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The
department purchased a Nucletron Simplicity digital simulator. This
upgraded the sim capability with digital imaging and networking. It
was installed in the existing HDR brachytherapy suite. A digital
simulator enables patients to be treated with brachytherapy without
physical movement from the time their treatment is radiographed and
planned through the actual HDR treatment. This adds not only to
patient convenience and safety, but also to treatment accuracy.
To increase
precision of IMRT, a SonArray unit is utilized. This unit uses
ultrasound to anatomically localize the target organ on a daily basis.
This allows for variations in patient setup and normal intrinsic body
movement. This further increases precision of IMRT treatments.
Intensity
modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) of prostate and breast patients are
planned on the new Eclipse system. This software was developed at
Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York and has added capabilities both
in planning and physics QA when compared to the existing Plato
treatment planning system.
Plans for
future improvement include investigation of on board kv tube and flat
panel imager for image guided radiotherapy or “4-D” radiotherapy.
The
department continues to focus not only on the satisfaction and
convenience of the patients we treat, but also on the technical
advances we can add to patient care.
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