Aug 13, 2019

Second Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT scanner for New Cross Hospital

Guildford, UK – New Cross Hospital, part of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, recently acquired a second Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT scanner. The first Philips CT scanner was purchased in May 2017. The second Big Bore was commissioned with the first patients being scanned in May of this year. The equipment is installed in the Radiotherapy Department, based in the Deanesly Centre, which has recently been extended to include an additional bunker and additional clinic facilities.

We wanted two scanners within the department which matched each other and allowed for easier commissioning by Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering, (MPCE). The training package was based around the Philips Bellows 4DCT system as our staff were already competent with the CT scanner, which enabled us to scan as soon as the commissioning was completed. The Philips Brilliance Big Bore is designed for radiotherapy use and is very user-friendly and is integrated into the Bellows system. Patients scanned have a reduction in dose compared to our previous scanner, due to the dose modulation facility, Philips iDose. We now have a quicker scanning time and OMAR software to reduce metal artefacts.

Sarah Jhally

Pre-treatment Superintendent

The Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT scanner is designed as a CT simulator to meet the needs of radiation oncology, focusing on accuracy, patient positioning, imaging performance, and intuitive workflow. It features 60 cm true scan FOV for full anatomic visualisation and provides spatial positioning accuracy of less than 2mm between the imaging plane and the laser marking plane for confidence in patient marking. This meets the AAPM TG 66.

It offers excellent image quality as a foundation for accurate contouring and treatment plans and the pulmonary toolkit provides a comprehensive set of tools for evaluating tumour motion and aids in making clinical decisions. iPatient provides patient-centred imaging, including imaging for simulation and treatment planning. It features a simple user interface to manage image quality, dose and speed of acquisition.

Sarah Jhally continues, “Over the next few months our plan is to develop and implement 4DCT techniques, including the use of the Bellows system and the installation of the Elekta Active Breathing Co-ordinator (ABC) to further develop our Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) technique. We find the scanner a very radiographer-friendly system and the two scanners being identical aid training and staff competencies, QA services and workflow. The Philips team has been very informative, offering site visits and continuous support throughout the process. MPCE also found that Philips responded quickly to questions and had a good presence on site during commissioning.”

The department is equipped with four Elekta linear accelerators incorporating an Elekta Synergy, two Elekta Versa HDs and an Elekta Agility. These are all supported by the hospital’s Mosaiq Record and Verify system. The service also provides an Xstrahl Orthovoltage unit and brachytherapy treatment using Flexitron HDR/PDR units. The two wide-bore CT scanners are linked to Prosoma virtual simulation and Philips’ AQSim system, which will be introduced during 2019. Also being installed is an Elekta Active Breathing Co-ordinator (ABC), which it is hoped will go live later in the year.

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 77,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.co.uk/a-w/about/news/home.html

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