The History

X-rays are discovered and their medical effectiveness has been proved. Vincent Czerny establishes a research center in Heidelberg and recognizes that therapy results can be improved by additional radiation and chemotherapy.

Over the years, radiotherapy has established itself. Meanwhile, the physicist Sir William Henry Bragg gained new insights into ionized particles: Shortly before deceleration, the particles unfold their full energy, which allows them to destroy the tumor while sparing the healthy tissue in front and behind of it. On the basis of these findings, the Samaritan House was founded in Heidelberg, from which the Radiological Clinic later emerged into today's HIT.

The Czerny Clinic in Heidelberg for Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, which emerged from the Samaritan House, becomes one of the largest in the world. In addition, the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research is founded in Darmstadt to find out how ion beam therapy can be used for the treatment of patients.

Further technological developments lead to advances in ion irradiation. The invention of the raster scan method allows high precision in three-dimensional irradiation that has never been achieved before. Tumors can be irradiated with millimeter precision. In addition, the development of software for biologically based treatment planning helps to calculate the physical dose of the ion beam and its actual biological effect.

At GSI Helmholtzzentrum first treatments of patients with ion beams take place. The majority of patients can be cured. Based on these successes, the Heidelberg HIT started planning in the year 2000.

The foundation stone for the HIT is laid. The new facility in Heidelberg comprises an accelerator (which accelerates the particles to 75% of the speed of light), three stations for patient treatment, an irradiation centre and an anaesthetic induction room. Three different kinds of ions are used: helium, oxygen and carbon ions. After the assembly and commissioning of the particle accelerator, the special rotating construction, the so-called Gantry, is used to reach places that were previously difficult to reach. The Heidelberg HIT, Europe's first facility working with protons and heavy ions, will be opened in 2009.

The Heidelberg HIT is constantly developing: over time, organs that move in the body can also be irradiated. In 2012, a number of 1000 patients have been treated at HIT.