by
E. Miniscalco RN, BSN, OCN - Quality Coordinator | Dec 20, 2017
A retrospective study was completed examining the radiation statistical diagnoses of patients treated with Conformal Radiation Therapy at our facility. There were 232 patients for consultation. Of those consultations, 161 patients were treated with radiation.
Those records were reviewed in collaboration with Dr Schreiber, Medical Director of Radiation Therapy, to help target diagnoses that would be appropriate for treatment with VMAT. 61 cases were identified. Those cases had the following diagnoses:
39% of the total volume of cases would have been eligible for VMAT.
Clinical data has shown around 50% of patients would benefit from IMRT treatment but need it to be done safely, quickly and efficiently from planning through delivery. As a result, rotational IMRT, a delivery technique known as Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), was developed.
VMAT is an advanced radiation therapy technique that delivers high radiation doses precisely to the tumor target while reducing doses to the surrounding tissue and organs. Using single or multiple radiation beams that sweep in uninterrupted arcs around the patient, it enables treatment times to be dramatically reduced.
The radiation equipment needs to be upgraded. A new digital linear accelerator is needed. VMAT is the new technology that the multidisciplinary cancer care team would like to bring to our facility.
A comparison study was conducted evaluating Product A and Product B. Of these products, which one will be the best fit for our treatment program?
This evaluation assisted in facilitating the decision to go with Product B. The New Digital Linear Accelerator with VMAT Project began on April 1, 2017. The project took eight weeks to complete. This resulted in a Go-Live date of June 1, 2017.
