IGRT

Choosing a New IGRT Machine? Three Key Criteria You Should Evaluate First

August 26, 2020

According to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 1.8 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 606,520 cancer deaths in the U.S. this year. And, while one in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime1, a large number of these patients will not be candidates for radiotherapy due to the advanced stage of their cancer. Radiotherapy demonstrates very high response rates in early-stage cancer; however, late-stage disease continues to present challenges due to technical and logistical barriers.

Technology advancements present new opportunities to overcome these limitations. But not all radiotherapy machines are the same. Before investing in a new Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) machine, consider these three important factors.

1. Clinical Value and Product Vision

The machine you choose should offer your hospital or center’s cancer program significant clinical value. It should:

  • Encompass innovative technology today with a pathway for future advancements
  • Improve image quality, precision and efficiency of treatment
  • Provide high-quality care for patients

The RefleXion X1 is the only machine that combines high quality, 16 slice, fan-beam kVCT with a linear accelerator to provide best-in-class image quality. Its groundbreaking design rotates up to 60 times faster than other linear accelerators to reduce motion artifacts that can inhibit accurate patient setup, and it modulates dose delivery from 100 different angles. These combined improvements may reduce the side effects of radiotherapy by allowing radiation oncologists to better localize the tumor, reduce patient setup errors, and precisely deliver dose to complex tumor targets while avoiding nearby normal structures.

The RefleXion X1 is built for today with a pathway for future advancements. It allows you to treat stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with confidence while equipping your department with the future capabilities for biology-guided radiotherapy (BgRT)*, a modality designed to expand the use of radiotherapy from a treatment solely for early-stage cancer patients to an entirely new group of patients—those with advanced-stage cancer. By using the cancer itself to guide tracked dose delivery, BgRT should reduce treatment volumes and toxicity to preserve dose for treating additional tumors.

2. Integration and Workflow

A crucial element in planning for a new IGRT machine is the location for installation. Will adding a new linear accelerator require new construction? If you’re replacing an older machine, will the vault need to be reconfigured? It’s also important to consider possible constraints, such as shielding. Creating a timeline for the installation of a new LINAC system is critical to avoiding workflow disruptions. Before purchasing a new machine, you should know:

  • If new construction is required
  • What potential constraints will include
  • The timeline for equipment installation, commissioning and acceptance

The RefleXion X1 is designed to fit into almost all cancer centers—from suburban or rural cancer programs to large academic centers of any size. Its footprint accommodates standard vault sizes, requires minimal shielding while reducing the need for vault retrofitting or new vault construction. And its workflow mirrors conventional radiotherapy, allowing you to use your existing, preferred tools. Currently, the X1 enables delivery of SBRT and cranial SRS, as well as standard IMRT cases.

3. Training, Service and Support

Before purchasing a new IGRT machine, it’s important to investigate available service and support options, including comprehensive training. In addition, it’s advisable to check whether service is provided by the manufacturer or an independent service provider. Before purchasing a new machine, you should research:

  • Available clinical training
  • Service and support agreement purchase price
  • Service and support agreement terms and conditions

Through the All-In Client Support program, RefleXion is committed to a long-term partnership with your program. Once the machine is installed, experts work with you to get your core team members up and running as quickly as possible to facilitate successful clinical adoption. Training is tailored to your specific role using didactic and hands-on methods—both at RefleXion’s Clinician Learning Center in Hayward, Calif. and at your hospital or center.

Why RefleXion

The RefleXion X1 machine today is a steppingstone on the path to biology-guided radiotherapy, a novel treatment modality that will one day expand radiotherapy significantly. RefleXion is the first to combine PET—the gold standard in imaging—with radiotherapy to solve the conundrum of tumor tracking, even in rapidly moving tumors. With BgRT, emissions from the cancer itself act as a fast, biological fiducial to guide treatment delivery in real-time. Could there be a better homing device than the tumor itself?

*The RefleXion™ X1 is cleared for SBRT/SRS/IMRT treatments. BgRT is limited by U.S. law to Investigational use.

Reference:

1) https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/facts-and-figures-2018-rate-of-deaths-from-cancer-continues-decline.html