A refreshing solution for inaccurate dosimetry

You might say that the conference season is going rather well for TRUEinvivo®!
En route back from the ESTRO event, Shakar joined the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) conference in Manchester, to speak about our DOSEmapper™ technology. IPEM had listed “glass beads” as one of their top ten new technologies in dosimetry, and it was good to see strong attendance by UK and EU members.

Once again, Shakar was overwhelmed by the positive response to our product. But what it is about DOSEmapper™ that clinicians find so inspiring?

When Shakar talks about her work, you can’t help but notice the audience suddenly “sees the light.” Every clinician wants to deliver good outcomes for their patients, and technological advances are already improving results year on year. But an area that still needs improvement is the measurement of dose accuracy in radiotherapy. When clinicians hear Shakar’s new ideas, they can’t help but find them very refreshing.

The Revolutionary Potential Of Glass Bead Arrays In DOSEmapper™ Technology

Not only are we overcoming a problem, but we’re overcoming it with a very simple solution. The bead arrays we use for DOSEmapper™ are just that – glass beads as used for jewellery. OK, we have to prepare them carefully and irradiate and calibrate them but they can be mass-produced, so they’re low-cost. Placing them inside a patient for a few minutes is virtually risk-free, as the beads themselves use no electronics in or near the patient. The beads have no side effects, and do not interfere with any other treatment or medication. Complications are unlikely to arise from the use of our bead arrays. We can see exactly why this appeals to the clinicians we’re talking to, and we feel it will appeal to patients too.

DOSEmapper™’S Unique Approach To Dosimetry Accuracy

As well as being a simple solution, there’s also something inspirational about DOSEmapper™. Most medical engineering is developed incrementally, often highly complex with new technology essentially being an improved version of an existing solution. It is rare that someone comes up with a completely new and very simple idea. But Shakar found a solution to dosimetry inaccuracy that has no relation to other methods. Granted, the automated reader to read the beads is rather complex but we hope that her simple and effective approach to the product will inspire other clinical engineers too.

The simplicity of DOSEmapper™ and the wider thinking that lies behind it are, I believe, the reasons why so many clinicians are excited by what TRUEinvivo® is doing.

Innovation is all about wider thinking. And Shakar, glass beads and her “Women in Innovation” award embody that approach.

Shakar has inspired many clinicians and engineers at our recent talks. To find out how TRUEinvivo® can help you to improve outcomes for cancer patients, please click Contact Us today – we’d love to hear your thoughts and answer your questions.