this characteristic underscores the value of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), which, when properly integrated into the therapeutic pathway, reduces overall treatment time while maintaining high accuracy in dose delivery. Direct irradiation of the tumor bed also limits exposure of surrounding healthy tissues, thereby improving the overall therapeutic profile.
All this is made possible by the features of the LIAC HWL, specifically designed for use in a surgical environment. Thanks to its configuration and particular focus on reducing scattered radiation, the device can operate in standard operating rooms without the need for additional structural shielding.
The work preceding dose delivery requires extremely careful attention. The process begins with the patient’s clinical evaluation and analysis of tumor characteristics, particularly the thickness of the tissue to be treated, leading to a personalized configuration of the system. The LIAC HWL generates electron beams with energies ranging from 6 MeV to 12 MeV, allowing modulation of radiation penetration depth according to the thickness of the target tissue.
The selection of the most appropriate energy, together with applicator positioning and system configuration, is defined by medical physicists and the clinical team prior to surgery and verified during the procedure, ensuring that the planned dose distribution precisely matches the delivered dose.
The introduction of intraoperative radiotherapy at the Hospital General Universitario de Elche therefore represents a significant step forward in integrating advanced technologies into oncological care pathways. The use of LIAC HWL makes it possible to combine dosimetric precision, rapid delivery, and operational flexibility—key elements for the effective application of IORT in a surgical setting.
The success of the first procedure performed on March 10 highlights the value of collaboration between clinical and technical-scientific expertise, as well as the joint commitment of the hospital and SIT in promoting innovative solutions for cancer treatment. This achievement paves the way for future applications of intraoperative radiotherapy, with the aim of offering patients increasingly targeted, effective, and integrated treatments.
