Program Information
Integrating Novel Electromagnetic Tracking Hollow Needle Assistance in Permanent Implant Brachytherapy Procedures
E Racine1*, G Hautvast2 , D Binnekamp3 , L Beaulieu4 , (1) ,,,(2) Philips Group Innovation - Biomedical Systems, Eindhoven, ,(3) Philips Group Innovation - Biomedical Systems, Eindhoven, ,(4) Centre Hospitalier Univ de Quebec, Quebec, QC
Presentations
SU-F-BRA-3 (Sunday, July 12, 2015) 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Room: Ballroom A
Purpose: To report on the results of a complete permanent implant brachytherapy procedure assisted by an electromagnetic (EM) hollow needle possessing both 3D tracking and seed drop detection abilities.
Methods: End-to-end in-phantom EM-assisted LDR procedures were conducted. The novel system consisted of an EM tracking apparatus (NDI Aurora V2, Planar Field Generator), a 3D US scanner (Philips CX50), a hollow needle prototype allowing 3D tracking and seed drop detection and a specially designed treatment planning software (Philips Healthcare). A tungsten-doped 30 cc spherical agarose prostate immersed in gelatin was used for the treatment. A cylindrical shape of 0.8 cc was carved along its diameter to mimic the urethra. An initial plan of 26 needles and 47 seeds was established with the system. The plan was delivered with the EM-tracked hollow needle, and individual seed drop locations were recorded on the fly. The phantom was subsequently imaged with a CT scanner from which seed positions and contour definitions were obtained. The DVHs were then independently recomputed and compared with those produced by the planning system, both before and after the treatment.
Results: Of the 47 seeds, 45 (96%) were detected by the EM technology embedded in the hollow needle design. The executed plan (from CT analysis) differed from the initial plan by 2%, 14% and 8% respectively in terms of V100, D90 and V150 for the prostate, and by 8%, 7% and 10% respectively in terms of D5, V100 and V120 for the urethra.
Conclusion: The average DVH deviations between initial and executed plans were within a 5% tolerance imposed for this proof-of-concept assessment. This relatively good concordance demonstrates the feasibility and potential benefits of combining EM tracking and seed drop detection for real-time dosimetry validation and assistance in permanent implant brachytherapy procedures.
Funding Support, Disclosures, and Conflict of Interest: This project has been entirely funded by Philips Healthcare.
Contact Email: