IBA Launches Compact Low-Energy Cyclotron, Cyclone® KEY
New accelerator provides increased access to diagnosis solutions and enables in-house production of radiopharmaceuticals
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 26 January 2022 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world leader in particle accelerator technology and the leading provider of radiopharmaceuticals production solutions, today announces that it has launched a new low energy and compact size cyclotron, the Cyclone® KEY. The new machine will enable small and medium sized hospitals to produce their own radiopharmaceutical products in-house, whilst providing more widespread global access to diagnostic solutions in oncology, neurology and cardiology. The Cyclone® KEY was showcased on Monday 24 January 2022 during Arab Health 2022, an annual meeting in Dubai, UAE. A presentation of the new technology is available here.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging is well established for cancer diagnosis in many countries, as well as for cardiac and neurological imaging, however, there are still regions in the world with limited access to this diagnostic technology. To address these needs, IBA is making PET imaging more accessible through this new low-energy technology, comprising proton acceleration up to 9.2 megaelectron volts (MeV). The Cyclone® KEY is therefore more compact, user-friendly, cost-effective and easier to fit into existing hospital systems.
Bruno Scutnaire, Executive Vice-President of IBA's RadioPharma Solutions Division commented: “Our new cyclotron model retains all the characteristics of the Cyclone® family: productivity, reliability, and profitability, whilst providing a low energy, compact option for customers. Cyclone® KEY’s design originates from IBA’s well-established Cyclone® KIUBE, providing the highest market standards in terms of the radioisotope production capacity and reliability. We are pleased to be bringing this innovative and much needed technology to hospitals around the globe.”
The Cyclone® KEY encompasses more than 36 years of experience and innovation and has one of the smallest footprints of all clinical cyclotrons, enabling easy installation and operation. Thanks to the Cyclone® KEY’s compact size, IBA’s experts have managed to minimize the footprint of the radiopharmacy to 80m².