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This device projects visible light onto the skin of a patient during pencil beam scanning to help clinicians more accurately deliver radiotherapy. The global radiotherapy market will reach $6.8 billion in value by 2023 . Radiotherapy uses high-energy particle beams, such as proton beams, as a treatment for cancer. While cancerous cells are the primary target, the high-energy radiation can kill healthy cells in the surrounding area. Traditional radiation therapy machines facilitate accurate delivery by using a light source and mirrors to project light onto the treatment area on the patient. However, this guiding light projection is not available for proton-beam therapy delivery systems.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a device that indicates the areas to receive radiation during proton beam therapy. This device will optimize the accuracy of pencil beam scanning in the treatment of complex cancers and minimize irradiation of non-target sites.
Digital light projector that marks the pencil beam-scanning path on patient skin to ensure accurate delivery of proton beam radiation therapy
This miniature projection device mounts on a radiotherapy machine and illuminates a patient’s skin to indicate where a proton beam will deliver radiation. The device calculates the appropriate treatment plan using data that includes a body outline of the patient, patient position, and specific angles to the target. An algorithm corrects any geometry differences between the radiation source projection and the final projection. The light projection can then direct the radiation source to defined body sites, improving accuracy and avoiding irradiation of healthy cells.
