20 mei 2022 – 07:59
Thanks to a new radiation machine with a built-in MRI scanner – also known as MR-linac – doctors at the Catharina Cancer Institute (CKI) can work even more precisely and radiation treatment is required much less often for a number of cancers.
The MR-linac is mainly aimed at tumors in the lungs, upper abdomen and pelvis. These tumors are more visible with an MR-Linac. In addition, the device can continuously follow a moving tumor, so that less healthy tissue is irradiated.
Irradiate less often
Clinical physicist Coen Hurkmans thinks the device is a fantastic addition to the CKI. “Because we can work even more accurately, we can safely give more dose per session. For prostate cancer, we will soon only have to irradiate five times, compared to twenty times now.” In the first year, 200 patients can be treated and that number grows to 400 per year. Every year, 3,600 patients come to the Catharina Hospital for radiation treatment.
At present, radiation machines are equipped with a CT scanner as standard. The CT scanner provides good image quality for many tumors, but some tumors are even more clearly visible with an MRI scanner. The MR-linac can also visualize the tumor live during radiation treatment. This makes it possible, for example, to follow the movement of tumor or nearby organs during the irradiation and to adjust the irradiation accordingly. Radiation therapist Heike
Peulen adds: “Because we can more accurately irradiate and see surrounding organs, we hit less healthy tissue and the chance of side effects is smaller.”
Patients from the south of the Netherlands
A new bunker has been built for the MR-linac next to the Catharina Cancer Institute, which is larger than a standard irradiation device. The total investment was approximately ten million euros. Health insurers supported the decision to place the device in the Catharina Hospital.
Eindhoven is the seventh place in the Netherlands where such an irradiation device is located. Patients from the so-called ONCOZON region (roughly Southeast Netherlands) who are eligible for this type of radiation, will from now on be irradiated in the Catharina Hospital.
Specialized
The construction and start-up phase of the MR-linac took a year and a half. The Catharina Cancer Institute specializes in cancer of the digestive organs, gynecological cancer, prostate cancer, bladder and kidney cancer, breast and lung cancer and brain tumors.
You can view more information about the MR-linac in this video https://youtu.be/84OYYGCB5hs
End of news item
Source: Catharina Hospital
Editorial Medicalfacts/ Janine Budding
I studied physiotherapy and health care business administration. I am also a registered Independent client supporter and informal care broker. I have a lot of experience in various positions in healthcare, the social domain and the medical, pharmaceutical industry, nationally and internationally. And have broad medical knowledge of most specialties in healthcare. And of the health care laws from which health care is regulated and financed. Every year I attend most of the leading medical conferences in Europe and America to keep my knowledge up-to-date and to keep up with the latest developments and innovations. I am currently doing a Masters in Applied Psychology.
My messages on this blog do not reflect the strategy, policy or direction of an employer, nor are they the work of or for a client or employer.