PA Radiation Oncology MRI reaches 1000th scan milestone!

In just under a year of operation, the Princess Alexandra Hospital - Radiation Oncology MRI Unit has become one of Australia’s leading MRI Simulation facilities, performing its 1000th scan this month. This marks a major milestone in the successful integration of Magnetic Resonance Imaging into the departments cancer treatment workflow.

When the MRI Simulator went live at the PAH Radiation Oncology Department in mid February last year, there was little doubt that its implementation would greatly benefit patients requiring radiation treatment.

Initially focusing on brain and prostate cancer scanning, the plan was to start slowly and then gradually expand the scope of the service. However, it soon became apparent that the significant improvements seen in tumour visualisation and treatment planning, through the use of MRI, could be achieved for other sites. As a result the MRI Simulator’s caseload has grown rapidly to include head and neck, abdominal, pelvic and spinal imaging.

According to PAH - Director of Radiation Oncology, Professor Margot Lehman, there are several key advantages of having an MRI Simulator based in the department. “Patients can be scanned on demand, in their exact treatment position. We can then use the specific properties of the MR scan to delineate their individual tumour very accurately. This enables our radiation therapy team to plan and treat a cancer site with a highly precise dose of radiation in such a way that reduces radiation exposure to normal tissues, which means fewer side effects for patients”.

Approximately 50 per cent of all patients attending the PAH Radiation Oncology Department have benefitted from the incorporation of the MRI Simulation into their treatment planning since the service commenced. This percentage is even higher for those requiring treatment for prostate cancer, with around 80% having MRI Simulation as part of their radiation therapy planning procedure.

It is anticipated that as the MRI Simulator use evolves there will be opportunities to conduct research that could further improve patient outcomes. One such study being proposed is an investigation evaluating how Head and Neck tumours respond to radiation therapy over the duration of a radiation treatment course.

The PAH Radiation Oncology MRI Simulator is the only dedicated MRI Scanner co-located in a Radiation Oncology department in Queensland, and the fourth to be installed in Australia.

Special thanks to our Radiation Oncologists, RT Planning Consultant, MRI Simulation team and Medical Physicists for their expertise and hard work in building this successful MRI program.