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IGRT Solutions Within Reach

What is IGRT?

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is a type of radiation therapy treatment that utilizes imaging technology during treatment to ensure tumor location and beam delivery accuracy. The goal of IGRT is to decrease radiation dose to normal tissue, decrease side effects and improve radiotherapy outcomes. Traditionally, diagnostic imaging technologies such as CTs, X-rays, Ultrasounds, PET/CT, Gamma cameras, PET scanners and MRIs have been employed to determine tumor location and size for treatment planning procedures. However, difficulty arises when trying to ensure accuracy of the beam delivery since many body parts may have moved from the time the original images had been taken. IGRT systems provide frequent two and/or three-dimensional imaging to correlate the actual tumor position with the radiation treatment plan.

IGRT Technologies/Options

Cone-Beam CT
Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) based image guided systems have been integrated with medical linear accelerators to great success. With improvements in flat-panel technology, CBCT has been able to provide volumetric imaging, and allows for radiographic or fluoroscopic monitoring throughout the treatment process. Cone beam CT acquires many projections over the entire volume of interest in each projection. Using reconstruction strategies pioneered by Feldkamp, the 2D projections are reconstructed into a 3D volume analogous to the CT planning dataset.

Portal Imaging
This is an IGRT technology using the short linear accelerator treatment beams to detect tumor location right before treatment to ensure accuracy and patient positioning. The detectors used are called Electronic Portal Imaging Devices (EPID) and they transform the megavoltage x-rays into digital imaging information that can be compared to reference scans from the simulation room such as CT simulator and/or conventional simulator images.

CT/Ultrasound Imaging (Soft-Tissue Imaging)
This is an IGRT technology using high resolution ultrasound systems to image tumor location before treatment delivery. Newer generation ultrasound technology can produce MRI-like images without the complex MRI magnetic shielding requirements. This technology allows for better soft-tissue images compared to X-ray imaging in the treatment delivery room. CT/Ultrasound imaging technology works best when combining references images from CT or PET/CT scanners to provide a truly accurate tumor localization right before beam delivery.

Reference sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IGRT
http://www.advancedradiationcenters.com/?p=whatisigrt
http://www.elekta.com/assets/content/corporate/igrt_factsheet.pdf

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Radiology Oncology Systems has the experience and technical resources to help equip your facility professionally and cost-effectively. For your linear accelerator needs we offer a full range of services starting with used linear accelerator de-installations and installations, linear accelerator base frame removals and installations, used linear accelerator relocations, used linear accelerator repairs and maintenance and used linear accelerator refurbishment. Our refurbished linear accelerators go through very careful and systematic inspection and reconditioning processes including thyratron, klystron or magnetron, electron gun, waveguide and other critical linear accelerator parts replacement.

In addition to our linear accelerator services, we also offer the latest technology upgrades to your existing linear accelerator systems, including Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy IMRT software, Multi-leaf collimator MLC, Image Guided Radiation Therapy IGRT packages, Electronic Portal Imaging Devices EPID, Treatment Planning Systems TPS, and treatment table couch upgrades.

ROS provides a variety of used linear accelerator options, including Varian linear accelerators, Elekta linear accelerators and Siemens linear accelerators. Among the used linear accelerators, some of the most popular models are Varian 21EX, Varian 2100C, Varian 600C, Elekta Precise, Elekta SL-25 and Siemens Primus.