What is Surface Guided Radiation Therapy

Surface Guided Radiation Therapy (SGRT) is a modern technique used in radiation oncology to improve patient positioning and motion monitoring accuracy, safety, and efficiency. It utilizes optical cameras or sensors to monitor patient movement in real-time, ensuring precise treatment delivery without requiring skin markers or additional imaging doses.

SGRT supports various radiotherapy applications

Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) for breast cancer, minimizing radiation exposure to organs at risk, e.g. the heart.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), where sub-millimetre accuracy is crucial.

Head and Neck Cancer treatments, reducing the need for immobilization masks and enhancing patient comfort.

The clinical benefits of SGRT

Publications have shown that SGRT enhances patient outcomes by improving positioning accuracy and reducing treatment-related toxicity.

Increased treatment accuracy

SGRT supports sub-millimetre precision in patient positioning, minimizing errors affecting treatment efficacy. Clinical studies confirm that SGRT improves setup accuracy compared to traditional tattoo-based methods.

Real-time motion monitoring

By continuously tracking the patient's surface, SGRT provides immediate feedback, allowing therapists to adjust for involuntary movements. This is especially critical for hypofractionated treatments.

Non-invasive and markerless

Unlike traditional radiation therapy, which relies on permanent skin tattoos and invasive markers, SGRT eliminates the need for such techniques. Patients benefit from a more comfortable, non-invasive treatment experience.

Reduced radiation exposure

Because SGRT allows for accurate patient setup without additional CT scans, unnecessary imaging doses can be minimized, which is particularly beneficial for pediatric and long-term cancer survivors.

Enhanced efficiency

SGRT reduces setup time and the need for repositioning, leading to higher patient throughput and optimized use of treatment resources. Studies show that clinics using SGRT report shorter patient setup times while maintaining high accuracy.