Brachytherapy

D&K Technologies supplies the complete brachytherapy solution for your office or clinic. This includes the stepper, stabilizer, template, table adapter and the program needed for seeding the prostate. D&K Technologies can also assist you in selecting the right ultrasound system for you. Included in the full package is a complete training program.

Specification of the Brachytherapy System

(See below for more pictures and information on the therapie planning program)

Prerequisite: A B/W ultrasound imaging system with an endo-rectal ultrasound probe. The rectal probe must be able to image in transverse section at least. It is advantageous to use a multi-plane probe to visualize any longitudinal plane in order to see the needle path. The frequency of the probe should range between 5 and 8 MHz in order to achieve the necessary spatial resolution as well as the necessary penetration depth.

Stepper: The precision stepper enables the user to advance and retract an endo-rectal ultrasound probe in the rectum to image the prostate.

- The endo-rectal probe is inserted into and fixed to the stepper and positioned by moving the stepper/probe combination

- Any endo-rectal probe from any producer can be fit to the stepper.

- Probe can be rotated around the probe´s long axis (± 45°). The probe locks into the adjustable center position.

- Movable length of the probe with the stepper: 100 mm

- Scale for position recognition.

- Step width: 2,5 mm or 5 mm selectable as well as free analog movement in and out of the rectum

- Additional free analogue movement of the probe to define the exact stating point for stepwise movement: 50 mm

- Template is movable (100 mm) in the direction parallel to the ER probe´s long axis and can be fixed in any position.

Template: Needle guide grid system for brachytherapy needles: Matrix of 13 x 13 individual channels (all channels for 18 Gauge needles - standard)

- 2 nomenclatures (reversible) of the needle channel rows: 1 to 7 (every second row with number, front side of template) or 0 to 12 (every row with number, back side of template)

- Row spacing: 5 mm in both cases

- 2 nomenclatures (reversible) of the needle channel columns: A to G (every second row with letter, front side of template) or A to M (every row with letter, back side of template)

- Column spacing: 5 mm in both cases

- The template is made of a material used for implants - PEEK. It is thus fully bio-compatible.

- Sterilizable: at least 200times with steam at 115°C - 140°C (pressure 2 to 3 bar), Can be heated in air up to 200°C for a indefinite time span

- Template size: approx. 150 x 76 x 20 mm (H x W x D)

Stabilizer: Device that supports the stepper. The stabilizer is connected to the guide rails of an OR table by a specific table holder. The stabilizer and stepper can be moved and positioned manually by the integrated handle and fixed or loosed in its position in space by turning one knob.

OR Table Adapter: This device is needed to fasten the stabilizer to an application table or cystoscopy chair. Adapters for Philips LDME table or table HMT (Type PST 153/ PST 163) or for Schmitz (Type 211.276, 200.408) are available. Adapters for other tables are to be custom made according to the table specs, which must be stated. A custom adaptation to any table or chair is possible.

PSID - The Brachytherapy Planning Program

PSID - The Brachytherapy Planning Program:

Program for pre- and post-planning of permanent interstitial brachytherapy treatment. The program can run on any PC (at least 64 MB RAM, 2 MB hard disk) with a Windows 95, 98 or higher platform. This program can be used by physicians, physicists, and others trained in brachytherapy planning and treatment and fulfilling the appropriate national legal requirements. The easy to use planning program makes - among others - online planning accessible to any radiation oncology department. Some of it´s features are listed below.

The easy to use program enables among others quick pre-, online- and post-planning.

- Runs on Windows 95, 98 or high PC based systems and can thus utilize all sources running on the selected PC

- Image acquisition as available on the PC used (frame grabber, floppy disk, CD-ROM, or other sources)

- Positioning of strands or single seeds or mixed configurations

- Algorithms for all common isotopes

- User configurable in regards to contouring, displayed isodose lines, seeds, and other

- Simple manual contouring and editing

- Simple scaling of template size and position

- Positioning and deleting of seeds or strands by a simple mouse click with instantaneous display of isodose lines

- Instantaneous display of local dose value by moving the cursor in the desired position

- Automatic seed and strand positioning (auto place function) according to user defined rules

- All standard templates selectable

- Full patient report

- Needle loading plan

- Needle positioning plan and others

- Dose-volume histogram function

- Differential dose display

- JPEG, DICOM 3, and BMP formats supported

- Post-planning on CT/MR/US images

- 3-D dose distribution and seed display

- 3-D organ surface depiction based on manual contour drawn

- Automatic seed recognition

- 5th order polynomial calculations