Interesting new take on tomo

[Mulletfluf]

I came across this while browsing Medgadget. It looks to be essentially a tomo unit with table rotation. Pretty interesting.

http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2008/01/radiotherapy_machine_mhitm2000_from_mitsubishi.html#comments

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[stephew]

I came across this while browsing Medgadget. It looks to be essentially a tomo unit with table rotation. Pretty interesting.

http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2008/01/radiotherapy_machine_mhitm2000_from_mitsubishi.html#comments

there's always something new to spin.

 

[Butch]

Snake Oil.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages.

Enron.

Real estate in Florida.

 

[stephew]

dont mock. people become rich on these things far more than in medicine.

 

[3dtp]

dont mock. people become rich on these things far more than in medicine.

Wonder how tight Rocke's patent is?

 

[G'ville Nole]

So, in addition to helical delivery (where gantry and couch synchrony is crucial), they're adding two additional degrees of freedom?

How about just renaming it "QA Nightmare"?

 

[radiaterMike]

How about just renaming it "QA Nightmare"?

Don't infringe upon Cyberknife's trademark.

 

[G'ville Nole]

Don't infringe upon Cyberknife's trademark.

Just had coffee shoot out my nose.

Good stuff!

 

[koolaidkid]

peeps at ut-sw mentioned something like this being developed in europe and coming to dallas. during interview HChoy called it "Maria". you know lay ppl love that c-knife name. does anybody ever ask for synergy by name? you know, cyberknife should branch their branding into designer jeans and bags.

 

[Wm Tell]

peeps at ut-sw mentioned something like this being developed in europe and coming to dallas. during interview HChoy called it "Maria". you know lay ppl love that c-knife name. does anybody ever ask for synergy by name? you know, cyberknife should branch their branding into designer jeans and bags.

Yeah, Dr. Choy also described this "Maria" machine when I was there, and it seems very similar to this - a ring gantry with a kickable couch. I couldn't find any information online about this. Can anyone else shed some light on the "Maria" and the plans for UTSW (or anywhere else in the US) to get something like this?

 

[clintpark]

Yeah, Dr. Choy also described this "Maria" machine when I was there, and it seems very similar to this - a ring gantry with a kickable couch. I couldn't find any information online about this. Can anyone else shed some light on the "Maria" and the plans for UTSW (or anywhere else in the US) to get something like this?

There is a plan to get it for our new satellite cancer center. It won't be for the main university where residents are. By the time the current applicants are here, we may rotate at the satellite, but not right now.

 

[xraydude]

I think Tomotherapy is dying a slow death....both Varian's RapidArc, and Elekta's VMAT, and Siemens upcoming Cone Beam Therapy will be more versatile units than tomo.

 

[cdf95cro]

We have a Tomo unit, which has been "down" 5-10% of the time. We have to simultaneously plan a "back-up" plan on anoother system in case the machine is down for a few days at a time. Repeatedly, we residents have been told that, if the facility were to have the option of purchasing it again, they would not.

 

[yeasterbunny]

We have a Tomo unit, which has been "down" 5-10% of the time. We have to simultaneously plan a "back-up" plan on anoother system in case the machine is down for a few days at a time. Repeatedly, we residents have been told that, if the facility were to have the option of purchasing it again, they would not.

This is certainly the biggest drawback I have heard from people who have tomo. In fact, some of the interviewers I have talked to this year have given numbers higher than your 5-10%. But others have little problem and couldn't be happier.

 

[stephew]

it seems the older (ie 2004-ish) have a worse records than more recent shipments from what I hear. Its heresay only though.

 

[G'ville Nole]

it seems the older (ie 2004-ish) have a worse records than more recent shipments from what I hear. Its heresay only though.

Based on our experience, that's kind of true. We have the oldest unit as well as a newer unit; but if the older has more down time, it's not by much. It seems that the biggest issue is the magnetron, which is supposed to last 3-4 months, but we've had them go out in as little as 5-6 weeks.

I think all of these helical/rotational delivery platforms are nice refinements of IMRT, but none are immune to a basic fact: the more moving parts you have, the more likely something is to go wrong, from either a technical or a QA standpoint.