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Ultrasound-Targeting Technology Some organs, such as the prostate, move due to normal daily volume changes in the bladder and rectum. To optimally utilize the precision capabilities of IMRT the treatment system needs to be centered on the target (the tumor volume). The Regional Cancer Center's ultrasound targetting technology solves this problem by integrating ultrasound imaging with robotic computer technology. Before each daily IMRT treatment, an image of the prostate is taken using an ultrasound probe. This device also registers the center position of the IMRT system. We can then reposition the IMRT system, as needed, in order to center the target for that day's treatment. By linking the ultrasound to IMRT, we can maximize the radiation dose to the prostate and minimize the dose to the surrounding normal organs. In the future, this imaging also has the potential to help us precisely target bladder, gynecologic, liver, pancreatic, and breast cancers; as well as any other target that can be imaged by ultrasound. Ultrasound imaging uses a probe placed on the skin surface, resulting in a painless, non-invasive procedure, which takes about five minutes prior to each radiation treatment. |
