Proton Partners acquires Blue Phantom2 data acquisition system to support innovative cancer treatment

Dec 9 2016

The Blue Phantom² measures data with certified accuracy for commissioning and routine quality assurance ensuring accurate delivery of radiotherapy treatment

The first ever Proton Partners International site, specialising in proton beam therapy, has acquired a Blue Phantom² data acquisition system from IBA to commission its IBA Proteus^®ONE compact proton therapy machine and Elekta Versa HD™ linear accelerator. Distributed by Oncology Systems Limited, IBA’s Blue Phantom² is used to implement beam shaping precision for patient treatment plans.

The Blue Phantom² distributed by Oncology Systems Limited is supporting advanced cancer treatment at Proton Partners International. [Right to left: Asia Baginska, Medical Physicist at Oncology Systems Limited; Josephine Clorley, Senior Medical Physicist; Ignacio Di Biase, Deputy Head of Physics and John Pettingell, Head of Physics at Proton Partners International]

The Blue Phantom² significantly speeds up the set-up procedure for beam data acquisition but still ensures the most accurate and reliable measurement data. The measured data is used to create energy-specific beam models within the treatment planning system to ensure treatment planning and delivery is accurate and precise so clinicians can specifically target the tumour and spare healthy tissue.

John Pettingell, Head of Physics at Proton Partners International comments:

We’re using the Blue Phantom² water tank to measure the beam data required to model our linac beams in the treatment planning system. There’s a lot of experience behind the hardware and software, it’s well developed, flexible, and very easy to use which makes the commissioning process quicker and more straight-forward. We use our beam models to plan patient treatments, so the more accurate data we can take, the more accurate our treatments will be. The Blue Phantom² uses a magnetic detector positioning system accurate to 0.1mm, so we have great confidence in the quality of our data.

Proton Partners is a UK based cancer and healthcare specialist developing a network of centres delivering proton beam therapy alongside conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Protons deliver dose to the tumour, with less dose to surrounding healthy tissue than standard radiotherapy, which decreases the risk of injury or side-effects. Approximately 156,000 patients in the UK are currently treated with radiation therapy annually, however based on experience from Europe and globally, around 10 to 20% of these patients would be better treated with proton beam therapy.

Asia Baginska, Medical Physicist at Oncology Systems Limited comments:

Currently, access to proton beam therapy in the UK is limited and involves the referral of patients abroad for NHS proton treatment. However, with the ongoing investments both in the public and private sectors, proton therapy will very soon become more widely accessible and will benefit patients in the UK. Oncology Systems Limited is dedicated to providing the best systems that support this innovative treatment so patients can continue to benefit.

Asia Baginska continues:

The Blue Phantom² has proven to be an asset to Proton Partners and we are currently providing training to optimise how the system is used to ensure precise set-up. Oncology Systems Limited has also provided a range of MacroMedics patient positioning solutions to Proton Partners to ensure reproducibility of set up for patients during treatment whilst ensuring flexibility for staff.

Source: http://proton-int.com/