North Estonia Medical Centre (NEMC)

North Estonia Medical Centre (NEMC) is the largest hospital in Estonia, with an in-patient capacity of 1,248 beds. Located in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, NEMC serves as a tertiary referral hospital and the country’s leading comprehensive cancer treatment center, utilizing highly advanced medical technology.

With nearly 5,000 employees, NEMC has a strong medical workforce, including over 500 doctors and more than 100 resident doctors undergoing training. The hospital has demonstrated continuous growth in research, medical education, and personnel development.

NEMC’s radiotherapy department is equipped with four linacs and one HDR brachytherapy unit, treating approximately 1,800 patients with radiotherapy each year.

NEMC has a long history of brachytherapy, first introduced in 1946 with radium at the Estonia Oncology Centre (1946–2001). The hospital later transitioned to a Cobalt-60 afterloader (1979–2007) before adopting modern afterloader technology and treatment planning systems in 2007.

Our team has gained expertise through international training, including:

• BrachyAcademy workshops “3D image-guided adaptive brachytherapy for gynecology” at AKH Vienna (2009, 2019).
• A three-month fellowship at AKH Vienna (2009).
• Several ESTRO brachytherapy courses.

NEMC provides a comprehensive brachytherapy service, with a special focus on gynecological cancers (cervical, vulvar, vaginal, endometrial, and reirradiation cases).

• MRI-based gynecological IC/IS brachytherapy has been routinely offered since 2016.
• Active participation in the EMBRACE study group, including patient enrollment in EMBRACE II.
• State-of-the-art facilities, including a dedicated operating room, MRI within the radiotherapy department, and ultrasound guidance.
• A small but highly specialized dedicated brachytherapy team treats approximately 100 patients per year.
• NEMC is equipped for HDR image-based brachytherapy and recognized as an expert center in the region.

NEMC’s Radiotherapy Centre actively supports education and training:

• IAEA-supported on-site radiotherapy training partner. Hosts training visits for colleagues interested in learning about MRI-based gynecological brachytherapy and transitioning from 2D to 3D brachytherapy.
• Offers 1- to 5-day observational visits on various aspects of gynecological brachytherapy. Through direct observation and discussions, participants gain comprehensive practical insights into IGABT workflows for gynecological tumors.