Dedicated CT Scanner Advances Radiation Therapy Simulation
By MedImaging International staff writers Posted on 12 Oct 2016 |
Image: The Somatom Confidence RT Pro CT scanner (Photo courtesy of Siemens Healthineers).
A new computerized tomography (CT) scanner provides personalized images for radiation therapy (RT) treatment planning.
The Siemens Healthineers (Erlangen, Germany) Somatom Confidence RT Pro CT scanner provides all the functionalities of a CT simulator, which produces images that are used by physicians to define the target and organs at risk for treatment prescription. The device comes with the new DirectDensity algorithm, which provides electron density images that allow physicians to contour treatments on personalized images acquired with individualized kV settings. At the same time physicists get the physical property readings they need to perform dose calculations, all in a simplified workflow.
Another feature is iMAR, an algorithm that removes metallic artifacts due to implants and orthopedic fixations. Currently, physicists manually correct for artifacts prior to dose calculation, while physicians often guess while contouring. iMAR can significantly reduce these operational inefficiencies, improving quality of care. Another feature is Dual Energy capabilities; the Somatom Confidence RT automatically acquires two CT scans at different kV voltages, which can then be manipulated to improve visualization.
The Somatom Confidence RT Pro is complemented by the new syngo.via RT Image Suite, a multimodality simulation and advanced contouring software solution that streamlines the simulation process. In addition, it helps determine the right treatment strategy for moving tumors--such as those found in the liver and lungs--by visualizing quantitative three dimensional (3D) tumor trajectories. It also facilitates the adoption of new treatment approaches such as mid-ventilation, which can increase the number of patients potentially eligible for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).
“This new offering complements the dedicated Siemens Healthineers MR, CT, PET/CT, and software portfolio for radiation therapy, and demonstrates how it can help healthcare facilities improve their outcomes while also lowering costs,” said Gabriel Haras, MD, head of radiation oncology at Siemens Healthineers.
During treatment preparation, radiation oncologists need a quality CT image for contouring tumors and sparing healthy-organ tissue, while physicists need a CT image that shows the patient's electron density for treatment planning purposes. Currently, CT images for RT were optimized primarily for electron density representations, which dictated fixed tube voltage and kV settings, limiting CT scanners from realizing their full potential and capabilities.
Related Links:
Siemens Healthineers
The Siemens Healthineers (Erlangen, Germany) Somatom Confidence RT Pro CT scanner provides all the functionalities of a CT simulator, which produces images that are used by physicians to define the target and organs at risk for treatment prescription. The device comes with the new DirectDensity algorithm, which provides electron density images that allow physicians to contour treatments on personalized images acquired with individualized kV settings. At the same time physicists get the physical property readings they need to perform dose calculations, all in a simplified workflow.
Another feature is iMAR, an algorithm that removes metallic artifacts due to implants and orthopedic fixations. Currently, physicists manually correct for artifacts prior to dose calculation, while physicians often guess while contouring. iMAR can significantly reduce these operational inefficiencies, improving quality of care. Another feature is Dual Energy capabilities; the Somatom Confidence RT automatically acquires two CT scans at different kV voltages, which can then be manipulated to improve visualization.
The Somatom Confidence RT Pro is complemented by the new syngo.via RT Image Suite, a multimodality simulation and advanced contouring software solution that streamlines the simulation process. In addition, it helps determine the right treatment strategy for moving tumors--such as those found in the liver and lungs--by visualizing quantitative three dimensional (3D) tumor trajectories. It also facilitates the adoption of new treatment approaches such as mid-ventilation, which can increase the number of patients potentially eligible for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).
“This new offering complements the dedicated Siemens Healthineers MR, CT, PET/CT, and software portfolio for radiation therapy, and demonstrates how it can help healthcare facilities improve their outcomes while also lowering costs,” said Gabriel Haras, MD, head of radiation oncology at Siemens Healthineers.
During treatment preparation, radiation oncologists need a quality CT image for contouring tumors and sparing healthy-organ tissue, while physicists need a CT image that shows the patient's electron density for treatment planning purposes. Currently, CT images for RT were optimized primarily for electron density representations, which dictated fixed tube voltage and kV settings, limiting CT scanners from realizing their full potential and capabilities.
Related Links:
Siemens Healthineers
Latest Nuclear Medicine News
- New PET Agent Rapidly and Accurately Visualizes Lesions in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients
- New Imaging Technique Monitors Inflammation Disorders without Radiation Exposure
- New SPECT/CT Technique Could Change Imaging Practices and Increase Patient Access
- New Radiotheranostic System Detects and Treats Ovarian Cancer Noninvasively
- AI System Automatically and Reliably Detects Cardiac Amyloidosis Using Scintigraphy Imaging
- Early 30-Minute Dynamic FDG-PET Acquisition Could Halve Lung Scan Times
- New Method for Triggering and Imaging Seizures to Help Guide Epilepsy Surgery
- Radioguided Surgery Accurately Detects and Removes Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Prostate Cancer Patients
- New PET Tracer Detects Inflammatory Arthritis Before Symptoms Appear
- Novel PET Tracer Enhances Lesion Detection in Medullary Thyroid Cancer
- Targeted Therapy Delivers Radiation Directly To Cells in Hard-To-Treat Cancers
- New PET Tracer Noninvasively Identifies Cancer Gene Mutation for More Precise Diagnosis
- Algorithm Predicts Prostate Cancer Recurrence in Patients Treated by Radiation Therapy
- Novel PET Imaging Tracer Noninvasively Identifies Cancer Gene Mutation for More Precise Diagnosis
- Ultrafast Laser Technology to Improve Cancer Treatment
- Low-Dose Radiation Therapy Demonstrates Potential for Treatment of Heart Failure