At the UMCU Radiotherapy department, we are excited to announce the clinical introduction of a new workflow that significantly accelerates our Elekta Unity MR-Linac treatment for prostate cancer patients. This innovative approach combines deformable image registration (EVolution) and AI-based contour segmentation (nnUNet), providing a superior starting point for online target and organs-at-risk delineations.
The first patients treated with this accelerated workflow have confirmed our expectations, showing a reduction in manual delineation time by approximately 50%, from 8 minutes to just 4 minutes. This improvement not only minimizes the effect of intrafraction motion but also enhances overall treatment efficiency.
Our in-house developed EVolution deformable image registration software incorporates helping contours to guide the process, while our in-house trained nnUNet model provides these structures on daily MRI scans. Both the deformable image registration software and the AI model were developed within our BSI ISO13485 certified Quality Management System, ensuring compliance with EU MDR standards.
Looking ahead, our goal is to extend this new workflow to other treatment sites that currently require extensive manual delineation time, further advancing the efficiency and effectiveness of our radiotherapy treatments.
Stay tuned for more updates on our progress and innovations in cancer treatment!
