VOLUMETRIC MODULATED ARC THERAPY (VMAT) – NEW RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT SOON AVAILABLE AT ACIBADEM SISTINA

15/07/2025

Acibadem Sistina Hospital will soon engage in performing one of the most advanced radiotherapy techniques – Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) - using the new TrueBeam Linear Accelerator. With this, our hospital and the expert team of the Radiotherapy Department will provide oncology patients with radiotherapy compliant with the global standards.

Prof. Deva Petrova, MD, PhD, specialist in oncology and radiotherapy, asserted that radiotherapy is an important segment in the treatment of patients with malignant diseases. Progress in this branch of medicine has a great impact on the treatment success in oncology patients, hence the need for all innovations in radiotherapy to become available to our patients.

"VMAT is an advanced radiotherapy technique characterized by improved performance compared to standard treatments such as the IMRT. VMAT allows for an individualized approach and exceptional precision in the radiation treatment realization. Treatment planning plays a key role, where the oncology team uses advanced diagnostic techniques such as CT, MRI or PET Scan to determine the target volume and organs at risk," elaborates Dr. Petrova.

During VMAT treatment, the patient is lying in a supine position, while the linear accelerator rotates around their body, delivering the planned dose to its maximum, which, in turn, is adapted to the shape and size of the target volume.

"The principal benefit of this treatment is its rapidness compared to the standard treatments, which shortens the treatment duration and improves the patient’s comfort during the treatment. The shorter duration of radiotherapy application reduces the likelihood of the patient moving during treatment, which directly contributes to higher precision. The built-in three-dimensional CT technology allows real-time visualization of the exact position of the tumour during each session, which further increases the treatment’s precision and efficiency. Maximum protection of healthy tissues surrounding the tumour allows for less pronounced side effects from the therapy," explains Dr. Petrova.

VMAT therapy is used to treat various types of malignant tumours, especially when high precision and protection of surrounding tissues are required. It is most often used in patients with prostate cancer, malignant head and neck tumours, as well as lung cancer. Furthermore, this advanced radiotherapy is also used in the treatment of colon cancer, brain tumours, breast and cervical cancer, as well as in the treatment of oesophageal cancer.

TrueBeam Accelerator is a revolutionary radiotherapy device, providing the opportunity to use contemporary radiation techniques such as: VMAT, SBRT, SRS. One of the major advantages of this device is the possibility of using radiosurgery - SRS, which in certain cases replaces traditional surgery in malignant and some benign diseases. These radiation techniques direct the dose to the tumour to the maximum and allows minimal damage to healthy tissues and organs, thus reducing the side effects of the therapy.

VOLUMETRIC MODULATED ARC THERAPY (VMAT) – NEW RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT SOON AVAILABLE AT ACIBADEM SISTINA

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