US-based medical device company Varian Medical Systems has obtained 510(k) approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its updated ProBeam proton therapy system.
Using the ProBeam system, clinicians can deliver the dose precisely to minimize dose to healthy tissue in the course of delivering proton therapy treatments for cancer.
The device's scanning beam technology enables intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) by modulating dose levels on a spot-by-spot basis throughout the treatment area. This technology also reduces the time needed to manually insert separate shaping accessories for each beam angle in order to match the beam to the shape of the tumor.
Irradiations from multiple angles are combined in an optimal manner to improve control of dose distributions.
Currently, Rinecker Proton Therapy Center in Germany is using Varian's scanning beam IMPT technology. Till now, the Rinecker Proton Therapy Center has treated 1,500 patients using the scanning beam IMPT technology.
Varian has also secured contracts to install ProBeam systems at four sites in the US, one in Saudi Arabia, and one in Russia.
In May 2012, Varian announced that it will showcase a new user interface for the company's ProBeam proton therapy system. This new interface streamlines the steps for imaging, positioning and treating patients with image-guided IMPT.
Based on the technology that was developed for the TrueBeam system for radiotherapy and radiosurgery, the new interface streamlines the steps for imaging, positioning and treating patients with image-guided IMPT.
IMPT involves shaping the dose so that it matches the shape of the targeted tumor in three dimensions.
The ProBeam system uses Dynamic Peak scanning, which optimizes the dose applied to every point within the area being treated. This makes it especially useful for targeting tumors with complex shapes, or tumors that wrap around critical structures like the spinal cord.
Dynamic Peak imaging also enables the use of imaging to further enhance the accuracy of tumor targeting.
