First patient treated in new Ethos machine
On Monday 24 August Radiotherapy treated the first patient in their new Ethos machine.
The machine is a state of the art Radiotherapy Linear Accelerator but compacted into a familiar CT scanner casing, creating a less imposing and more relaxing experience for patients. The room also features wall murals of local scenery and a 'sky inside' ceiling, projecting calming video clips to help relieve anxiety.
As the moving parts of the machine are fully enclosed, treatments can be delivered faster and more efficiently.
The adaptive treatments will allow staff to correct for any organ motion and size changes, such as rectum and bladder, on a daily basis. This means they can then recalculate an optimal plan on the machine in a matter of minutes, minimizing potential exposure to surrounding organs, whilst optimizing dose to the tumour site.
Laura Turner, Head of Radiotherapy, said: “This is such an exciting development for Royal Surrey as it will allow us the remain at the forefront of Radiotherapy development, while keeping patient experience at the heart of what we do.
“We feel very lucky to have been supported by the Trust, and I am incredibly proud of the entire team for their hard work in installing, commissioning and setting up the new workflows for the machine.”