Institute Gustave-Roussy begins treating patients with advanced brachytherapy

12 Nov 2010

The Institute Gustave-Roussy (IGR) in Paris is offering cancer patients advanced brachytherapy after installing Varian Medical System's GammaMed PDR (pulsed dose rate) afterloaders and a full suite of planning software

These replace five aging low dose rate brachytherapy devices.

 "These new devices and software enable us to increase our optimized 3D-based brachytherapy procedures, especially in gynaecological tumours, as well as enabling us to replace low dose rate with pulsed dose rate treatments," said Dr Haie-Meder. "For patients, this means we can potentially increase the quality of the treatments."

Brachytherapy involves treating cancer by temporarily placing radioactive sources within or adjacent to the tumour. Pulsed dose rate brachytherapy involves short pulses of radiation, typically once an hour, twenty-four hours per day, to simulate the overall rate and effectiveness of low dose rate treatments. Typical tumour sites treated by PDR brachytherapy are gynaecological, head and neck, anal canal and penile cancers, as well as paediatric tumours such as rhabdomyosarcoma.

One of the key factors in IGR’s decision to acquire GammaMed afterloaders was the efficacy of Varian’s brachytherapy software, including BrachyVision treatment planning software.

“The software appears to be very easy-to-use and reliable and is ideal for MRI-based brachytherapy imaging,” said Dr Haie-Meder. “We have a very modern approach to brachytherapy treatments with regular use of CT or MRI 3D-based dosimetry and optimization, and the Varian software will aid us in this approach.”

“We are honoured that clinicians at IGR, one of the world’s leading brachytherapy centres, have confidence that Varian devices and software enable them to meet their high treatment standards,” said Hosea Mitchell, VP of Varian.