Heyou Hospital in China has placed an order for the RayStation treatment planning system from RaySearch Laboratories, with a total value of RMB51m ($7.01m).

This marks the third-largest order for RaySearch and introduces RayStation to Heyou Hospital's ion beam therapy equipment.

Heyou Hospital provides healthcare and research, particularly in neurology, oncology, orthopaedics, and neurosurgery.

In 2021, the hospital invested in a combined Hitachi carbon ion and proton machine.

The addition of the RayStation will facilitate treatment planning for both this machine and the traditional photon treatment machines of the hospital.

Ion beam therapy is an external radiotherapy, targeting tumours with protons or carbon ions.

This advanced technique allows for more precise control of energy deposition compared to traditional photon-based radiotherapy, minimising radiation exposure to healthy tissues and thereby reducing potential side effects from treatment.

The purchase of RayStation will provide Heyou Hospital with access to technologies such as linear energy transfer optimisation, pencil beam scanning, proton arc optimisation, graphic processing unit (GPU) accelerated dose calculations, and adaptive replanning support.

RaySearch founder and CEO Johan Löf: “I am pleased to announce our collaboration with Heyou Hospital and the significant order for RayStation. I look forward to deepening our relationship and to a fruitful cooperation in advanced radiation therapy.”

RayStation offers a range of features, including advanced adaptive therapy and multi-criteria optimisation. It also provides a unified control hub for all planning tasks and integrates with the RayCare for a seamless clinical workflow.

In May 2023, NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island in Mineola, New York, placed an order for RayStation, aiming to replace its existing treatment planning system.

The installation featured improved clinic contingency with fallback planning, ultimately ensuring the availability of alternative treatment plans.