Oncology
Thought Leaders in Radiation Medicine Convene to Discuss Safety and Advancements in Cancer Treatment
Advancements in radiation treatment technology, safety protocols and workflow improvements were key topics discussed during the recent Future of Radiation Medicine: 2012 Clinical Leadership Symposium, sponsored by Elekta, a company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. During the symposium, clinical experts presented data and participated in discussions on how advancements are helping clinicians safely and more accurately treat individuals with lung, prostate and pancreatic cancers.
The event, held on March 15, 2012 in Baltimore, included a panel discussion on advances in safety process evaluation and workflow improvements featuring clinical experts from Johns Hopkins University, North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. During their presentations the speakers highlighted critical findings and outcomes from programs enacted at their institutions.
In her presentation, Stephanie Terezakis, M.D., Department of Radiation Oncology at Johns Hopkins University, emphasized that simple steps – such as checklists and electronic incident reporting systems – can be easily implemented, making a national registry of incidents and near-misses a reality.
Advancements in hypofractionation also were a topic of discussion during the symposium, including a detailed discussion of treatment methods for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Data comparing conventional radiation therapy and fractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) were reviewed.
Joseph Herman, M.D., MSc, Department of Radiation Oncology at Johns Hopkins University presented preliminary data which support the use of fractionated SBRT in well selected patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. His analysis of the data concluded that fractionated SBRT appears safe with less acute toxicity than conventional radiation therapy.
Marc Posner, M.D., of the Center for Advanced Radiation Medicine at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, discussed real-time tracking for treating prostate cancer using non-ionizing soft tissue visualization. He highlighted the potential of transperineal ultrasound* with Elekta’s Clarity™ system, and explained the advantages such a motion management strategy could provide over other imaging modalities, such as MR, CT, kV and MV imaging in hypofractionated prostate treatments.
“Clinical set-up will be easy – anyone can learn how to do this,” he said. “In tests of the approach, all the patients have accepted it, the therapists love it and image quality is excellent. I actually spend less time in the simulator now, because the ultrasound helps with prostate definition, I don’t have to perform the urethrogram and my patients don’t have to have rectal enemas. There is also the potential clinical benefit, enabling a small community center such as ours to move into the 21st century and start performing hypofractionation.”
A full synopsis of the symposium will be available on the Elekta website in the coming months.
*Work in progress.
In March, Dr. Vivian Cosgrove, Head of Radiotherapy Physics at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, gave a presentation on the new Agility™* MLC from Elekta. He discussed research that has been carried out by his team and how that transfers to clinical benefits.
To view a recording of the 45-minute webinar hosted by Medical Physics Web, visit: http://tinyurl.com/6mgm5j2.
*Agility is not available for sale or distribution in all markets. Please contact the local Elekta representative for details.
Introducing Agility™, the next generation, high-resolution beam shaping solution from Elekta.
Learn more at www.elekta.com/agility.
*Agility is not available for sale or distribution in all markets. Please contact the local Elekta representative for details.
Elekta’s Agility™* MLC can be purchased as part of a new radiotherapy solution, as well as an upgrade option to a large part of Elekta’s installed base of linear accelerators. This enables clinics to maximize the potential of their existing equipment. Features include:
- 160 tungsten leaves, only 5mm thin, with a leaf speed of up to 6.5cm per second.
- High-performance reliability and precision using Elekta’s novel Rubicon™ optical positioning system.
- Dedicated Integrity™ R3.0 software, Elekta’s seventh generation digital control system, to precisely coordinate leaf movements with variable dose delivery rates and other treatment parameters.
- Integrated dynamic leaf guides streamline delivery and eliminate the need for “split fields” commonplace with other MLC systems.
- Large-field MLC will enable clinicians to shape radiation across fields of up to 40 x 40cm, providing a highly versatile single solution for a broad spectrum of therapies.
Learn more, view the animation and download our white paper at: www.elekta.com/agility.
*Agility is not available for sale or distribution in all markets. Please contact the local Elekta representative for details.
Agility™ is the next generation, high-resolution beam shaping solution from Elekta. Built on a strong understanding of the factors that are critical to patient plan optimization and treatment delivery, Agility is designed to meet the needs of modern radiotherapy facilities.
Integrated digital control of leaves and leaf guides, combined with unique Rubicon optical leaf positioning, results in an accurate and reliable beam shaping solution. Coupled with extremely low leaf transmission of less than 0.5%, Agility enhances treatment delivery while reducing integral dose.
Offering high resolution beam shaping, seamless field delivery coupled with rapid leaf-speeds allows higher dose rates to be used for more effective modulation. All this combined with the market leading 45cm isocentric clearance ensures that your linac is truly multi-functional.
- Up to 40 x 40cm field size
- 160 interdigitating leaves with 5mm width at isocenter
- Integrated digital control of leaves and dynamic leaf guides
- Accurate leaf positioning with Rubicon optical technology
- Rapid leaf speed
- Extremely low leaf transmission (<0.5%)
- 45cm isocentric clearance
Learn more at: www.elekta.com/agility.
*Agility is not available for sale or distribution in all markets. Please contact the local Elekta representative for details.
Elekta has received clearance to CE mark its new multileaf collimator
Elekta announced today it has received clearance to CE mark Agility™*, a revolutionary beam-shaping device integrated into the head of a linear accelerator (linac). Patients and clinics will benefit from the speed and reliability of this new MLC design.
“According to WHO, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the incidence is expected to continue rising significantly,” says Tomas Puusepp, President and CEO of Elekta. “To meet this increasing need, we have collaborated closely with leading hospitals and research institutions to develop a solution that can increase the throughput of patients while delivering outstanding precision. I’m proud to see that one of our largest projects ever is now ready to contribute to improving cancer care treatment.”
He adds: “Modern cancer treatment is very complex and will continue to be even more so. It’s vital to be able to shape a radiation beam with high precision to avoid harming surrounding tissue, while maintaining time efficiency. Agility is designed to meet these demands. When it reaches the market, hundreds of thousands of patients will benefit from this unique device every year.”
Agility’s leaf speeds are twice as fast as other MLCs commonly used within the industry. This means shorter treatment times for patients, while hospitals and clinics are able to treat patients more efficiently.
With twice as many leaves as a standard MLC, Agility will enable clinicians to sculpt delivered radiation doses to the unique contours of tumors with extreme precision. Clinicians can be confident that the leaves are producing the correct shape to deliver the prescribed treatment to the patient.
Reducing unwanted dose to healthy tissue or organs at risk is of primary importance. Consequently, Agility’s leaf bank is designed for extraordinarily low transmission.
“For our patients, the use of Agility with VMAT delivery will allow us to administer Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) more quickly and efficiently than our current fixed-field approach,” says Vivian Cosgrove, Ph.D., head of radiotherapy physics at St. James’s University Hospital, Leeds, UK. “The advantages with Agility will work in harmony with other technological developments today and in the future.”
Agility can be purchased as part of a new radiotherapy solution from Elekta, as well as an upgrade option to a large part of Elekta’s installed base of linear accelerators. This enables clinics to maximize the potential of their existing equipment.
*Agility is not available for sale or distribution in all markets. Please contact the local Elekta representative for details.
Connexion features exchangeable modules to support wide scope of treatment requirements
Elekta’s Connexion™ modular couchtop is CE marked and successfully released for sale in the European Union. Connexion meets the clinic’s need to tailor patient set-up to accommodate the unique therapy requirements of the individual patient.
With a growing range of imaging and treatment techniques available, couchtops need to be able to support different approaches without compromising patient set-up. With its distinctive modular design, Connexion removes the restrictions of a single couchtop, allowing clinicians to adapt the couch to each patient’s needs. The CE marking of Connexion enables clinics and hospitals in Europe to offer exceptional versatility in patient set-up when Elekta begins delivery of the couchtop.
Connexion allows clinics to maintain patient throughput with easily interchangeable, lightweight modules, providing seamless transition of the individual sections, which connect directly to a baseboard and a variety of extensions.
As a single solution, Connexion offers the following fully indexed modules:
- Imaging Module: Designed to address the needs of IGRT, IMRT and VMAT techniques, this module features low, homogenous beam attenuation properties.
- Lateral Opening Module: Designed for techniques that use oblique fields, such as SBRT, this module features additional clearance around the couchtop, providing extra flexibility in treatment set-up when needed.
- Central Opening Module: Enables the reduction of skin doses via a dedicated area where attenuation and dose build-up are minimized.
- Head and Neck Module: In accordance with Elekta’s open system philosophy, this module supports head and neck immobilization, by providing a common interface to a wide range of immobilization solutions.
Following an evaluation process lasting several days, a 30-member international panel selected Elekta’s Connexion™ couchtop to receive the red dot award: product design 2012 for its impressive design in the product category “Life Science and Medicine,” according to the panel. Creative designers and manufacturers from around the world submitted 4,515 designs to this renowned product competition.
The awarding of the internationally recognized quality label occurs on July 2, 2012, as part of the traditional red dot gala. An estimated 1,000 international guests from design, business, politics and the media will gather at the Essen Aalto-Theatre to celebrate the culmination of this year’s competition. Connexion will then be exhibited for four weeks at the red dot design museum.
With a growing range of imaging and treatment techniques available, couchtops in radiation therapy need to be able to support different approaches without compromising patient set-up. With its unique modular design, Connexion removes the restrictions of a single couchtop, allowing the adaptation of the couch to each patient‘s needs. Building on Elekta’s choice in patient positioning solutions, Connexion offers clinics the flexibility to select the most appropriate couchtop providing personalized efficiency, and strengthening the ability to optimize treatment outcomes.
For further information please visit: www.red-dot.de/press and www.elekta.com/connexion.
*Connexion is not available for sale or distribution in all markets. Please contact your local Elekta representative for details.
At the 24th International Medical Instruments & Equipment (ChinaMed) Exhibition, March 23-25 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, Elekta (booth #3A001) will showcase its comprehensive range of oncology solutions and demonstrate its preeminence as the dominant provider of radiation therapy technology in China.
In the last five years, Elekta has concentrated resources to support China’s unprecedented initiatives to modernize and improve access to cancer management technology. This has resulted in a number of firsts and milestones for both Elekta and Chinese medical centers:
- This month, Elekta BMEI shipped its 100th Elekta Compact™ treatment system, equipped with the 2,000th Precise Table manufactured by Elekta. The 100th Elekta Compact will be will be shipped to Fujian Province Tumor Hospital.
- Release of MOSAIQ® in the Chinese Language, currently in use at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. MOSAIQ is Elekta’s dedicated electronic oncology information system.
- Installation of China’s first Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ radiosurgery systems at Zheijiang University School of Medicine and Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Shanghai Gamma Knife Hospital also plans to install a Perfexion system later this year.
- First order for Elekta Axesse™, an advanced 4D stereotactic treatment system designed to facilitate highly targeted stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and radiosurgery anywhere in the body recently was placed.
Elekta also has enabled users of Precise Treatment System™ in China to increase treatment delivery speed with the release of VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy). VMAT is an advanced radiation therapy technique that delivers treatment in one or more continuous high-speed arcs around the patient, enabling the radiation dose to precisely conform to a tumor by modulating the radiation beam’s intensity.
Precise Treatment System is a versatile therapy platform offering treatments with photons or electrons, traditional static delivery, IGRT or VMAT. Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/7gs6xhw.
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the United Kingdom’s national measurement institute, recently purchased a Flexitron® afterloader from Nucletron, an Elekta company. NPL will continue to offer its brachytherapy calibration service with the new afterloader, and ensure source calibrations in radiotherapy centers remain traceable to NPL’s primary standard.
“We chose Flexitron because it is a highly advanced brachytherapy platform that met all our requirements, offering the accuracy necessary to achieve the scientific excellence we strive for,” says Thorsten Sander, Senior Research Scientist at NPL. “Flexitron also provides us the opportunity to collaborate in the development of new technologies, to expand brachytherapy products and applications.”
Nucletron and NPL have collaborated since 1992.
Flexitron is an advanced afterloader that takes brachytherapy to a new level. With robust safety features and flexible 40-channel configuration, Flexitron is designed to treat both very small and very large tumors without reconnections, in intuitive 1 mm steps.
Accurate determination of source positions is simplified and reliability is enhanced with Nucletron’s zero reference source positioning system, which defines dwell positions in absolute values. This significantly reduces the chance of human error; no additional measures or manual recalculations are required. Procedures take less time and are easier to check. Flexitron patented source drives are more precise and durable than ever, providing reliable treatment from year to year.
For further information, see http://www.nucletron.com and http://www.npl.co.uk/ionising-radiation/.
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