Brachytherapy
Discover our solutions in image-guided brachytherapy
In cancer management, radiation therapy can play a crucial role. But the challenge is to radiate a tumor precisely while preserving the surrounding healthy tissue. Brachytherapy brings radiation directly to the tumor and image-guided brachytherapy can increase further the treatment, the accuracy and reduce side-effects and toxicities.1 The GEC-ESTRO handbook of brachytherapy2 and the ABS3 guidelines highlight the importance of 3D image-guided brachytherapy in improving treatment outcome and in reducing toxicity.4,5
Siemens Healthineers and Varian share a vision of creating a world without fear of cancer. Discover our imaging and treatment solutions for brachytherapy – and how they help you transform care delivery and optimize clinical operations.
Workflow solutions
The four steps of the standard image-guided brachytherapy workflow
Standard brachytherapy procedures allow radiation oncologists to get radiation directly to the tumor, minimizing dose to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Applicator placement
In image-guided brachytherapy, the first step is to place the applicator or needles. This usually happens in the operating room.
Imaging
Once the applicator is in place, a simulation image is acquired as a basis for treatment planning.
Treatment planning
Based on the simulation image, the planner generates the treatment plan on the workstation using dedicated software – while the patient is waiting in the therapy room.
Treatment
Once the treatment planning is done, the patient receives brachytherapy in the treatment room.
Make your image-guided brachytherapy workflow more efficient
- One drawback of the standard brachytherapy workflow: Patients need to be transferred twice – between applicator placement, imaging, and treatment.
- These transfers are time and resource consuming and pose the risk of applicator displacement – which may result in a suboptimal brachytherapy procedure.
- The standard workflow also requires manual length measurement of each channel prior to treatment – which is time consuming and could result in human measurement errors.
Discover how you can save both time and effort with our imaging and treatment solutions
Bravos® afterloader system
Performs automatic length measurement for every channel and identifies and corrects differences to planned channel lengths – saving time and reducing risk of geometric mistreatments.
Imaging solutions
Opt for high image quality for precise therapy planning
For effective brachytherapy procedures, you need to see the tumor and the applicator clearly for accurate therapy planning and treatment. Discover our CT and MR imaging solutions for 3D image-guided brachytherapy.
Find out what your peers say
In this day and age, brachytherapy is a must, and I think that should mean in-room CT systems.
GPCC, Japan
Publications
Browse publications on 3D image-guided brachytherapy
MRI for prostate and gynecological brachytherapy is here to stay
Firas Mourtada et al.
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The Cost-Effectiveness and Value Proposition of Brachytherapy: Charles C. Vu, MD, Maha S. Jawad, MD, and Daniel J. Krauss, MD
The GEC ESTRO Handbook of Brachytherapy, 2019
American Brachytherapy Society consensus guidelines for locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix. Part 1: General principles, A.N. Viswanathan et al., Brachytherapy (2021) 11 (33–46).
Image guided brachytherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer: Improved pelvic control and survival in RetroEMBRACE, a multicenter cohort study, Sturdza A, Pötter R, Fokdal LU, Haie-Meder C, Tan LT, Mazeron R, et al. Radiother Oncol 2016.
MRI-guided adaptive brachytherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer (EMBRACE-I): a multicentre prospective cohort study, R. Pötter et al., The Lancet Oncology (2021) 22:4 (538–547).
DirectBrachy positioning board is only compatible with SOMATOM go.Sim and SOMATOM go.Open Pro with Multi-index RTP Overlay. The DirectBrachy positioning board is not commercially available in all countries. Its future availability cannot be guaranteed. Afterloader needed for brachytherapy. Shielding of the CT room is required when it is used for brachytherapy.
The urology stirrups (leg support) [seen here] are optional. The information contained here refers to products from third party manufacturers and are therefore in their regulatory responsibility.