10/21/15  Portland, Ore.

The Department of Radiation Medicine at Oregon Health and Science is focused on innovative treatments to better target and treat cancer

The Dept. of Radiation Medicine is one of the first hospitals in the country to use Eclipse v13.6MR0.5 ( Varian Medical Systems) to create three-dimensional conformal and complex intensity modulated patient treatment plans that are capable of being delivered on a Versa HD linear accelerator (Elekta).

The Versa HD linear accelerator has been operational at OHSU since November 2014. Previously, the main application of Elekta linear accelerators has been in conjunction with Pinnacle (Phillips Radiation Oncology Systems) and Monaco (Elekta) treatment planning systems. However, physicists at OHSU have comprehensively tested the interaction and accuracy of the latest Eclipse treatment planning system by collecting data on the Versa HD photon and electron beams and then creating a model of the data in a pre-clinical release of Eclipse v13.6MR0.5. This allowed OHSU physicists to utilize Varian’s proprietary Analytic Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) and Electron MonteCarlo (eMC) algorithm in the latest Eclipse treatment planning system. 

Based on this model, the physicists were able to calculate photon and electron beam treatments pre-clinical release, and assess the accuracy and deliverability of the radiation beams against appropriate benchmarks.Based on these initial results, the OHSU was instrumental in moving the pre-clinical release of Eclipse v13.6MR0.5 through FDA approvals and will receive one of the first FDA-approved versions of this system. 

Having already provided thorough testing of the system, OHSU will be able to move quickly into implementation of treatment plans delivered on the Elekta VersaHD using the model of the Versa HD that was created during pre-clinical release.