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MAnTRA: Mri-linAc Treatments for Radiotherapy Patients. A Pilot study on the use of the Australian MRI –Linac to Treat Cancer Radiotherapy Patients.

ACTRN 12621000418875

Brief Summary

The MRI Linac is one of the newest and most technologically advanced radiotherapy machines used to treat cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the best imaging tools available to guide radiotherapy. Linear accelerators (Linacs) are treatment machines used to deliver radiotherapy to treat cancers. By combining the MRI and Linac into an MRI-Linac, it allows the use of better images than standard X-rays to guide radiotherapy.

The purpose of this study is to determine if it is feasible to use the bespoke MRI-Linac at Liverpool Hospital to treat patients. The data collected will be used in developing and improving the MRI-Linac for future cancer patients.

Intervention/Treatment

  • Device:  MRI-Linac.

Inclusion Criteria

  1. 18 years or older.
  2. Have the ability to give informed consent with the clear understanding that this is a prototype cancer radiation therapy system and not a commercially available and supported system.
  3. A diagnosis of cancer with a palliative indication for radiotherapy and referral to the Liverpool or Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres.
  4. A treatment site and prognosis that, in the opinion of the treating physician, is clinically appropriate for this MRI-Linac feasibility trial using conformal radiotherapy in consultation with medical physicists and radiation therapists. The treatment fields used for planning must be able to be accommodated for the particular patient on the MRI-Linac. Examples may include (but are not restricted to) patients presenting with:
    • Cervical-spine metastasis.
    • Whole brain.
    • Recurrent brain metastasis.
    • Bone metastasis.
    • Soft tissue metastasis.
    • ECOG status 0-2.

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