SGRT systems improve treatment delivery for patients in the east of England

Cancer patients undergoing treatment at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) are benefiting from a type of  radiotherapy that reduces treatment time while increasing accuracy and patient comfort.

Surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT) is being offered to patients receiving radiotherapy treatment, and uses cameras to create a 3D outline of the surface of the body. It does not require tattoo marks and delivers lower x-ray exposure.

The AlignRT SGRT system uses light beams and advanced cameras to create a 3D outline of the patient’s body, helping therapeutic radiographers get the patient into the correct position more accurately and quickly. It can also be used to automatically interrupt treatment if the patient is no longer in the correct position, which is usually a manual task.

At NNUH, the equipment has been installed on all five Varian TrueBeam linacs and the department’s dedicated CT scanner. Made by VisionRT, the equipment cost more than £1 million and has been funded from the department’s managed service contract through Ergea UK and Ireland. Alongside the core training provided by VisionRT, the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity sponsored specialist training days for more than 40 therapeutic radiographers. NNUH will be a reference site for other teams looking to introduce SGRT.

NNUH clinical operational manager (therapeutic radiographer) Jo Thomas said: “SGRT is a complete game-changer for patients, and we are so excited to be able to use this new technology. Patients don’t need to be handled and moved by us as much, they’re in the treatment room for a shorter time, and it’s much nicer not to have a tattoo because they are not left with a visual reminder of a really difficult time, after their treatment has finished.

“If a patient coughs or sneezes and moves more than a set tolerance, the beam will cut out and treatment will stop, so that the treatment is only delivered to the intended target. Previously we had to rely on watching patients from outside the treatment room.”

Diane Pyle from Tacolneston, Norfolk, was the first patient to have SGRT for breast cancer at NNUH. She said: “Having experienced both methods of treatment, I am really pleased and honestly a little excited to have been the first person to have benefitted from the new SGRT. It’s less hands on, there’s no need for pen marks or permanent tattoos and it’s much quicker for me and the really wonderful staff delivering my radiotherapy.”

CUH has spent £4 million on two TrueBeam linacs, which are equipped with the SGRT system. It will be rolled out to a third linac at a later date. SGRT will initially be used to treat patients with breast cancer, with patients no longer needing permanent tattoo marks from January 2026.

In addition to the two new linacs, colourful artwork and view panels funded by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust have been installed to help provide a calm and pleasant environment for patients.

CUH head of radiotherapy physics Andrew Robinson said: “We’re excited there will now be two centres in the east offering this advanced technology to patients. Our teams have worked hard over the summer to test and train on the system, and it is rewarding to see our patients benefiting from the increased accuracy and efficiency of SGRT.”

Picture: Patient Diane Pyle has benefited from SGRT at NNUH.

Published on page 12 of the October 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.