Radparts

Elekta Aims for More Accurate Radiation Therapy with Unity

A Swedish company is staking its hopes for a larger North American market on a radiation therapy device that can more accurately target tumors than current technology, including real-time imaging.

Eighteen years in development, Elekta’s Unity combines two incompatible devices, a Philips 1.5-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging machine (MRI) with a largely metal linear accelerator, and a highly sensitive linear accelerator or Linac, to produce high-resolution, or high field, images of tumors during cancer treatment. The sharper image allows the radiation therapist to use smaller margins to target the tumor, sparing surrounding healthy tissue from harmful rays.

The MRI-Linac also allows the radiation therapist to detect whether a tumor has moved or changed, and to more accurately focus the beam during each treatment. Elekta’s Unity has demonstrated the dose of radiation within 1% and with 0.3mm accuracy, according to Jan Lagendijk, professor of clinical physics at University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Lagendijk developed the MRI-Linac with Bas Raaymakers, a professor of experimental clinical physics at the same institution.

The radiation oncology market is large, with about half of all cancer patients receiving some type of radiation therapy sometime during the course of their treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Elekta is in the midst of a first-in-human trial at UMC Utrecht to measure the accuracy of Unity in five patients with spinal cord tumors. Radiation inaccurately directed at the spinal cord can cause paralysis, according to Kevin Brown, a physicist and vice president of Research and Innovation at Elekta.

“If you have cervical cancer, that’s moving around all day, quite dramatically,” Brown added. “With today’s technology, we have no way of dealing with that motion . . . This new technology is providing the next level of visualization of what you want to treat at the time you are treating it.”

This heightened precision might enable radiation oncologists to increase the dose at a particular visit and thus reduce the number of treatments, Brown added.

How did the researchers marry two highly incompatible technologies? It modified the MRI machine’s active shielding, introduced passive shielding, and redesigned the linear accelerator. The rest is proprietary information, Brown said.

“It was never possible to combine these two machines,” said Ina Jürgenliemk-Schulz, MD, a UMC Utrecht radiation oncologist and principal investigator of the study. “It was quite a milestone that they did it.”

Startup ViewRay (Oakwood Village, Ohio) patented a similar, but smaller MRI-Linac combo in 2011, a combined 6 MV Linac and 0.35-Tesla MRI machine it calls MRIdian Linac. That machine is considered low-field, but Brown said he’s glad that ViewRay paved the way with regulators. MRIdian Linac has already received CE Mark and 510(k) approval from FDA. Elekta expects to land the CE Mark for Unity by the end of 2017, followed by FDA approval. Elekta is one of the largest makers of radiation oncology devices and has the partnership with Philips on its side as well, Brown noted.

Kristofer Liljeberg, an analyst who follows Elekta for Carnegie, believes Unity could dominate this market segment in a few years.

“We believe the Unity MR Linac will be very important for Elekta to improve sales and order growth that has suffered in recent years,” Liljeberg wrote in an email. “Given the high interest from early adopters, Elekta should have a good chance [of] hitting the target of 75 orders until 2019.”

Original Source: http://www.mddionline.com/article/elekta-aims-more-accurate-radiation-therapy-unity-06-20-17

Original Author: Nancy Crotti

Original Date: June 20 2017

The Average Life Space of Linear Accelerator Parts

As linear accelerators age errors can creep in, but how long is the average lifespan of a medical linear accelerator given that the machines cost of millions of dollars? While it’s reasonable to expect a good 5 to 10 years of use out of a linear, accelerator maintenance also takes its toll on expenses. Most institutions can expect a single linac (Linear Accelerator) machine to cost somewhere in the range of 300,000 dollars every 2 to 3 years.

Facilities can often squeeze more use out of a machine and ensure errors are resolved by keeping the software up to date and replacing or upgrading linear accelerator parts when needed.

It is essential to choose a reputable company to replace your linac’s aging parts as the wrong equipment can end up harming the machine instead of improving it. Most companies who sell linear accelerators and parts will have service contracts available that offer varying levels of support.

Depending on the size of the facility they may be required to choose between keeping the software up to date, operator manuals, or having staff and physicists trained in the use of the accelerator.

You can reasonably expect a for-profit facility to experience some pressure when using this expensive piece of medical equipment. After all, they will need to treat enough patients over time to pay for it.

One of the biggest concerns for facilities using a linac machine is one of liability for injuries to patients. As a litigious society always goes after the institution which gives the best chance of a payout the facility is usually the one bearing the brunt of the lawsuits.

Their expensive insurance creates the illusion that they have large sums of money available for payouts, and this is why it is in the facilities best interests to reduce errors and improve patient confidence. The best way to do this is to ensure the linac gets serviced regularly, software is kept up to date, and all staff is adequately trained.

Learn more about Radparts and the variety of services and parts they offer to repair medical equipment including: linear accelerators parts, CT scanners parts, linac parts, and radiation oncology equipment at www.radparts.com. To contact one of our medical equipment repair specialists for parts or service call toll free 877.704.3838 for 24/7/365 support.

How we’re making radiotherapy a smarter, kinder treatment for cancer

Radiotherapy is a crucial part of treatment for many cancers. Here at the ICR, we’re developing new ways to use radiotherapy to kill cancer cells with fewer side effects and fewer hospital visits.

Given its 100-year history, you might be forgiven for thinking of radiotherapy as archaic, old-fashioned, out-of-date.

But you couldn’t be further from the truth.

More than 120,000 cancer patients in the UK are treated with radiotherapy each year and the technique continues to cure more people than all existing drugs combined.

Although the principle has remained the same through history – using radiation to damage DNA and kill cancer cells – the mode of delivery has become much more sophisticated over recent decades.

We founded our department of radiotherapy in the early 1940s and have been pioneers in developing the technology, at the forefront of some of the biggest developments that have improved patient care.

Our research into ways to target delivery of radiotherapy precisely to tumours has helped increase the effectiveness of radiation treatments, leading to changes in clinical practice, reduced treatment complications and improved cure rates.

Intensity modulated radiotherapy

Along with our hospital partner The Royal Marsden, we pioneered intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This high-precision method enables the X-ray beam used in radiotherapy to be adjusted, changing beam shape and intensity as the machine moves around the body, to match the shape of the tumour. This spares the surrounding tissue, and allows higher intensities of radiation to be concentrated on the tumour.

Our researchers have shown that this technique reduces the severity of side-effects in many cancers – such as Professor Kevin Harrington’s research into avoiding dry mouth in patients treated for head and neck cancers, or Professor David Dearnaley’s work to reduce bowel, bladder and sexual side-effects in prostate cancer patients.

We have also shown that the technique is suitable for elderly patients with bladder cancer.

Image-guided radiotherapy

Advances in the imaging of cancer using scanning techniques allowed the ICR and The Royal Marsden to extend the potential of IMRT by combining diagnostics and therapeutics in a new technique, known as image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT).

This allows the radiation beam to be adjusted based on feedback from a scanner that monitors patients in real time.

The technique can accommodate for movement of tumours in the body as a patient moves, protecting surrounding tissue even more effectively.

The MR Linac – a UK-first set to revolutionise radiotherapy

The ‘daddy’ of image-guided radiotherapy, the MR Linac, combines two technologies – an MRI scanner and a linear accelerator.

This means we will be able to precisely locate and dose even moving tumours – such those of the lung, affected by breathing, or a prostate tumour that might move from day-to-day depending on what the person has eaten and how full their bowel is.

The ICR and The Royal Marsden are the first in the UK to receive the multimillion pound machine, which is due to be up and running, and ready to treat patients in 2018.

Reducing side effects of breast cancer radiotherapy

Professor Judith Bliss, Director of the ICR’s Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit, and Professor John Yarnold led a study to reduce side effects from radiotherapy for breast cancer.

The IMPORT LOW trial, involving more than 2,000 women, demonstrated that postoperative radiotherapy focused only around the part of the breast that had contained the tumour has fewer long-term side effects and is just as effective as standard whole-breast radiotherapy.

The researchers hope the study will contribute to a change in clinical practice in the very near future.

Less is more for early breast cancers

Our work hasn’t just focused on precision targeting. We’ve also been looking at refining the doses of radiotherapy needed to kill cancer cells.

The START clinical trial, led by Professors Judith Bliss and John Yarnold, found that three weeks of radiotherapy is as good as five weeks for treating breast cancer – as well as being more convenient and less tiring for patients.

It has also had the added benefit of being cheaper for the health service, saving the NHS around £50 million per year since 2009.

Better for patients, better for the NHS

Professor David Dearnaley led a practice-changing clinical trial that found a shorter course of prostate cancer radiotherapy, involving 17 fewer hospital visits and higher individual doses of radiotherapy, is as effective as the current standard treatment for both survival and quality of life – and could save the NHS tens of millions of pounds per year.

Could gut bacteria dictate how people respond to radiotherapy?

Our researchers have begun the first study to look scientifically at the influence of gut bacteria on how people with cancer respond to radiation treatment.

Professor David Dearnaley and colleagues hope to shed light on whether some patients with a particular make-up of gut bacteria respond differently to radiotherapy, which in turn could affect the amount of radiotherapy they are offered.

The ultimate aims of this work are to reduce the severity of bowel problems after pelvic radiotherapy, and to find out if changing the make-up of the gut flora in individual patients will benefit patients.

Using radiotherapy in combination

Professor Kevin Harrington and his team have been working on combining radiotherapies with chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and even immunotherapies and viral therapies to compliment and boost their cancer-killing abilities.

Many of these combinations have been successful in the lab, and may soon be brought into clinical trial.

Support our work to refine radiotherapy

We are a charitable organisation and rely on support from donors and supporters, as well as grants from major funding organisations.

Find out more about our work to develop kinder, smarter radiotherapy treatments and how you can help us to continue to improve cancer patients’ lives.

Original Source: http://www.icr.ac.uk/blogs/science-talk-the-icr-blog/page-details/how-we-re-making-radiotherapy-a-smarter-kinder-treatment-for-cancer

Original Author: Dr Claire Hastings

Original Date: 11 July, 2017

Radparts Specials July 2017

Consideration with Linear Accelerators

Radiotherapy works by targeting high-energy gamma rays or electron beams into cancerous cells. These damaged cells are more prone to radiation damage than the normal tissues. Linear accelerators are multi-modality ionizing radiation generators with associated imaging devices that are currently used for delivery of external beam radiotherapy.

Contemporary linear accelerators provide wither 6 MeV photons in the “low energy” range machines or dual/triple photon energy and several electron energies. The following systems are incorporated into the linear accelerators: multi-leaf collimator (MLC) for beam Shaping, capability to deliver intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and a 3D image guidance system (IGRT). They also provide an electronic portal imaging system for imaging treatment beams.

Other additional features may be incorporated into linear accelerators such as: arc-based IMRT delivery, total body irradiation, high dose rate electrons, and more. Despite the high capital cost of purchasing them, their high patient throughout over a long lifespan makes them extremely cost-effective compared with the other treatment options. The operation of linear accelerators should be according to the existing standards and regulations which include: IEC standards, radiation regulations, guidelines for radio therapy room design, and more.

Technical Considerations

The technology used in conventional linear accelerators is essentially the same for all of them. The high energy generation can be achieved either by implementing the “traveling waveguide technology” or by implementing the “standing waveguide technology”. The first approach is simpler and more reliable, while the second approach features a more stable treatment beam. The generated radiation beam is flattened and shaped using collimation devices to form a beam matching the shape of the tumor.

The wave guide, the filters, and the collimator are mounted on a gantry which rotates around the patient which allows the tumor to be irradiated from multiple directions. There is a linear accelerator patient coach specifically designed to allow irradiation of the patient from multiple directions.

Modern linear accelerators are designed to enable intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This is a dynamic radiotherapy delivery method which enables good control over the three-dimensional dose distribution: the delivered beam instead of being flat, changes the intensity at different points within the beam.

There are different types of linear accelerator IMRT delivery methods:

• Step and Shoot Method: This method consists of delivering a series of different shaped fields formed by the MLC to build up a variable intensity pattern. The irradiation is stopped between each field.

• Dynamic MLC Method: In which the radiation runs constant, while the MLC leaves move across the field at variable speeds.

• Arc Therapy Method: In which the radiation runs continuously and the gantry collimators anc MLC leaves are all moving continuously. The does rate also varies during the delivery. Treatments are delivered in an arc, or sometimes in two arcs. This is probably the best choice for IMRT.

Radiation Oncology Equipment

A variety of radiation oncology equipment tools are used to provide radiation therapy. In radiation therapy high-energy radiation is transmitted with the goal of shrinking tumours thus killing the cancerous cells. There are a number of different types of radiation used to kill cancerous tumour cells including x-ray, gamma ray, and other charged particles. Radiation is emitted from a machine, such as a linear accelerator, that is used on the outside of the body. Occasionally doctors will recommend placing radioactive material directly on the part of the body where the cancer cells are developing.

A number of manufacturers provide radiology equipment as well as a number of independent medical equipment specialists. Many times facilities looking to maximize their budget will look into refurbished machines. There are a number of machines that play a role in delivering radiation to patients including: linear accelerators (LINACS), CT scanners, HDR systems, PET CT scanners, MRI systems, conventional simulators, treatment planning systems, and more.

A linear accelerator is a piece of radiation oncology equipment that is designed to specifically deliver high energy x-rays, charged electrons, that conform to the shape of the tumour and destroy the cancerous cells without damaging nearby healthy tissue. LINACS were built with several security measures in place to monitor and control the dose of radiation that is emitted during each session.

A measurement is prepared ahead of time to calculate the correct dosage of radiation that each particular patient needs. Having this prepared ahead of time helps to ensure that a dose that is higher than what has been prescribed is not given to the patient. More radiation then is absolutely necessary will not increase the chances of the cancer shrinking but will increase the likelihood that damage is done to the surrounding healthy tissue.

Radiation oncologists operate linear accelerators (LINAC) to deliver radiation therapy to patients as their treatment plan states. A detailed treatment plan is prepared by a team of physicians including the radiation oncologist, radiation dosimetrist, and medical physicist. This plan is then reviewed in depth by your personal physician to ensure that the information goes through a number of cross checks before starting the plan.

Cancer is not a disease of convenience. Thankfully developments within the medical industry have allowed for technology to adapt to ever changing treatment plans. Large scaled equipment such as linear accelerators are designed with a number of options that allow it function on a sliding scale. Treatment can be directed at the smallest, most delicate parts of the body to annihilate cancerous cells while leaving the healthy tissue surrounding the area unaffected.

Custom Liquid Cooling Systems from Laird Optimize Particle Accelerators Performance

Laird has developed self-contained liquid cooling systems (LCS) that deliver optimal temperature stabilization for more precise temperature control in particle accelerators like linear accelerators (LINACs) and cyclotron systems. LINACs and cyclotrons increase the kinetic energy of particles for use in a variety of applications, ranging from scientific studies on particle physics to radiation therapy for cancer patients. Temperature control within the linear accelerator and cyclotron systems is critical for operational integrity, performance accuracy and system reliability.

One example of a LINAC system is Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) equipment used for treating cancer. IMRT equipment requires thermal consistency to maintain beam energy and stability. The tungsten target, the waveguide, the acceleration chamber, and the magnets all require thermal management to dissipate heat buildup and maintain temperature stability for optimal operation. Even the cabinet electronics, amplifiers and power supplies, require cooling due to the heat generated during operation. For example, certain components in an IMRT system, such as the process board, require thermal control within about 0.5 degree C.

Cyclotron systems, like Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners, require cooling of both the cyclotron equipment that generates the radioactive substance and the detector banks in the imaging system. The amplifiers, power supplies, and vacuum chamber also need cooling. To avoid noise in the image due to leakage current, the detectors need to be kept at a constant temperature relative to one another.

Liquid cooling systems recirculate coolant to a predefined set-point temperature, while dissipating the large amount of heat generated in the densely packed electronic environment of IMRT and PET systems. An LCS offers higher efficiency than air-based heat exchangers and provides more rapid cooling, quieter operation, higher reliability, and increased system uptime.

Laird offers three types of liquid cooling systems to meet most any application demands: liquid-to-air configuration; liquid-to-liquid configuration; and compressor-based chiller system. Depending on system requirements, additional features for precise temperature control and variable coolant flow rate, coolants with corrosion inhibitors, and coolant filtration are available. In IMRT and PET systems, temperature control of multiple liquid circuits is often required, as is high operational temperature. Control of multiple pressure, flow, and temperature settings can easily be accommodated in a single system design.

Given the complexity of some IMRT and PET systems, usage of a custom designed LCS with plug-and-play components may be a good solution. For example, quick connect fittings allow easy service and maintenance, such as a bottom drain for removing the coolant by gravity, or a pump that is easy to swap out to simplify ease-of-service. Custom housing configurations for unique environments may also be required. Laird has the knowledge to custom design liquid cooling systems for linear accelerator and cyclotron applications, as well as the experience to support and service them.

“The increasing intricacy of thermal management means that linear accelerator and cyclotron systems often require custom liquid cooling systems. Laird’s experience in the design, manufacturing, and servicing of liquid cooling systems, as well as our expertise in pumps, compressor technology, heat exchangers, and electro-mechanical controls allows IMRT and PET manufacturers to focus on their end product design, while leaving the thermal management issues to the experts,” said Anders Kottenauer, Senior Vice President of Laird’s Engineered Thermal Systems Business.

Laird

Original Source: http://www.designworldonline.com/custom-liquid-cooling-systems-laird-optimize-particle-accelerators-performance/
Original Author: Taylor Meade
Original Date: June 1, 2017

TheraView TBI gets 510k approval

TheraView and its Distributor Acceletronics are proud to present the first commercially available mobile Total Body Irradiation (TBI) detector. With its unique software features, radiation therapists can easily follow the entire TBI treatment. An easy setup on any Linac makes the patient treatment very efficient and accurate. During a live video stream the system will warn the user of any patient deviation by a change in color scheme or clinical audio alarm.

Please take a moment to visit our website TheraView page which has a link to the new TBI Imaging system brochure.

We are available for an onsite or online demo at a convenient time to share this new product with you and your team.

Toll Free 1-800-626-8704
www.acceletronics.com

www.radparts.com

info@acceletronics.com

Radparts Specials For JUNE 2017!!

Different Applications of Linear Accelerators within the Medical Industry

Many of us have never heard of a linear accelerator. Unless you are in the medical field or involved in radiation treatment you might not realize how important this one piece of medical equipment is to the health care industry. No time is a good time for medical facilities to have a piece of equipment down but especially so in the case of radiation oncology equipment like linear accelerators.

This is one of the main reasons that replacement parts for linear accelerators and other radiation oncology equipment are in high demand. When a piece of radiation equipment breaks down it is crucial to the treatment of patients that it is repaired quickly to avoid downtime in patient care. In this installment we will look at the applications of linear accelerators in medical facilities.

Radiation Treatment For Cancerous Tumors

Linear accelerators are mainly known as the machine that is used in radiation therapy to target cancerous tumors. Linear accelerators accelerate electrons. When they are speeding up, that is when they would be getting the heavy metal target. This is where the x-ray would be generated. Once that radiation is generated, then only it is targeted towards the tumor. This is one of the first methods used in chemotherapy that targets and destroys cancerous tumors. Without the actual acceleration of the electrons, the radiation which is required for the radiation therapy would not be produced at all. That is why the linear acceleration is always required when it comes to the radiation therapy.

LINAC Treatment

This treatment is similar to the laser technique which is used in a wide variety of cosmetic treatments. This ensures that the healthy cells and issues around the area where it is focused are not destroyed as well. This is the reason that this application is used in treatment. The risk of destroying the healthy tissue is minimized because the radiation is focused in on the tumor.

Linear accelerators are also used in MRI tests. In this test, the scanning of the different body parts is conducted in order to find out whether there is any problem with these body parts. The electrons are accelerated in order to produce the right kind of effect.

These are just some of the applications linear accelerators can be used within the medical industry. We can appreciate why there is such high demand for replacement parts for linear accelerators and other types of radiotherapy equipment knowing how crucial on time treatment and regime is in treatment.