RTsafe announces first use of its PseudoPatient patient-specific quality assurance process by NSH CyberKnife Cancer Center, Dubai, UAE

ATHENS, Greece, July 4, 2023

RTsafe, (www.rt-safe.com) the leading provider of quality assurance products and services in stereotactic radiosurgery, announces that UAE’s NSH CyberKnife Cancer Center at Neuro Spinal Hospital, Dubai (NSH – www.nshdubai.com) has conducted its first simulated therapy for multiple brain cavernomas using PseudoPatient, RTsafe’s patient-specific quality assurance process. This represents the first application of RTsafe’s PseudoPatient in the Gulf region.

Dubai’s Neuro Spinal Hospital is a center of excellence in the UAE that calls upon multi-disciplinary expertise from around the world and is the first in the UAE to use the CyberKnife System. CyberKnife by Accuray is a non-invasive robotic radiotherapy treatment for tumors and other conditions that can be an alternative to surgery or for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors.

PseudoPatient is an anatomically faithful model    of each patient’s head which, along with RTsafe’s dosimetric evaluation services, enables medical physicists and clinicians to verify the entire treatment plan before the actual patient is exposed to radiation.

Commenting on the announcement, Evangelos Pappas, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at RTsafe said:

“We are delighted that the Neuro Spinal Hospital, a distinguished institution that seeks to become the premier neurosciences, neurological, spinal and orthopedics healthcare provider in the region, shares our belief in the concept of assuring patient safety and treatment efficiency through human-like simulation of the stereotactic radiosurgery process.”

The simulation was carried out ahead of NSH’s patient treatment using the robotic CyberKnife radiosurgery system that integrates robotic technology, small radiation beams and image-guidance principles to achieve submillimeter stereotactic accuracy on the same platform. The machine was acquired as part of the ongoing efforts by NSH to increase patient safety and treatment quality. A case study of pre-treatment verification with the PseudoPatient in robotic SRS of multiple brain cavernomas was recently presented by Dr Christos Antypas, NSH CyberKnife Cancer Center’s Chief Medical Physicist, at MEFOMP Conference, 19-22 May, Muscat Oman. The study reveals that the PseudoPatient, based on the actual patient anatomy, has been proven a valuable tool for pre-treatment verification in robotic CyberKnife SRS treatments and could improve treatment efficiency and patient safety.

The PseudoPatient treatment verification process begins with the construction of a 3D-printed phantom based on the individual patient’s CT scan accurately reproducing the bone anatomy. The phantom is then filled with a special polymer gel developed by RTsafe that acts as both a soft tissue equivalent material and a 3D dosimeter. The end-to-end radiosurgery procedure is then performed just as it would be on the real patient. The irradiated phantom is then MRI scanned and changes in gel’s magnetic properties reveal the treated areas. RTsafe then provides a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative report in order to assist the clinical team in either verifying the treatment plan or making adjustments to it.

Conventional patient-specific quality control methods involve dose measurements on a standard- shaped phantom equipped with several detectors with the aim of verifying the treatment plan. However, dose treatment verification based on the actual patient anatomy may be critical in minimizing unwanted exposure to radiation. RTsafe’s development of PseudoPatient seeks to solve the limitations presented by generic phantoms thereby achieving more rigorous quality control in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments.

Evangelos Pappas added:

“Brain cavernomas are vascular malformations that can occur in the central nervous system which cause serious brain hemorrhage. CyberKnife is an exciting treatment option but we contend that accurate pre- treatment dose verification for every patient treated could make a difference to outcomes if the simulation process indicates an adjustment to dosage or targeting.”

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About RTsafe

RTsafe is a medical technology company that has developed a unique approach to quality assurance that is making a contribution to the safety and accuracy of radiotherapy for cancer and other medical conditions. It combines proven expertise in medical physics with highly accurate 3D printing technology to create pseudo-in-vivo dosimetry phantoms for use in end-to-end commissioning, benchmarking, and patient-specific quality assurance in stereotactic radiotherapy. The anatomically accurate effigies enable medical professionals to simulate therapeutic interventions for each patient head of actual treatment and help radiotherapy technology innovators to verify the performance of their products. See www.rt-safe.com.

About NSH

Neuro Spinal Hospital Dubai is a world-class medical facility dedicated to providing comprehensive treatment and care for patients with conditions related to neurology, neurosurgery, spinal disorders, oncology, orthopedics, urology, nephrology, cardiology, ENT, pediatrics, physical medicine, and rehabilitation. Since 2021, the NSH CyberKnife Cancer Center has been recognized as one of the most advanced cancer centers in the UAE. With a team of highly skilled and experienced medical professionals, cutting-edge technology, and state-of-the-art facilities, the center delivers personalized care packages that are tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient.

In addition to providing exceptional care, the hospital is also committed to research and education on neurological and spinal conditions. This dedication to ongoing learning and improvement ensures that the hospital’s standards of care remain at the forefront of medical advancements.

Located in the heart of Dubai, the hospital boasts a modern and comfortable environment that is designed to promote prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, research, and education. Whether you are seeking treatment for a specific condition or simply looking to maintain your overall health and wellness, Neuro Spinal Hospital Dubai is the ideal choice. One of the main targets of this partnership is to maximize the safety of patients complying with the vision, policies and procedures of the Neuro Spinal Hospital. See www.nshdubai.com

For further information please contact:

Gareth Zundel – Marketing Director, RTsafe | [email protected] |+44 7967 678309