AI-Powered LINAC Advances Radiation Oncology at LVH–Muhlenberg

People undergoing cancer treatment at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Muhlenberg will soon have access to the Varian Ethos therapy system, a new linear accelerator (LINAC). LINACs are used in radiation oncology to produce high-energy X-rays or electron beams for treating cancer and other medical conditions.

The same technology will soon be available at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center – Cherry Hill as well.

What makes Ethos one of the most advanced radiation treatment devices available is that it has the capability to provide on-the-table adaptive radiation therapy planning and delivery. That means the hospital’s radiation oncology team can tailor a patient’s treatment plan to the person’s needs that day.

“It allows us to continuously modulate and adjust the treatment so we can deliver the optimal dose of radiation to the targeted area while eliminating or minimizing radiation to normal tissues that don’t need it,” explains Dennis Sopka, MD, chief of radiation oncology at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute.

Considered a “moving target,” cancer has mutations and cellular properties that can change rapidly, within a tumor itself and overall as the cancer progresses. That’s why image guidance is key in radiation treatment. The advanced diagnostic-quality imaging capabilities of this new machine ensure a higher degree of precision and accuracy.

“We are fortunate to have the team and structure to make it possible right here, and I’m glad to be able to offer this leading-edge technology to our patients.” - Dennis Sopka, MD

Using artificial intelligence, the Ethos system provides very detailed images and suggests modifications to the treatment plan in real time to account for any internal anatomical changes to the size, shape and location of the tumor and surrounding tissue.

“If normal tissues are closer to the target than they were yesterday, I can adjust the plan accordingly,” Dr. Sopka says. “Or if they have moved farther away, I can increase the dose of radiation to the tumor without compromise to protect normal tissue nearby.”

The system identifies the necessary changes, allows specialists to modify the plan and delivers the treatment – all within 20 to 30 minutes.

The system, installed in late April, is expected to go live this summer. A dedicated team of radiation oncologists, therapists, dosimetrists, medical physicists, nurses and support staff will deliver this advanced care at LVH–Muhlenberg. Availability at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital is also expected this summer.

Particularly beneficial for complex and challenging cases, including liver, pancreas, prostate, lung, head and neck, and gynecologic cancers, the system offers advantages for individuals undergoing a second course of radiation.

“Typically, patients would have to travel elsewhere for this type of advanced treatment,” Dr. Sopka says. “We are fortunate to have the team and structure to make it possible right here, and I’m glad to be able to offer this leading-edge technology to our patients. It’s a big step for Lehigh Valley Health Network and for the cancer program as a whole.”