Japan headquartered Hitachi, Ltd. has entered into an agreement to provide Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica (CNAO) with its proton therapy system.

In the comprehensive public tender process, Hitachi has been selected to provide proton therapy systems with the latest technologies including advanced scanning technology to irradiate even tumors with complex shapes with high precision.

The agreement includes multiyear service and maintenance of the system and this will be the 1st Hitachi Proton Therapy System to be installed in Italy and the 2nd in Europe.

CNAO, located in Pavia (near Milan), Italy, is a world's leading clinical center on particle cancer therapy and the first national hadrontherapy center in Italy. CNAO was established and is operated by the CNAO Foundation, a non-profit organization fully funded by the Italian government. CNAO has started cancer treatment for proton therapy since 2011 and heavy ion therapy since 2012, and it will develop a new proton therapy facility to enhance further research and cancer treatment.

Hitachi has been proactively promoting particle therapy system business worldwide, supplying world-class facilities with its highly reliable and proven particle therapy systems, which have treated more than 60,000 patients. Hitachi will provide system and services, including single room solution in realizing installation in urban limited areas and hybrid system combined with the capability of generating both proton and heavy-ion in one accelerator, to meet all customer needs.

Hitachi will contribute to the improvement of people's quality of life and social values through the global expansion of its particle therapy system business.