Varian takes orders for proton therapy system

AuntMinnie.com staff writers

Oct 25, 2017

Varian Medical Systems has received one U.S. and one international order for its ProBeam proton therapy system.

The radiation therapy firm will install the ProBeam Compact single-room system at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. The order includes Eclipse treatment planning and Aria oncology information management software. Construction of Penn's new center is expected to start in January 2018, with the first patient treatments beginning in January 2020.

Varian will also install a ProBeam four-room proton therapy system in the new Guangzhou Concord Cancer Hospital in China. Eclipse treatment planning and Aria oncology information management software are part of the package, along with a 10-year service contract. Guangzhou Concord Cancer Hospital is scheduled to begin operation in late 2019.

Theranostics with Thomas Hope, MD, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

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Team members from the theranostics clinic under University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's Department of Radiology show one aspect of a Pluvicto infusion treatment. The L block lead shield over the syringe helps protect certified nuclear medicine technologist James Johnson (left), and nuclear radiologist Penny Vroman, MD (right), from radiation emitted by the drug. (Photo courtesy of UT Health San Antonio Department of Radiology)

The rise of theranostics: Part 1 -- Gaining momentum

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Screenshot (1076)

Researcher outlines radiation oncology workforce challenges

February 23, 2024

Representative example of tumor segmentation of radiomics regions of interest (ROI) on axial, coronal, and sagittal PET/CT imaging.

PET/CT radiomics predicts outcomes in women with cervical cancer

February 2, 2024

The rise of theranostics: Part 2 -- Moving into communities

In part 2 of The Rise of theranostics series, experts weigh in on getting started in prostate cancer theranostics as some private urology, radiation oncology practices, and radiologist groups begin building their abilities.

April 4, 2024

Theranostics with Thomas Hope, MD, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

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FDA-approved radiopharmaceuticals have energized the field of theranostics. In part 1 of a series, experienced theranostics leaders offer implications of the latest clinical trials, how a theranostics clinic works, and advice for introducing theranostics.

March 26, 2024

Team members from the theranostics clinic under University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio's Department of Radiology show one aspect of a Pluvicto infusion treatment. The L block lead shield over the syringe helps protect certified nuclear medicine technologist James Johnson (left), and nuclear radiologist Penny Vroman, MD (right), from radiation emitted by the drug. (Photo courtesy of UT Health San Antonio Department of Radiology)

Researcher outlines radiation oncology workforce challenges

By Amerigo Allegretto

Arya Amini, MD, spoke with AuntMinnie.com about a paper he co-authored that outlines workforce challenges being faced by radiation oncologists.

February 23, 2024

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PET/CT radiomics predicts outcomes in women with cervical cancer

A radiomics nomogram based on F-18 FDG-PET/CT imaging could help clinicians assess long-term outcomes in women undergoing treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer.

February 2, 2024

Representative example of tumor segmentation of radiomics regions of interest (ROI) on axial, coronal, and sagittal PET/CT imaging.

PSMA-PET helps plan treatment in men with relapsed prostate cancer

PSMA-PET led to management changes in one-third of men receiving salvage radiotherapy for prostate cancer that recurred after radical prostatectomy.

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Prostate Cancer

FAPI-PET shows promise in head and neck cancer patients

In a comparative imaging trial, FAPI-PET/CT outperformed FDG-PET/CT in detecting primary tumors in patients with head and neck cancer.

January 26, 2024

PET/CT and MR images of a 72-year-old woman. (A) F-18 FDG-PET images (left and top) and PET/CT images (bottom) shown in coronal, sagittal, and axial views (from left to right), demonstrated a metastatic lymph node of the right neck with intensive metabolic activity (black arrow, SUVmax, 30.1) but presented no evidence for primary tumor. (B) Ga-68 FAPI-PET images (top and right) and PET/CT images (bottom), shown in axial, sagittal, and coronal views (from left to right), also detected metastatic lymph node with high Ga-68 FAPI tracer activity (black arrow, SUVmax, 16.3). There was intensive uptake of Ga-68 FAPI in palate (red arrow, SUVmax, 11.3). (C) T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI also presented no evidence for primary tumor. Subsequent surgery confirmed mucoepidermoid carcinoma of palate. Image courtesy of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

TerraPower distributes first shipments of Ac-225

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers

TerraPower Isotopes has shipped its first samples of Actinium-225 (Ac-225) to two pharmaceutical companies to develop targeted cancer treatments in drug trials.

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FAPI-PET outperforms FDG-PET in diagnosing pancreatic cancer

F-18 FAPI-PET/CT is superior to F-18 FDG-PET/CT for diagnosing and staging patients with pancreatic cancer.

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Typical PET (top), PET/CT (middle), and CT and MR (bottom) images of primary tumor obtained using both radiotracers in representative patients (A and B). Tumor is marked by arrows. DWI = diffusion-weighted imaging. Image courtesy of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

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PET/CT has significant advantages over conventional methods for lesion detection and staging in patients with natural killer/T-cell lymphoma.

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A 50-year-old man with recently diagnosed nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma underwent an F-18 FDG-PET/CT scan (A–D) for initial staging. Maximum-intensity-projection image (A) shows hypermetabolic lesions in both ethmoid sinus (thin arrow), both cervical lymphatic chains (arrowhead), left upper lung (thick arrow), liver, and spleen. Transaxial images show an F-18 FDG-avid mass in both ethmoid sinus (B). The scan shows intense F-18 FDG radiotracer uptake in left upper lung and uptake in the liver and spleen (CT showed no lesions), suggesting malignancy (C–D). Finally, after the PET/CT scan was done, the patient’s staging was changed from II to IV.

FES-PET better than FDG-PET in breast cancer patients

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Axial PET (a) and axial fusion (b) images of F-18 FES (top) and F-18 FDG (bottom) with concordant uptake of both radiotracers in a left breast mass and left axillary node metastasis in correlation with CT imaging (c). Image courtesy of the European Journal of Hybrid Imaging.

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What prevents use of short prostate radiotherapy protocols?

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The use of short-course radiotherapy for prostate cancer treatment has increased since 2004, and it appears to be more cost-effective and convenient.

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Radiation Therapy Suite 400

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