Dose-Guided Radiation Therapy System

A new integrated dose-guided radiation therapy (DGRT) system was introduced at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in Atlanta (GA, USA) in October 2004.

The Artiste linear accelerator, developed by Siemens Medical Solutions (Erlangen, Germany), utilizes Siemens' In-Line technology, and provides advanced treatment capabilities beyond image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Where current IGRT approaches focus on accurate delivery based upon tumor position, DRGT introduces the consideration of anatomy and dosimetric changes into the treatment protocol. DRGT relies upon information about the tumor shape and treatment dose to adapt the treatment.

"With Artiste, we see a way to demonstrate that it is not only possible, but necessary, to integrate both kilovoltage [kV] and megavoltage [MV] cone beam imaging into a linear accelerator. We are ‘closing the loop,'--the feedback loop--to provide our customers with treatment tools that will allow them to provide true adaptive radiation therapy. And to benefit both the clinician and the patient, we are able to do this without surrounding the patient,” stated Ajit Singh, president of Siemens Oncology Care Systems Group.

This advanced system for the delivery of adaptive radiation therapy (ART) will provide both kV and MV imaging capabilities by providing a separate radiation source and imaging panel for each energy range. Each energy range is then used to provide the images necessary for DGRT, and can become the basis of distinct imaging and treatment capabilities. The arrangement of the sources and imaging panels are 180o (in-line) from one another, which allows the system to be unique in the intent to provide the capability to image both the patient and the treatment simultaneously. In addition, this provides synchronized image and dose monitoring, quality cone beam information correlated with the treatment plan, and both entrance and exit treatment ports.




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