ProSoma
3.2 proves the continous demand
of high effective tools that support
the clinical workflow in a radiotherapy
department. Beside the continuous
improvement based on customer
requests that are now included
in ProSoma 3.2, the new version
also includes a new model based
contouring approach as well as
new tools to support the oncology
workflow. The new version drives
the software beyond a classical
virtual simulation package towards
a central management software
within the radiotherapy department.
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The new RT-PACS is an option within
the new ProSoma 3.2 database server
application, implementing dedicated
requirements that are faced in
a specialized radio-oncology department
and not addressed by standard
radiology PACS systems. Besides
all usual radiology DICOM-3 data
like X-Rays, CT/MR, Secondary
Capture and the like, MedCom's
RT-PACS is also capable of storing
all types of DICOM-RT data such
as RT-PLAN, RT-STRUCT, RT-DOSE
etc. under the same patient entry
and provide them as a reply to
a DICOM Query/Retrieve request.
As a special and unique feature
RT-PACS may also automatically
generate DRR images based on received
RT-PLAN and corresponding CT datasets
and store them as RT-IMAGE secondary
captures within the database,
thus serving also as a beam image
generator for verification purposes.
RT-PACS
supports full-range standard DICOM
networking and may be bi-directionally
queried from any other system
(like CT/MRI, TPS, PACS, viewer
etc.) using the DICOM Query/Retrieve
or Send protocol.
Above this, RT-PACS offers also
a “DICOM Forward”
functionality which re-sends any
incoming DICOM traffic to an external
DICOM node, e.g. to the clinic
PACS. By implementing this dedicated
service - especially developed
for radio-oncology workflow requirements
- RT-PACS serves as fast data
buffer dedicated to the oncology
department and provides flexible
and local data availability while
maintaining full data integrity
without scarifying global security
policies.
top
| Cooperation
with Nucletron: A success
story |
Over
the last 7 years MedCom developed
together with its longstanding
partner Pi Medical the Prostate
HDR brachtytherapy device Oncentra
Prostate (former Swift), distributed
by Nucletron. Available now in
the third generation, mid of 2009
Oncentra® Prostate has an
installed base of more than 90
units in 23 countries. This worldwide
deployment is an indication for
the flexibility of Oncentra Prostate
to be applicable for the huge
variety of country specific protocols
and procedures.

Oncentra®
Prostate
top
This
flexibility is made successfully
available as well for cervix cancer
treatment resulting in Oncentra
GYN. Firstly clinically used February
2009
(press
article of Oncentra®GYN),
Oncentra GYN has an installed
base of 8 units in 6 countries
(mid 2009). The planning system
fully supports the latest Nucletron
applicators Utrecht Interstitial
Fletcher and Interstitial Ring,
enabling a new flexibility for
gynecological HDR therapy.

Oncentra® GYN
Both
Oncentra Prostate and GYN are
improved constantly, to react
on marked needs as well as on
newest hardware technologies.
The story will continue …
| VeriSuite
installations in progress |
During the last month a couple
of particle therapy sites have
been equipped with the VeriSuite
system in various treatment room
configurations:
-
Westdeutschen Protonentherapiezentrum
Essen, Germany
- Hampton University Proton Therapy
Institute, Hampton, Virginia
- ProCure Proton Therapy Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- The Roberts Proton Therapy Center
at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- New treatment room at Centre
de Protonthérapie de Orsay
- CNAO Foundation in Pavia, Italy
The
ProCcure center in Oklahoma City
has already started with treating
patients and it is the first center
in the US that is using the VeriSuite
system in regular treatment.
| MedCom
acquires Sonofit GmbH
|
Sonofit
GmbH (www.sonofit.de)
is a company founded in 2001 and
providing ultrasound training
simulators. These simulators are
mimicking the performance of a
true ultrasound device: they support
a free movement of the transducer
over various positions of the
body (male or female mannequin)
and show in real time the corresponding
B-mode or CFD image on the screen.
The databases offered by Sonofit
span a wide spectrum of applications
varying from ob/gyn over abdominal
to cardiologic training cases.
Each medical case is supplemented
by a tutorial covering anamnesis
and defining relevant diagnostic
exercises (and their answers)
to the user.
The huge benefit of a simulator
is that training can be performed
anywhere and at any time involving
a rich repertoire of relevant,
characteristic, typical, or rare
cases without the necessity of
a human volunteer. Therefore such
simulators are used more and more
for teaching purposes of young
physicians as well as for continuous
education or advanced training
of experienced specialists.
On January 2009 MedCom GmbH incorporated
75% of the shares of Sonofit GmbH,
the remaining 25% hold privately.
New managing director of the company
is Marcus Grimm. MedCom started
immediately investing new resources
in Sonofit’s products: in
August 2009 the new version of
the simulator is presented in
the market, including enlarged
and new databases (e.g. prostate
and liver), a brand-new &
unique anatomical student-module
to train on anatomical landmarks,
improved CFD features and training
for needle biopsy. As a result,
Sonofit’s products offer
today a unique feature among medical
U/S simulators.

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