The INTRABEAM™ system
The Falk Brain Tumor Center
at Children's Memorial Hospital is now giving new hope to
children with tumors once thought untreatable. The INTRABEAM system is an
innovative combination of integrated technologies for the delivery of intraoperative radiotherapy
(IROT).
It delivers single, high doses of precisely controlled radiation directly into the cavity of
a resected brain tumor. Children's Memorial is the first pediatric hospital in
the nation to offer this innovative approach to treatment.
Performed immediately after a confirming biopsy, use of the INTRABEAM system
conveniently combines diagnosis and treatment into one patient visit.
Because of devastating
long-term consequences of standard external beam radiation it has not been an
effective treatment option for children diagnosed with brain tumors, especially
for those with brainstem gliomas. Even the use of implanted
radioactive isotopes has serious drawbacks.
With the INTRABEAM System, X-rays are generated by forming and focusing an
electron beam in an electron accelerator. The beam travels down an evacuated
needle, hits a thin gold target and X-rays are emitted from the needle tip in a
spherically symmetric pattern with precise control of the depth of penetration.
The tumor or tumor cavity is irradiated directly during the tumor resection.
Effective treatment, fewer side effects
With this system, the most
effective dose of radiation is applied directly to the desired area. Radiation
does not pass through healthy tissue to reach the tumor, so there is less risk
of damage to important structures outside the target area (such as the optic
pathways and brainstem.) And because dose rates are significantly higher than
those achieved with radioisotopes, treatment times are typically less than 20
minutes.
In March 2001, Children's Memorial's Internal Review
Board approved use of INTRABEAM on children with malignant brain tumors. The hospital's formal research protocol expects to approve INTRABEAM's
safety and efficacy in children, especially for patients who have
recurrent malignant brain tumors or specific tumors called glioblastoma multiforme.
Preliminary results on our earliest patients have now been published, and
we continue with the trial.