Varian Medical Systems has showcased software for assessing how tumours respond to therapy at the 2007 meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). The I-Response technology from Cedara Software shows how tumours are responding to treatment at the biological level, often before changes in tumour shape or size become visible. Varian holds exclusive global distribution rights for the I-Response technology within the oncology treatment market.
The I-Response tool tracks changes in tumour tissue at the cellular and metabolic levels over time using sophisticated PET/CT analysis and a unique MR technique called functional diffusion mapping (fDM). This provides the potential for clinicians to monitor the impact of anti-cancer drugs and radiation therapy early in the course of treatment, so they can adapt their treatment strategies and personalise treatment plans.
"I-Response fits perfectly with our Dynamic Adaptive Radiotherapy (DART) initiative for offering products that help clinicians deliver cancer care that is tailored to each individual patient," says Corey Zankowski, senior director for Varian's software business. "This tool will help doctors make clinical adjustments much earlier, based on real-time information about how the patient's tumour is responding to treatment."
