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Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen Brings New Hope to Lung Cancer Patients With BrainLAB Adaptive Gating Technology

Posted on: Tuesday, 18 October 2005, 09:01 CDT

WESTCHESTER, Ill., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- At Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, cancer patients with tumors impeded by respiratory movement, have been given new hope with the addition of BrainLAB's Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) system called ExacTrac(R) X-Ray 6D. With a long history of experience using respiratory-gated treatment approaches, Rigshospitalet chose to implement the latest BrainLAB IGRT Adaptive Gating module for its superior technology. An extension of the ExacTrac(R) X-Ray 6D IGRT platform, the module enables physicians to target moving tumors by precisely adjusting the beam to the patient's breathing patterns.

Previously, Rigshospitalet had been using a gating system that only addressed the patient's external breathing patterns, and found the technology did not sufficiently meet their need to deliver the best patient care possible. As a result, the hospital chose BrainLAB Adaptive Respiratory Gating technology which allows physicians to verify tumor motion inside the patient, using stereoscopic image guidance. The system has proven millimeter targeting precision(1) for more effective treatment and fewer patient complications. Today, patients at Rigshospitalet can benefit from three advanced BrainLAB IGRT systems installed at their Radiotherapy department, one of which will be equipped shortly with the new Adaptive Gating treatment module.

Rigshospitalet has also joined the BrainLAB Adaptive Gating research group. Along with his team, Dr. Hakan Nystrom, Chief Physicist of the Radiation Oncology Department at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, will contribute valuable input based on their expert knowledge in clinical implementation of Adaptive Gating. BrainLAB is planning to set up clinical training courses and workshops at the hospital for adaptive gating beginning in 2006.

"The BrainLAB ExacTrac X-Ray 6D technology provides precise stereoscopic IGRT of the patient at treatment position, making it possible to visualize and calculate the exact movement of the tumor inside the patient just seconds before the treatment. This is a primary requirement to delivering doses precisely to the tumor and avoiding normal tissue irradiation," said Dr. Hakan Nystrom. "Additionally, the possibility of x-ray verification at any point in time during treatment was crucial to us. Combined with continuous real-time infrared tracking of the patient's breathing, we are confident now that we can offer gated treatments with the highest possible accuracy throughout each treatment."

BrainLAB Adaptive Gating monitors the patient's breathing cycle and delivers treatment doses in short bursts to match the exact position of the tumor. The integrated infrared tracking technology enables doctors to automatically acquire multiple stereoscopic x-ray images during the patient's breathing cycle. The exact magnitude of tumor movement is calculated automatically in 3D, allowing precise synchronization of the "beam-on window" with the patient's breathing frequency. If the tumor moves out of the treatment beam, the radiation is automatically interrupted to protect the patient's healthy tissue.

Additionally, the system's sophisticated and easy to use software automates all treatment steps including high-resolution imaging of the patient's internal anatomy, image verification, patient set-up and continuous tracking of the movement.

"By implementing BrainLAB's image-guided Adaptive Gating solution, doctors at our reference site, Rigshospitalet, are now able to better overcome treatment limitations caused by breathing-induced tumor motion. BrainLAB's IGRT technology is clinically established in over 70 leading sites around the world, allowing physicians to accurately verify the treatment position of their patients with millimeter accuracy and make crucial adjustments seconds before treatment," said Ralf Schira, International Marketing Manager Radiotherapy. "The treatment precision made possible with the BrainLAB Adaptive Gating offers a significant reduction of safety margins, reducing the amount of normal tissue that traditionally would receive high doses by up to 50 percent."

About Rigshospitalet

Rigshospitalet is the patients' hospital, a major centre for medical research, a place of employment for our staff and an enterprise engaged in the whole range of patient treatment, research, development, and training. Our mission is to be Denmark's leading hospital for patients needing highly specialized treatment and care. With 1,120 beds, Rigshospitalet has responsibility for 65,000 inpatients and approximately 420,000 ambulant visits annually. In addition to its 7,000 personnel (representing 6,000 full-time equivalents), the hospital trains, hosts and has the in-service advantages of students of medicine and other health care sciences, as well as scientists working within Rigshospitalet under a variety of research grants. Carrying both national and regional responsibility within virtually the entire spectrum of medical specialties, it plays a prominent role within the Copenhagen Hospital Corporation, as well as the Copenhagen University Hospital System. For more information visit: http://www.rigshospitalet.dk/

About BrainLAB

BrainLAB, a privately held company headquartered in Munich, Germany, was founded in 1989 and is specialized in the development, manufacture, and marketing of medical technology for radiosurgery / radiotherapy, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and ENT. Among the products developed by BrainLAB are software and hardware components for image-guided surgery and radiotherapy as well as integrated systems for stereotactic radiosurgery. With 1,990 systems installed in over 65 countries, BrainLAB is among the market leaders in image-guided medical technology. BrainLAB today employs 670 people worldwide and has 15 offices across Europe, Asia, North and South America.

For more information, visit BrainLAB at http://www.brainlab.com/. (1) Yan H, et al.; A phantom study on the positioning accuracy of the Novalis Body system. Med. Phys. 30 .12., December 2003. Verellen D, Soete G, et al.; Quality assurance of a system for improved target localization and patient set-up that combines real-time infrared tracking and stereoscopic X-ray imaging. Radiotherapy and Oncology 67 (2003) 129-141. (R) registered trademark of BrainLAB AG in Germany and/or the US

BrainLAB

CONTACT: Gabriella Cyranski of BrainLAB Inc., +1-708-486-0114,cyranski@brainlab.com

Web site: http://www.brainlab.com/http://www.rigshospitalet.dk/

Source: PRNewswire

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