Words from our founder
By Görgen Nilsson, founder of ScandiDos
Radiation therapy continues to develop in a fast pace to improve the tumor control and reduce the negative side effect on the treatments. In parallel more and more patients get the diagnoses cancer and will be treated with RT, Radiation Therapy. The achievements in technology and the need for efficiency now increases the push towards Hypo-fractionation (less fraction, each with higher dose delivery) to be able to serve more patients faster. Once again we see movements into new improvements that increases the demands on good quality control and assurance. If the same total dose is delivered in less fractions the demands to be exactly on the spot increases. It is thereby not a question if PT-verification (Pre Treatment Verification) is sufficient to assure good quality in the delivery but rather a fact that online dosimetry should be mandatory!
Until now it has been very hard to perform on-line dosimetry (patient dosimetry or InVivo dosimetry) with a decent quality level in the advanced RT but now ScandiDos has the unique solution in the Delta4 Discover system. Once again ScandiDos is way ahead of competition with very advanced solutions!
Additionally to solve the quality assurance during treatment Delta4 Discover together with Delta4 Phantom+ provides the possibility to significantly cut the time and efforts to perform all patient specific QA in the clinic. Our new solution reduces the time required to perform a complete QA from plan to last fraction into one hour per week and linac!
Delta4 PT also called Delta4 Phantom had sold in more than 500 units and in more than 40 countries until mid-2015 when it was phased-out. During the 9 years it has been sold it helped VMAT/RapidArc to quickly be implemented as a new treatment modality and the outstanding feedback was used to improve treatment planning to become very good. The 3D and 4D measurements created a new standard in quality control prior to starting the treatment. Delta4 PT is often referred to as the Golden Standard in PT-verification and we are extremely proud that we have and are contributing in the introduction and daily use of VMAT treatment technology to make this leap in treatment delivery safe and accurate.
2015 Delta4 PT was faded out in favor Delta4 Phantom+ addressing the request from customers on faster set-up time and less maintenance and additional performance. The receipt on the market is very positive on this reference standard for 3D dosimetry that is as important to have in a clinic as a reference ionization chamber has been for absolute dosimetry.
In 2007 when we introduced analysis based on clinical relevance with our Delta4DVH everyone else where talking solely gamma index. Now we are proud to see that this has changed and the general awareness is moving towards a QC/QA that is based on clinical relevance. During 2015 we released our new version of Delta4DVH anatomy, a software that makes it possible to view the measured data in patient anatomy. No black-box tricks are used but rather good physics together with outstanding measurements brings the users high quality 3D dose information in patient anatomy per fraction or uniquely per sub-arc or control-point when deeper analysis are required.
ScandiDos competence in advanced calculation is now also used in the new product Delta4 TPV (Treatment Planning Verification) a member of the Delta4 family where we provide customers with complete quality control from Prescription to the finally fraction.
Görgen Nilsson,
Founder and CTO ScandiDos AB