The RapidArc council members include researchers and clinicians from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark; CRLC Val d'Aurelle in Montpellier, France; University Hospital in Zürich, Switzerland; BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver, Canada; University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center in Baltimore, MD; and University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL.
The council members have been working with early versions of the RapidArc system to expand clinical applications for the new treatment method. As part of this effort, they intend to develop additional clinical presentations on the new technology for submission to scientific meetings, journals and symposia. The council members will also collaborate with Varian engineers and developers in Switzerland, Finland and the US on enhancements to the technology.
RapidArc exploits customized algorithms to deliver a complete IMRT treatment in a single rotation of the linac around the patient, a procedure also known as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Modulation is achieved by simultaneously varying the dose delivery rate and the shape of the treatment aperture during the one rotation of the gantry.
According to the vendor, "by varying three parameters simultaneously - the speed of rotation, the beam-shaping aperture and the dose delivery rate - doctors can create finely shaped IMRT dose distributions that more closely match the size and shape of the tumour while sparing healthy tissues."
Earlier this year, Varian secured two US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearances for RapidArc. The clearances cover the treatment hardware and the RapidArc treatment-planning software module in Varian's Eclipse treatment-planning system.
Varian is already taking orders for RapidArc and expects to begin delivering to customers in April.
• Varian is running a series of educational symposia about RapidArc in the second quarter. Confirmed dates include Chicago, IL (May 3rd); Boston, MA (May 7th); and Philadelphia, PA (June 12th).