In 2009, LAP sold 5000 room lasers for use in radiation therapy which confirms that this laser applications specialist based in Lüneburg Germany leads the market in the field of patient positioning for radiation therapy.
Any radiation therapy room containing linear accelerators or cobalt-60 devices will also be equipped with room lasers. They project extremely fine laser lines on the patient's body to show the isocentre position of the linear accelerator. The location of the tumour is marked on the patient's skin. To perform the therapy, the position of the couch is adjusted until the markings on the skin and the projected laser lines correspond.
For the treatment to be successful, millimetre precision is required when aligning the patient with the linear accelerator. The tissue to which radiation is applied must be exactly in the isocentre of the accelerator to prevent healthy tissue from being affected and therefore reduce the exposure of the patient to radiation as far as possible. As the laser lines are very fine, this means the linear accelerator can be precisely adjusted thus ensuring that the radiation is accurately applied.
Since 1986, LAP has been aspiring to produce systems with ever-increasing accuracy. 25 years ago, 50 room lasers were manufactured each year and today this is a hundred times as many. The quality of our products has also been steadily improving; the first helium-neon laser systems were superseded by laser diodes and today, LAP also uses DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state) laser systems. LAP has also developed unique prism optics and infrared remote control to allow the room lasers to be adjusted more easily. The room lasers project extremely fine laser lines of the quality, stability and reliability to be expected of a product "made in Germany" and satisfy the LAP UltraLine® quality requirements. Other innovations in recent years are special optics and laser adjustment with six degrees of freedom.
Around 750 linear accelerators are installed worldwide every year. Each of these devices requires between four and five room lasers to position the patient precisely. In 2009, LAP achieved record sales of 5000 APOLLO, ASTOR or GEMINI room lasers as a result of new business and also through the replacement of technically overhauled devices (upgrades). This figures are clear evidence of the market share of LAP systems which is more than 90% in the area of patient positioning.
LAP GmbH is committed to consolidating and extending its leading position in the market which provides the incentive for further developments in the area of patient positioning.
| 
