Focus on R&D enables development of innovative radiotherapy technologies
RaySearch Laboratories AB is a medical technology company that develops software solutions for improved cancer treatment. It markets the RayStation treatment planning system (TPS) and the oncology information system RayCare.
The company has recently added RayIntelligence and RayCommand to its product line. RayIntelligence is an oncology analytics system that enables cancer clinics to collect, structure and analyse data. RayCommand, a treatment control system, is designed to link treatment machine and treatment planning and oncology information systems.
With around half of its employees working in R&D, the company says it primarily employs new graduates who are trained and developed in-house. The RaySearch Academy provides ambitious induction programmes for small groups of new employees.
Innovation and development are pursued in collaboration with cancer clinics and research institutes.
In 2021, development activities resulted in the release of significantly improved versions of all four of its products. For RayStation, new features included improved dose calculation accuracy on daily images for photon therapy. Additionally, opportunities for planning and evaluation of treatments where external radiation therapy is combined with brachytherapy were enhanced. The possibility of using linear energy transfer to provide information about the biological effect of radiation in the body was also released.
The latest version of RayStation is more integrated with RayCare and RayCommand, making clinical workflows smoother. For RayCare, clinics can now configure workflows and tailor them to specific needs, which previously required assistance from RaySearch.
In RayIntelligence, improvements included enhanced functionality for analysis and comparison of treatment plans for patient populations.
One goal of the long-term development activities is to build systems for treatment planning that can handle all forms of cancer treatment: radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.
Another major development path is proton therapy, where collaboration with Belgian medical device supplier IBA continues. This collaboration focuses on proton ARC therapy, which enables easier delivery schemes, decreased delivery times and improved dose conformality, and FLASH treatment planning to deliver ultra high dose rate radiation.
Additionally, efforts are ongoing with treatment planning methods to enable better management of tumours that move during radiation therapy.
Picture: RaySearch founder and ceo Johan Löf.
Published on page 12 of the May 2023 issue of RAD Magazine.