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.

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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

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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 …

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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.

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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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