New Imaging Device Improves Planning of Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer

A new imaging device being used in several radiation centers in the U.S. and Canada makes it possible to more precisely plan a patient's radiation treatment for breast cancer, according to researchers at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in a study presented at a meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine in Salt Lake City.

A new "large-bore" x-ray imaging device allows breast cancer patients to have their CT scan taken in the actual treatment position. Prior to this technology, patients were not able to extend their arms into treatment position because of limitation of the "bore size" of the CT scanner.

For the scanning, the patient lies on a table in treatment position, with the tumor region inside a large vertical ring or "bore" around which the x-ray camera and detection equipment rotate.

Conventional bores have a diameter of only 70 cm, which makes it difficult for some patients to be placed in treatment position. A breast cancer patient must lift an arm at almost right angles to her back so the x-ray camera can target the breast region and avoid other sensitive areas that do not have cancer.

The larger bore diameter of 85 cm allows patients to receive their CT scan in treatment position. The new large bore scanner also allows for a larger scanner field of view which allows for full imaging of cancer regions in large and obese patients who sometimes have difficulty entering the smaller openings.

It allows oncologists to get a more accurate view of a patient's body dimensions which helps them calculate more accurately the appropriate radiation for cancer treatment.

Other sources: American Institute of Physics