The Davidoff Cancer Center at Beilinson Hospital, part of Clalit Health Services, has acquired one of the world’s most advanced radiation therapy systems. The accelerator, manufactured by Philips, was purchased at a cost of more than 30 million NIS, with the support of a $5 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, and is expected to become operational during 2026.
Beilinson Hospital announced the acquisition of an advanced MRI guided radiation accelerator, among the first of its kind in Israel and the first within the hospitals of Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest health organization, which operates 14 hospitals and 1,600 community clinics nationwide. The new system will be integrated into the radiation institute of Davidoff Cancer Center and is expected to mark a significant leap forward in treatment precision, safety, and quality for cancer patients, particularly those with complex tumors in the abdomen and pelvis.
The Davidoff Cancer Center is Israel’s largest institution for cancer care, where one in every six cancer patients in the country receives treatment. Helmsley’s grant follows previous contributions from other donors that began in 1999 and enabled the establishment of Israel’s first comprehensive cancer center.
The new MR-LINAC system, scheduled to begin operating in the radiotherapy department of the Davidoff Cancer Center during 2026, is a linear accelerator using X- ray radiation combined with MRI imaging capability. This innovative technology is expected to transform radiation treatment by providing high-quality real-time imaging during therapy, improving tumor targeting accuracy, and offering better protection for nearby healthy organs while significantly reducing side effects.
Unlike most existing radiation accelerators, which are based on CT technology, MRI imaging allows superior visualization of soft tissues and internal organs. This enables more accurate localization of the treatment area, especially in regions where organs move daily, such as the digestive system, liver, pancreas, prostate, and pelvic area.
As a result, the imaging capabilities of the new accelerator enable adaptive radiation therapy that is personalized to each patient. Under this approach, treatment can be modified according to changes in the patient’s body caused by nutrition, physical activity, tumor response to previous treatments, and normal organ motion. This personalization is expected to reduce damage to healthy tissue, lower the risk of side effects, and improve patients’ quality of life.
Sandor Frankel, a Trustee of Helmsley Charitable Trust: “As one of Israel’s earliest providers of radiation treatments using an MRI-guided linear accelerator, Beilinson Hospital will transform care by personalizing therapy for each patient. Helmsley is committed to supporting delivery of the highest quality cancer care as part of our efforts to strengthen the world-class healthcare system in Israel.”
Dr. Dror Limon, Director of the Radiotherapy Institute at the Davidoff Cancer Center, Beilinson Hospital of Clalit Health Services: “The new accelerator represents a conceptual shift in radiation therapy. Moving from CT based imaging to MRI based imaging allows better visualization of cancer targets, especially soft tissues, in a more precise and optimal manner. This advanced technology will help our medical teams position radiation in a personalized way in real time during treatment, while also enabling more accurate delivery and higher doses per session. As a result, treatment courses may be completed in fewer visits. In addition, we expect the unique capabilities of the new accelerator to allow treatment for a larger number of cancer patients, as it will expand the therapeutic options available in our radiation institute, help reduce side effects, and open new avenues for research and international collaboration.”
Prof. Gal Markel, Director of the Davidoff Cancer Center, Beilinson Hospital of Clalit Health Service: “The new accelerator places us alongside the world’s leading medical centers and reinforces our status as Israel’s leading oncology center. There are approximately 300,000 cancer patients in Israel currently undergoing treatment or follow-up examinations, and around 30,000 new patients are diagnosed every year. Radiation therapy is part of treatment in about 60 percent of cases. For patients with complex tumors, the ability to provide adaptive radiation therapy that is more precise and safer using MRI technology is a major advancement that may improve both treatment success rates and quality of life. We thank the Helmsley Charitable Trust for its continued support of the Davidoff Cancer Center on behalf of tens of thousands of cancer patients in Israel.”
Liron Goldenberg, Deputy CEO of Beilinson and Hasharon Hospitals of Clalit Health Services:“We are proud to be a public hospital that will provide this cutting-edge technology to a large number of cancer patients, thanks to the important grant fromHelmsley. The introduction of this new system is part of a major upgrade we have carried out at the radiotherapy institute of the Davidoff Cancer Center, with an investment of tens of millions of shekels. In a country of 10 million residents, the arrival of such an advanced accelerator, set to begin operating next year, is tremendous news for thousands of patients. It is a clear expression of our commitment to advanced, equitable, and leading public healthcare.”
