Medicina Nuclear e Radioterapia

Impact of the Vero4DRT (MHI-TM2000) on the Total Treatment Time in Stereotactic Irradiation

Abstract

Hajime Monzen, Takashi Mizowaki, Shinsuke Yano, Takahiro Fujimoto, Takeshi Kamomae, Satoru Utsunomiya, Mitsuhiro Nakamura and Masahiro Hiraoka

Background:This study compared features of the Vero4DRT system with those of conventional systems, focusing on the total treatment time and patient safety.

Methods: Individual treatment times for brain stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) were compared among the Vero4DRT, Novalis, and Clinac iX systems. The mean total treatment time was calculated by summing the entire time required for the radiation treatment. The total treatment time for both brain SRT and SBRT with non-coplanar fields was markedly shorter with the Vero4DRT system than the others.

Results: For SBRT, the treatment time with the Vero4DRT system was reduced by 40%, compared with the time using a Clinac iX (13.8 vs. 20.3 min). For SRT, the treatment time with Vero4DRT was 20% shorter than with the Novalis system. With Vero4DRT, all treatments were completed within 14 min, with a significant reduction in the kV-image acquisition and image merging times.

Conclusion: The total treatment time using the Vero4DRT system was significantly shorter compared with conventional options in clinical settings; the shorter treatment time also offered the advantages of minimal intrafractional body movement, as well as better patient throughput.