Healing the Heart with Proton Power

Living with a heart that beats too fast, with symptoms getting worse and worse. This is the reality for many people with ventricular tachycardia, a life-threatening heart condition. For Roger Thomsen, it was a scary and frustrating experience. Despite trying several treatments, including catheter ablation, his symptoms persisted.But then, Roger joined a groundbreaking clinical trial at the Mayo Clinic, where he received proton beam therapy, a type of radiation typically used in cancer treatment. Proton beam therapy is unique because it delivers precise energy to a specific target in the body without damaging surrounding tissue. This means that patients undergoing this treatment don't need anesthesia and can walk in and out of the treatment area within an hour. For Roger, the results were astounding. After receiving proton beam therapy, he hasn't experienced an abnormally fast heart rhythm in nearly a year. "It made it so it was working," he said, relieved and grateful.