• | Somatom Confidence RT Pro is a dedicated CT for radiation therapy |
• | DirectDensity algorithm delivers electron density images independent of kV settings, ensuring a smooth simple dose calculation workflow |
• | New version of syngo.via RT Image Suite software offers advanced treatment of moving tumors |
Siemens Healthineers introduced its new Somatom Confidence RT Pro CT scanner
at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology
(ASTRO) in Boston. This is one of the first CT scanners specifically designed to
fulfill the needs of two professions in radiation therapy (RT): radiation oncologists
and physicists. Thanks to the new DirectDensity 1
algorithm, the CT scanner
provides personalized images of the patient, for optimal tumor and organs-at-risk
contouring by the clinician – and images optimized for radiation therapy treatment
dose calculation performed by a physicist. Enhancing Somatom Confidence RT Pro
is the new version of the software syngo.via RT Image Suite 1
, which is designed to
support a smooth workflow and reduce sources of error.
The Somatom Confidence RT Pro 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.
In addition it provides great image quality, thanks to the new detector and iterative
reconstruction methods, which is needed for contouring. “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,” explains Dr. Gabriel Haras, Head
of Radiation Oncology at Siemens Healthineers.
During treatment preparation, radiation oncologists need the best possible CT image
quality for contouring tumors and sparing healthy-organ tissue, while physicists need
a CT image that shows the patient’s physical properties, the so-called electron
density, for treatment planning purposes. Until now, CT images for radiation therapy
were optimized primarily for physicists to acquire electron density representations
that are as accurate as possible. With this goal in mind, CT acquisition parameters
such as tube voltage and kV settings were typically not varied, because this would
make the process of dose calculation more complicated and error prone. As a result,
CT scanners’ capabilities were not utilized to their full potential. Everyone from large
to pediatric patients would all be imaged all the same way. But there are many
benefits to acquiring CT images with different kV settings. In the case of bariatric
patients, who have higher X-ray attenuation, an X-ray tube voltage higher than 120
kV is advantageous, as it produces images with good contrast-to-noise ratio. But
pediatric patients may be exposed to an unnecessarily large imaging dose at the
conventional 120 kV, while lower kV could reduce the CT dose and still deliver
quality images.
Somatom Confidence RT Pro with the new DirectDensity algorithm is one of the first
CT scanners that directly provides electron density images. Physicians are now able
to contour on personalized images acquired with individualized kV settings, while
physicists get the physical property readings they need to perform dose calculations,
all in a simplified, less error prone workflow. Therefore this new solution will help
support personalized patient care while also standardizing practices.
The new Somatom Confidence RT Pro features iMAR 1 metal artifact reduction
capabilities. The number of patients with implants is increasing, and often oncology
patients have metal fixations as a result of the disease. This leads to images that
contain artifacts, which physicists have then to manually correct prior to dose
calculation - while physicians often guess while contouring. This leads to operational
inefficiencies and can potentially reduce the quality of care. iMAR significantly
reduces artifacts and helps solve this challenge. The Somatom Confidence also
features Dual Energy 1
capabilities: It automatically acquires two CT scans at
different kV voltages, which allows images to be manipulated in order to improve
visualization and support clinicians in their tasks.
Somatom Confidence RT Pro is complemented by the new syngo.via RT Image
Suite1
, the Siemens Healthineers multimodality simulation and advanced contouring
software. The solution streamlines the simulation process, which consists of marking
the patient - a key step in delivering the best possible treatment. In addition, it helps
determine the right treatment strategy for moving tumors, such as those found in the
liver and lungs, and facilitates the adoption of new approaches like treatment in midventilation.
With this new ability to visualize the quantitative 3D tumor trajectory, the
decision on how to best treat moving tumors, by delivering the treatment dose to the
tumor while sparing healthy tissue, is made easier. For example, treatment in midventilation
- a special stage in the patient’s breathing cycle, has been shown to
reduce side effects in lung cancer patients 2
. Until now, finding the mid-ventilation
breathing phase was very cumbersome. The new syngo.via RT Image Suite allows
this to be done semi-automatically. Mid-ventilation treatment increases the number
of patients potentially eligible for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)2
.
SBRT is an extremely precise method of treating patients with radiation in a smaller
number of sessions compared with conventional approaches, and it is often used for
patients in early-stage lung cancer who are inoperable 3
. By simplifying the workflow,
improving efficiency, and enabling better informed decisions, syngo.via RT Image
Suite will offer substantial support to radiation therapy clinics, which are constantly
trying to improve their clinical, operational, and financial results.
Reference:
- optional
- Peulen, H., Belderbos, J., Rossi, M., et al. (2014). “Mid-ventilation Based PTV Margins in Stereotactic Body
Radiotherapy (SBRT): A Clinical Evaluation.” Radiotherapy and Oncology, 110(3), 511-16.
- Clinical Lung Cancer, Vol. 16, No. 6, 413-30 Published by Elsevier Inc. Primary Treatment Options for High-Risk/
Medically Inoperable Early Stage NSCLC Patients Guy C. Jones.
Source & Image Credit: Siemens Healthineers
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Siemens Healthineers Introduces Somatom Confidence RT Pro CT Scanner