With completion of installation and adjustment of the linear accelerator ELEKTA Infinity in the RSSPMCOaR of Uzbekistan, which was purchased within the scope of the project of the modernisation of oncology services in the Republic of Uzbekistan, training courses on treatment with linear accelerators are conducted for radiologists of RSSPMCOaR of Uzbekistan with participation of the radiology oncologist and medical physicist from Belarus.
Medical linear charged particle accelerator is the most frequently used device for the external radiation therapy of malignant neoplasms in all kind of tissues and organs. Linear accelerator delivers high-energy X-rays to a tumour. Herewith, neoplastic cells are damaged, but surrounding healthy cells are not affected due to the use of widely recommended linear accelerators with digital control technology.
Radiation therapy plan is developed before treatment initiation, and this plan has to be approved by the oncology radiologist, medical physicist and dosimetrist. Developed plan undergoes 2-step quality control, which allows one to confirm its compliance with the declared treatment needs. Besides, it is extremely important to control the performance of the linear accelerator. For this purpose, several control systems are installed into the device, therefore preventing the increase of the oncology radiologist’s prescribed dose.
The doctor continuously monitors the patient via a television system throughout the whole session. Besides, the procedure room is equipped with a microphone, which allows the patient to communicate with medical staff when necessary.
On 27.08.2018 the launch of the linear accelerator ELEKTA Infinity, provided by ELEKTA LIMITED (Great Britain), is planned in the RSSPMCOaR of Uzbekistan.
Medical linear electron accelerator Elekta Infinity belongs to the 5th generation of completely digital systems in radiation therapy. Linear accelerator ELEKTA Infinity creates high energy of photons or electrons, which is directed to the precise location of the tumour. Photon radiation is used to treat lesions of difficult localisation, however electron radiation is used to treat tumours localised close to the skin.
At the exit from the linear accelerator, the shape of the resulting beam of rays is adjusted to the parameters of the tumor lesion, which ensures its accurate irradiation. The shape of the beam is changed with a multi-leaf collimator, which is built-in into the accelerator, or special blocks, which are attached to the outside of the device. During the treatment, the patient is positioned on a sliding bed, and the patient’s position is assessed with a laser system. The bed can be placed in different positions: up, down, right, left, front and back. The beam of rays exits the device via the gantry that rotates around the bed. Movement of the patient’s table and the gantry rotation around it allows the delivery of radiation to a tumor at any angle.
Setting a new level of dose adjusting, the speed and effectiveness of digital control, the linear accelerator Elekta Infinity allows one to apply modern rotational methods of radiation for the maximum number of patients. Elekta Infinity is used for standard radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy, stereo tactic radiosurgery interventions and extra-cranial stereo tactic radiotherapy.
Elekta Infinity provides an outstanding level of dose conformance and speed of procedure, as well as maximum patient safety because of ultra-low intensity radiation of structures beyond the target.
Elekta Infinity system has characteristics for the optimal delivery of VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) and therefore the time of therapeutic intervention is reduced, allowing one to significantly decrease the radiation dose received by the intact tissue surrounding the tumor. Wide visualization options together with the newest rotational radiation regimen options allows one to significantly increase the dose directly in the tumor, while reducing the radiation time by over 50%, compared to standard methods. This highly sensitive system with a user-friendly interface allows one to focus more attention on the patient and increase the effectiveness of the process.
IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) is a contemporary method of radiation therapy that focuses on the maximum sparing of tumor adjacent healthy tissues, while the tumor receives the maximum necessary dose of radiation, thus achieving an increase of the total effective treatment dose. Therefore IMRT allows one to perform treatment in fewer sessions, which means reducing the treatment time.
Precise dose delivery is realized by using a special device (portal vision), which controls the patient’s tumor position before initiating the treatment procedure. Immobility and comfort of the patient during the treatment is ensured by fixing devices such as thermoplastic masks and vacuum cushions. Video monitoring system allows the patient to maintain communication with the doctor during the whole treatment session. Treatment with the linear accelerator is well tolerated and is performed in the out-patient setting.