UPDATE - Issue 31 - Autumn 2007
Satnav in Radiotherapy
A new technology offers real-time tracking of the prostate gland during radiation treatment.
It is vital in radiotherapy to aim the beam at the right place. This is done immediately prior to each ession using a laser beam that focuses on three tattoos, one on each thigh and one in the centre of the abdomen. This is a good method but suffers from the reality that the prostate can move during the treatment period because it is located near the bladder and rectum, two organs that can change in size and location all the time.
Now a US hospital is pioneering a technology in which three miniature beacons each no bigger than a grain of rice are implanted into the prostate during a short outpatient procedure prior to radiotherapy. Each time the patient arrives for his radiotherapy session the beacons in the prostate are located accurately by a sort of satnav positioning system and the patient's treatment plan suitably adjusted.
The benefit hoped for from this technology is the precision to administer higher doses of radiation to a tumour whilst minimizing side effects to nearby vulnerable tissues.