Everything you need to know about volume-modulated radiotherapy (VMAT)

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Nguyen Duy Sinh - Former Head of Radiation Therapy Unit, Oncology Center, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital
Arc volume modulated radiation therapy (VMAT) technique at Vinmec Central Park is an advanced method that allows the treatment of complex head and neck cancer cases with high efficiency, minimizing unwanted effects. .

1. What is arc volume modulated radiotherapy?

Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) or RapidArc® Radiation Therapy Technology is an advanced form of Dose Modulated Radiation Therapy that delivers dose delivery in an invisible “3D sculpted” form. exactly the same as the 360 ​​degree rotation of the dose rig in single or multi-arc treatment.
The arc volume modulated radiotherapy technique is capable of delivering radiation dose to the whole brain with the preservation of the hippocampus, and at the same time integrating the radiation dose directly into the metastatic nucleus to achieve the equivalent radiation dose. radiosurgery for head and neck cancers.
With conventional dose-modulated radiotherapy, the radiotherapy machines have to rotate many times around the patient or the system has to stop repeatedly to be able to treat the tumor from different angles. For the VMAT/RapidArc radiotherapy technique, the radiation dose can be delivered to the entire tumor in just one 360-degree rotation, and the procedure usually takes less than 2 minutes.
RapidArc radiotherapy technology uses special software and state-of-the-art linear accelerators from Varian to deliver Dose Modulated Radiation Therapy treatments up to 8 times faster than conventional techniques. previous technique. The system's algorithm ensures almost absolute accuracy in treatment, thereby optimizing surrounding healthy tissue.
RapidArc is a patented Radiation Therapy Technology with the necessary software enhancements to be able to be used in conjunction with Varian-manufactured process technology. RapidArc consists of two components:
Treatment planning Implementation of treatment, applicable to both radiotherapy and radiosurgery patients. VMAT is different from existing techniques such as spiral dose modulated radiotherapy or circular dose modulated radiotherapy (IMAT), because it provides a dose for the entire body. volume to be treated, instead of dividing by slices. Furthermore, the treatment planning algorithm ensures the accuracy of the dosing process, while helping to minimize the dose projected into the surrounding healthy tissues.
RapidArc radiotherapy technology is a major advancement from Varian Health Systems that improves dose adherence while shortening treatment time. RapidArc uses a Multileaf Collimator (MLC) system, which can customize the dose delivery rate and the dose gradation rate to achieve the highest quality in dose delivery. Besides, planning with RapidArc is extremely fast, simple and accurate. Healthcare professionals can quickly plan high-quality treatment with dose-modulated radiation therapy and make progress with RapidArc technology in a short time.

2. Treatment of head and neck cancer by VMAT radiation therapy at Vinmec Central Park

In Vietnam, volumetric modulated radiotherapy (VMAT) is a completely new treatment technique, applied at a number of radiotherapy centers in major hospitals, including Vinmec Central Park.
2.1. Advantages of VMAT radiotherapy technique at Vinmec Central Park Hospital Arc volume modulated radiotherapy is currently the most optimal radiotherapy technique for head, face and neck cancer tumors. The VMAT radiotherapy technique stands out with the following advantages:
The treatment time is much faster than conventional radiotherapy. The radiation is focused according to the shape and size of the tumor. The surrounding healthy tissue is not affected by radiation. The radiation dose is highly concentrated, helping to enhance treatment effectiveness and minimize side effects. Allows to perform with complex cancer cases with high efficiency. This method is especially suitable for patients with head and neck cancer, pelvic region, brain cancer, where many important organs are located and are easily affected during radiation therapy. This is a high-end technique, it needs to be performed by an experienced specialist and a very rigorous consultation process to be able to come up with the right treatment plan and plan.
2.2. Indicated subjects Patients diagnosed with cancer of the head and neck (oropharynx, oral cavity) or cancer of the pelvis (including rectum, uterus, cervix) in the locally advanced stage in the non-operative area Okay.
2.3. Why should this technique be performed at Vinmec Central Park? Performed by Radiotherapy Specialists with extensive national and international experience and track record. Truebeam radiation therapy machine of Vinmec Central Park Hospital is the most modern radiotherapy machine in Southeast Asia. The modern Oncology Department meets international standards, applies a multi-specialty approach to diagnosis, selects appropriate treatment regimens for each patient, and contributes to comprehensive patient care. Equipped with a full range of cancer treatment modalities: From surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, pain management and palliative care. The diagnosis is made carefully with all the necessary diagnoses: blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, blood test, bone marrow analysis, biopsy, lab tests. Immunohistochemistry, diagnosis by molecular biology. The treatment process for each patient is closely coordinated with many specialties: Center for Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory Testing, Cardiology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Endocrinology, Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Psychiatry. Department of Nutrition, Department of Pain Treatment and Palliative Care, in order to provide patients with the optimal treatment regimen at the most reasonable cost.

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Reference source: Varian.com