• AlignRT® platform product: For product description and technical specification
• AlignRT® modules: Descriptions of additional modules which provide additional functionality to the platform product.
• AlignRT® core technology: Find out about the technology that facilitates AlignRT®.
• Publications: See a full list of AlignRT® publications to date.
• AlignRT® in action: Find out about how AlignRT is being used within the clinic.
• Information for patients: Learn more about image guided radiotherapy and how AlignRT can help you.
• Regulatory clearance: Regulatory status of the AlignRT product.

A revolutionary 3D imaging solution for patient setup and real time surveillance, providing speed and accuracy, driven through a simple and intuitive user interface. This non-invasive system does not require the use of any markers and adds no further irradiation.

AlignRT® employs proprietary1 3D imaging technology to produce high resolution and accurate 3D surface data referenced to the treatment isocentre.

AlignRT® utilises two ceiling mounted 3D camera units, designed to image the patient at simulation or treatment. At each treatment fraction, the system images the current patient position instantaneously. AlignRT® is able to gate its image capture so that 3D data are acquired at a reproducible point in the breathing cycle.

State of the art surface matching software registers these data to the reference surface within seconds. Couch shifts are displayed to show inconsistencies between existing and ideal treatment positions. New co-ordinates for the optimal couch position are then displayed and may be applied. Interfaces are available to allow auto adjustment of certain third party treatment couches.

Tools are provided to allow the user to compare the treatment position with the reference surface both inside the room and remotely. These include a colour coded display, quantitative statistics and SSD checking functionality.

With the advent of image guidance and higher precision radiotherapy, there is an increasing need for continuous surveillance and the monitoring of any intra-fraction patient movement. AlignRT® provides an advanced real time 3D surveillance capability which may be used remotely from the control room. A continuously updating colour coded display may be viewed throughout treatment. In addition, selected regions of the patient’s surface may be monitored in real time. Any movements outside user defined tolerances are detected automatically.

The DICOM RT import module allows contours extracted from CT to be imported into AlignRT as reference “record” data. PlanRT® provides tools for extracting skin contours, estimating lung contours for breast planning, and for exporting data in DICOM RT format.

1. AlignRT® is protected by granted British patents (GB2390792 and GB2407466) and other patent applications relating to Vision RT’s technology which are pending worldwide.

GateCT® tracks the 3D surface of a patient during 4DCT data acquisition. The system is synchronised with the CT scanner* and facilitates retrospective 4D CT reconstruction. Real time respiratory tracking enables prospective gated capture of CT data.

Key Features:

• No markers are required
• Intuitive and easy to use
• 3D points or regions may be tracked anywhere on the patient’s surface
• All tracked data are calibrated precisely to the isocentre
• Tracking points may be determined automatically from a previous session
• Automatic detection of patient movement
• Automatic detection of abnormal breathing
• Low tracking latency
• Full surface data may be recorded in real time

See GateCT-RT third party interface statement for a list of devices which are compatible with GateCT®

GateRT® tracks respiratory motion in real time during radiation delivery or diagnostic imaging. The system monitors signals derived from the 3D surface of the patient. Suitable gating thresholds are determined by the user and set within the software. These are used to gate the radiation beam during treatment^* or imaging^*.

Key Features:

• No markers are required
• Intuitive and easy to use
• 3D points or regions may be tracked anywhere on the patient’s surface
• All tracked data are calibrated precisely to the isocentre
• Tracking points may be determined automatically from a previous session
• Automatic detection of patient movement
• Automatic detection of abnormal breathing
• Low tracking latency

* See GateCT-RT third party interface statement for a list of devices which are compatible with GateCT®

The contour data imported into AlignRT® are stored as a reference “record” surface for subsequent AlignRT® positioning and monitoring. AlignRT® provides 3D visualisation tools to display and manipulate the imported contour data. In addition, regions of interest within the imported structure may be selected for subsequent positioning and monitoring. Functionality is provided to allow the isocentre of the imported data to be adjusted from the original CT to treatment positions. New 3D surface data acquired from the AlignRT® camera units in the treatment room, prior to each treatment fraction, can then be matched directly to the original CT reference.

Dicom RT import features:

• No reference markers required during CT scanning
• Circumvents CT couch sag errors
• Allows isocentre import and adjustment
• Works for multiple fields with varying couch angles
• Provides interface to treatment planning and virtual simulation packages
• Allows several thousand 3D points to be matched directly to original CT reference data

AlignRT® reads DICOM files as specified in AlignRT® DICOM conformance statement.

3D surface representation of imported RTSTRUCT; Isocentre adjustment dialog (bottom right).

AlignRT® surface (green) registered to DICOM RT imported data (pink).

The treatment couch position can be updated in AlignRT® through the 4DITC. The new coordinates computed by AlignRT® are fed to the treatment couch automatically.By simply accepting the recommended coordinates, the couch can be moved to the new position remotely.

4D Integrated Treatment Console

AlignRT®-4DITC Interface features:

• Increases patient throughput
• Avoids user error
• Simplifies setup process
• Combines positioning accuracy with positioning speed

Note: The use of Varian’s name and the description of its products, including artwork, graphics and specifications, does not in anyway constitute an endorsement by Varian of Vision RT and its product, AlignRT®.

Tools are available to estimate lung contours for the purpose of treatment planning of the breast. This first involves computing a geometric plan which determines any couch movements that need to be applied, gantry angle of the simulator or LinAc, and field size with which 2D X-ray image data is acquired.

From lung heights derived from the 2D X-ray and the 3D surface contours already extracted, a corresponding series of 3D lung contours are computed.

PlanRT® may also be used to extract contours in the treatment room. This allows retrospective planning and adaptive radiotherapy to be performed at any stage of treatment.

Geometric plan

PlanRT® Features:

• Performs true 3D planning without CT Extracts multiple contours within seconds
• Produces a geometric breast plan
• Estimates 3D lung contours
• Exports all contour and planning data in DICOM RT format
• Facilitates retrospective planning and adaptive radiotherapy

Extracted breast and modelled lung contours