Welcome to the August 2011 e-Lectron e-news. This month’s feature is an update on radiotherapy treatment planning, simulation and delivery.

Interactive Index


What’s New on RadPro…

Hot news ticker box updated daily on home page
The news box on the RadPro home page is now updated daily with the latest radiotherapy news. If you wish your news to be available to our readers as soon as it is released then send it to admin@RadPro.eu for immediate publishing in our “read more click here” format. It can also be available as an RSS release if you specify this.  

Practical and Theoretical Radiotherapy Physics Courses at the Royal Marsden  
RadPro is pleased to showcase in its CPD pages the upcoming planned Physics training courses at the Royal Marsden Hospital, please click on this link to read more and to download application forms and course information: http://www.radpro.org.uk/radproexpo2011/royalmarsden.html  

RadPro EXPO 2011
The RadPro EXPO was a great success and the one week long virtual congress and exhibition has now ended. The EXPO is now stored and archived online for ongoing viewing and for web-searching at http://www.radpro.org.uk/radproexpomap2011.html  


e-Lectron Feature Article - Update on radiotherapy treatment planning, simulation and delivery

Complete 3D patient dose analysis

3D Patient Dose analysis uses existing QA results to accurately predict the impact on planned DVH.  3DVH processes QA data from phantom to patient dose geometry using the patented algorithm PDP™ (Planned Dose Perturbation).  PDP avoids a duplicate dose calculation engine (which can introduce new errors), and instead perturbs 3D planned dose to account for known measured errors. 3DVH presents patient DVH for clinically relevant dose and DVH QA.  Measured phantom (ArcCHECK, MapCHECK) dose differences are transformed to patient dose geometry. Imported  DICOM RT structures are back projected onto the measured dose

To read more click here: PDF IEL

To watch a video of this product click here: http://www.sunnuclear.com/medPhys/patientqa/3dvh/3dvh.asp

Significant Rise in Survival Rates for Elderly Lung Cancer Patients Treated Using Radiosurgery in Netherlands Detailed at World Conference for Lung Cancer

Leading Dutch Cancer Center Equipped with Advanced Varian Treatment Systems Presents Results of Major Nationwide Study into Improving Survival Rates  

Details of advances in the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to treat early stage lung cancer in both high risk operable and inoperable cases were presented at the biennial World Conference for Lung Cancer (WCLC) here in Amsterdam today, including significant improvements in survival of elderly lung cancer patients in the Netherlands as a result of more advanced SBRT treatments.   To read more click here: PDF 1  

Treatments Commence on First Varian TrueBeam System in Scandinavia

Cancer patients in Sweden have gained access to fast and efficient radiotherapy treatments with the installation of Scandinavia’s first TrueBeam™ system from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR). This advanced system has commenced clinical treatments for patients at Västerås Hospital, west Stockholm.

Until recently, physicists and doctors at the busy hospital have been treating 70 patients a day in two shifts between 6.30am and 8.30pm. The arrival of the TrueBeam system means more advanced treatments can be delivered in shorter times, potentially enabling a resumption of normal working patterns.   To read more click here: PDF 2

Christian Medical College & Hospital First to Upgrade Elekta Compact Linear Accelerator with MLCi2

MLCi2 provides more accurate delivery to tumors while limiting radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues

Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMC) Ludhiana is the site of the first Elekta Compact™ linear accelerator in the world to be field-upgraded to an MLCi2-equipped Elekta Compact, completing the transformation in less than a week. MLCi2 shapes treatment beams, enabling doctors to provide more accurate delivery to the target, while limiting radiation exposure to surrounding structures.   To read more click here: PDF 3  

New Release of Elekta's Monaco Treatment Planning System Prepares Software for Stereotactic Radiation Therapy

Part of Monaco 3.0, Dynamic Conformal Arc Therapy receives 510(k) clearance

Among the many new features of Monaco® 3.0, Dynamic Conformal Arc (DCA) Therapy provides clinicians with a simple way to deliver highly conformal stereotactic plans by using the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) to dynamically conform around a target as the treatment beam rotates around the patient. DCA recently received 510(k) clearance for Monaco from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

To read more click here: PDF 4

Varian’s TrueBeam System Wins Prestigious International Design Award

Varian’s TrueBeam radiotherapy delivery system, a comprehensive re-design of linear accelerator technology, has won a top international design award. Launched last year, the sleek and fully-integrated TrueBeam system has been selected for a prestigious Red Dot award for product design.

The Red Dot organization, based in Essen, Germany, awards prizes annually for product design, design agencies and design concepts. This year, designers and companies from 60 countries entered almost 4,500 products in the Red Dot award for product design and the winners were announced at a glittering awards ceremony in Essen. More information about the awards and a list of winners can be found at www.red-dot.org

To read more click here: PDF 5

Latest Releases of Elekta's XiO Planning and Focal Contouring Systems Designed to Increase Efficiency in Planning Therapy for Patients with Cancer

Customer input at heart of latest improvements

The new releases of Elekta's XiO® treatment planning system and Focal contouring system (v. 4.62) will enable clinicians to develop and deliver radiation therapy plans more efficiently.

The XiO enhancements include an improved Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) segmentation algorithm, fluence map smoothing and DICOM dose import via Focal. Focal now provides improved tools for contouring, enabling clinicians to contour anatomy faster and more easily. Together, these new XiO and Focal features contribute to an approximate 30 percent reduction in segments and approximate 20 percent reduction in IMRT monitor units (MU)*, which translates into lower integral dose and faster treatment times.

To read more click here: PDF 6

Scottish Executive Awards Varian Medical Systems Major Contract to Supply Advanced Radiotherapy Equipment to Scotland’s Five Cancer Centers

Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has been awarded a contract to supply eight TrueBeam treatment systems to hospitals in Scotland as part of a major nationwide procurement program. The award also involves two Clinac® iX linear accelerators, ancillary equipment and software from Varian, the world leader in radiotherapy.

The new equipment will replace ageing treatment machines at radiotherapy departments in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. “This is a major replacement program aimed at refreshing our stock of radiotherapy treatment machines across Scotland,” says NHS National Services Scotland’s Procurement Manager (Equipping and Technical) and project lead John Slater. “We considered several approaches but were persuaded by the leading technology that Varian offers.”

To read more click here: PDF 7


What the papers said…
Last months Radiotherapy news in the media

Christie hospital cancer centre opens in Salford

A new £18m radiotherapy centre run by The Christie hospital has opened at Salford Royal Infirmary.

The unit will be able to treat patients with breast, bowel and lung cancers, but will also treat brain conditions. It has a new treatment system called Novalis Tx which can kill cancer cells without the need for invasive surgery. The short treatment times of the system mean more patients can be treated in one day.

To read more click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14274076

Cancer units to benefit from £22m of new equipment

Five hospitals across Scotland are to receive new equipment, worth £22m, to treat cancer.

The Scottish government awarded the contract for replacing radiotherapy machines to Varian Medical Systems.It is hoped the more technically-advanced equipment will treat tumours in a faster and more precise manner.

To read more click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14309036

Fringe benefits of the God particle

Recent experiments using the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, near Geneva, hold out the hope that the Higgs boson (nicknamed "the God Particle") may soon be discovered. Proof of its existence would confirm the Standard Model of elementary particles. This would be a Nobel-worthy triumph for physicists, but, at a cost of billions, might seem to the rest of us a rarified and pointless endeavour. It is true there would be no instant practical benefit, but it is worth recalling that since 1900 research into the nature of the atom has created or assisted in the development of television, lasers, electronics, solar power, nuclear energy, radiotherapy, MRI and PET scanners, and the World Wide Web.

To read more click here: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-fringe-benefits-of-the-god-particle-2325990.html


Hot news from the industry and from AAPM in Vancouver

Lincoln selected as a venue for Nucletron’s successful Brachytherapy user meeting

Nucletron recently held a highly successfully brachytherapy meeting for users.  The meeting took the form of formal presentations on brachytherapy from user sites, the latest innovations in brachytherapy from Nucletron together with questions/discussion sessions, and demonstrations/hands-on sessions interspersed throughout the programme.

Day One of the meeting was hosted by Ian Green, Principal Radiotherapy Physicist at Lincoln County and Day Two by Jenny Marsden, Principal Physicist at Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals.   A highlight of the meeting was a talk by a patient, Mark Davies, speaking on “The Patient Experience”.

Feedback from delegates was excellent with a major of over eight-five percent saying that that overall meeting was a “good event” and “thank you”.   Top of the poll was the patient experience talk, with one attendee saying “it gave us food for thought and is not something we usually talk about.”

To see some of the meeting in pictures click here: 173 177

Elekta Emphasizes Commitment to Safety in Cancer Management at Joint Radiation Physics Annual Meeting

American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) 2011 combined meeting is forum to showcase breadth of Elekta's portfolio

Encompassing virtually every aspect of modern cancer management, Elekta (booth # 401) will demonstrate not only the depth and breadth of its offerings, but its commitment to maximize safety in radiation therapy delivery at the joint 2011 AAPM/COMP meeting. The conference will convene July 31 - August 4 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

To read more click here: PDF 8

Elekta European Users' Conference Attracts Top Minds in Cancer Management

Elekta users from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America and Africa converged on Hotel Hohe Dune in Warnemunde, Germany June 16-19 to participate in Elekta's fifth European Users' Conference. Approximately 390 clinicians and scientists attended 31 presentations and workshops given by Elekta users and company representatives on a wide range of cancer management topics. The Users' Conference was preceded by the Elekta Stereotactic Users' Meeting, June 15-16.

To read more click here: PDF 9

SBRT for Medically Inoperable Early Stage Lung Cancer a Key Topic for Elekta Presenters at Lung Cancer Conference

During the 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer, leading users of Elekta Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) technology presented their findings on the use of SBRT to treat early stage, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The most common form of lung cancer, NSCLC arises from a number of causes, including active smoking, passive smoking (secondhand smoke), and exposure to other carcinogens.

To read more click here: PDF 10

Accuray Symposium Puts Spotlight on Quality Assurance in Radiation Oncology at Joint AAPM/COMP Meeting CyberKnife and TomoTherapy Systems Featured in more than 60 Abstracts

Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), the premier radiation oncology company, announced today that it will showcase the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System and the TomoTherapy Radiation Therapy Treatment System in the company's booths (#708, #809) at the 2011 Joint American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM)/Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP) Meeting. Accuray will also host a joint symposium examining best practices for quality assurance in radiation oncology. The 2011 Joint AAPM/COMP Meeting takes place July 31-August 4, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

To read more click here: http://www.cnbc.com/id/43960910


Radiotherapy Jobs: The latest international vacancies

For all the latest jobs click here: http://www.radpro.org.uk/jobs/employment.php

 

www.CompareRad.com

www.CompareRad.com the first Radiotherapy and Radiology product comparison website…Simple!


Upcoming e-Lectron features

August 2011: Advances in treatment planning, CT simulation and treatment delivery systems

September 2011: Two features.

1. Update on the latest in radiotherapy accessories, immobilisation devices and consumables
2. EXPO 2011 virtual congress review and feedback. Have your say at admin@RadPro.eu !

October 2011: Two features.

1. Radiation protection, shielding and QA in radiotherapy
2. Medical Physics tools update

November 2011: New Brachytherapy treatment systems and software

December 2011: Radiotherapy recruitment and student training feature

January 2012: You feature subject of choice? Just let us know at admin@RadPro.eu now!

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Please send you editorial, corporate or clinical, suggestions and any questions to admin@RadPro.eu

Duncan Hynd, August 2011

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