ORIGIN PROJECT

Aims to deliver more precise and effective brachytherapy for the treatment of prostate and gynaecological cancer. ORIGIN addresses the urgent clinical need to provide real-time in vivo radiation dose imaging and source localisation through the development of a new optical fibre based system to deliver enhanced adaptive brachytherapy.

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Origin

The Challenge

Develop methods that provide the clinicians with photonics enabled tools to improve or to assess the successes of therapies; and transform low TRL technologies into robust medical devices answering to clinician needs.

ORIGIN

The problem

ORIGIN addresses the challenges of delivering effective and optimal brachytherapy for prostate and gynaecological oncology, through the introduction of novel optical fibre technology.

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The project expands on the successful development of two innovative single point optical fibre dosimeters based on radio-luminescence using inorganic scintillating materials for HDR- and LDR- BT. Integrating an array of such sensors with a common acquisition system will provide real-time patient dose imaging of the target area and nearby organs at risk. The high temporal resolution of the sensor system (0.1 sec) provides the ability to further monitor the location of the radiation sources during treatment with 0.5mm spatial resolution for HDR-BT and 3mm for LDR-BT. The principles underpinning the individual components of the technology are established and this project will integrate the partners’ technologies to create a medical device that will be an exciting and valuable new tool for oncologists. Initial feedback on the concept from both end-user oncologists and the medical manufacturing industry is overwhelmingly positive as they recognise the benefits, endorse the innovation and acknowledge the commercial opportunities.

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Accuracy
There is an unmet clinical need for accurate monitoring of the radiation dose delivered to the patient during seed implantation to improve patient outcomes
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Monitoring
Monitoring the precise radiation dose delivered to critical organs near the tumour, such as the urethra and rectal wall, is crucial to reduce these adverse side-effects and further improve the quality of life of cancer survivors

ORIGIN

Project Impact

ORIGIN will develop a real-time radiation dose imaging and source localisation system based on optical fibre based sensing technology. It will result in significant impacts on
Society

With improved patient outcomes, reduced treatment risks, reduced hospital stays and thereby increasing patient treatment numbers

Industry

Establishing Europe at the fore of brachytherapy system development and photonics manufacturing

European Economy

Reducing the economic burden of cancer and costs associated with treatment errors and increasing employment owing to photonics-enabled products.

Origin

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