Radiance provides precision treatment of spine cancer

The radiotherapy dosage has be very precise to prevent bone-marrow damage

Application of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) to metastatic spinal cancer, using the INTRABEAM device that incorporates GMV’s radiotherapy planner,  radiance, not only helps to preserve the osseous walls of the vertebrae and the bone marrow but also ensures quicker patient recovery afterwards. This was the conclusion drawn from the training course of ZEISS’ Targit Academy held in Salzburg and attended by specialists from various countries, including oncologists from Guangdong General Hospital such as the director of the radiotherapy department, Professor Pan, who stressed the vital input of radiance in treatment of this type.

Guangdong General Hospital is one of China’s finest. It gives radiotherapy to one hundred and fifty patients a day, all of whom are monitored by a multidisciplinary team to determine the best treatment in each particular case.

GMV’s radiance allows for precise determination of the exact irradiation dose in cases of special risk such as spinal tumors. This system therefore comes into its own in IORT, where doses are very high and the bone marrow might otherwise be damaged. It is hence recognized as an especially useful system for offering a precise and personalized treatment in each case.

The Targit Academy course, given by Carl Zeiss, not only gave hands-on kyphoplasty practice but also ran through all current applications of intraoperative radiotherapy. Experiences were shared and notes swapped in system applications to breast cancer and other organs such as the brain, skin, rectum, lungs and ovaries.

The TARGIT Academy offers INTRABEAM specialists all-in training including intensive hands-on sessions for intraoperative radiotherapy experts. It also acts as a networking platform to encourage interaction and cooperation between multidisciplinary teams made up by surgeons, radiation oncologists and medical physicists. Endorsed by the finest universities such as London’s University College and Mannheim’s University Medical Center, Heidelberg University and Cleveland Clinic, the TARGIT Academy provides top-quality training and an academic network of excellence in which GMV participates by obtaining specialist feedback and phasing it into radiance upgrades.