Brainlab Partners with Dalhousie University on Cranial Radiosurgery Product

Munich, Germany-based Brainlab AG, a cranial SRS software development company, and Dalhousie University, a research-intensive university located in Nova Scotia, Canada, have entered into an exclusive intellectual property license agreement for integration with next generation radiosurgery software.

The exclusive license covers technology for patient tailored, optimized arc-trajectories aimed at minimizing radiation dose to organs at risk without compromising target coverage. The new algorithm creates a suitability ranking for every gantry- and couch-position based on geometric overlap of multiple risk organs and the target volume, and considers the relative depth of structures and dose tolerances. The algorithm can reward regions of approach which allow the most rapid dose fall-off toward specific organs at risk. The optimization can be applied to fixed couch arcs as well as simultaneous gantry-couch movements.

“We have developed an effective method for trajectory based treatment planning and delivery, often referred to as the Four-Pi approach. In addition to minimizing peripheral dose, the new algorithm alleviates the need for beam modulation, increasing the efficiency of planning and treatment delivery,” said James Robar, Ph.D., FCCPM, chief of medical physics, Dalhousie University. “For patients, this means that we can further limit dose to healthy organs surrounding the tumor, without extending treatment times.”

“We have worked with the team in Halifax for many years and are excited to incorporate this innovative technology into the next generation of Brainlab cranial radiosurgery software scheduled for release within this year,” said Stefan Vilsmeier, CEO and founder of Brainlab. “This license bolsters Brainlab’s already strong IP position for beam pathway optimization.”

Brainlab makes software-driven medical technology, enabling access to advanced, less invasive patient treatments.