STARLIT
System Technologies for Adaptive Real-time MR image-guided Therapies
The incidence of cancer continues to grow at both European and global level. A 70% increase in new cases is expected over the next two decades. This creates a strong demand on efficient treatment options. Treatment with radiation therapy is recommended in 52% of new cancer patients.
Due to advances in treatment methods the success rate of radiation oncology increases and the mortality of several types of primary cancers is dropping. Unfortunately long term survivorship leads to increasing numbers of patients presenting with metastases or recurrence. This brings new challenges in planning radiotherapy delivery when previously treated structures need to be identified and avoided. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners are ideally suited for imaging soft tissue and anomalies such as primary tumours, lymph nodes and metastases. Combination of MRI and radiation therapy is the method of choice for further advances in oncology treatment.
STARLIT will develop technologies in radiation oncology to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors by improving treatment accuracy and minimising unintended doses to healthy tissue in image-guided radiation therapy. This will be done by using magnetic resonance imaging for 4D anatomy assessment to enable on-line treatment planning, real-time 4D dose accumulation, target tracking, and plan adaptation based on concurrent imaging of anatomy and biomarkers.
Please note that STARLIT is a research project and its technologies are currently not available for sale or distribution.
The STARLIT Consortium
The multinational and multidisciplinary STARLIT consortium brings together two large equipment manufacturers, Elekta, a major radiation oncology supplier, and Philips, a major MRI supplier. Additionally, six small- and medium-enterprises (SME’s) will provide the unique and necessary capabilities related to dosimetry, quality assurance, open interfaces for clinical research, and complementary 4D motion detection system. Finally, the end customer’s perspective is represented by three highly regarded university medical centers.
Philips
Medical Device Manufacturer
Royal Philips is headquartered in the Netherlands and focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in Healthcare. Philips, the STARLIT Project Leader, is guided by the understanding that there is a patient at the center of everything they do.
Akademiska university hospital
Clinical Care Provider
Akademiska sjukhuset (AS), Uppsala’s University Hospital, is Sweden’s oldest university hospital, and was amongst the first centers globally providing proton therapy. A new radiotherapy department is under construction which will host the MR-Linac.
MR Code BV
Small and medium-sized enterprise
MR Code, a spin-off company of MR Coils, is an SME focussing on bridging the gap between academia and large industry by designing easy-to-use software for advanced MRI acquisition, reconstruction, and post-processing techniques. Current focus is on efficiently processing 4D MR data for real-time feedback.
MR Coils BV
Small and medium-sized enterprise
MR Coils is a spinoff company of UMC Utrecht that provides specialized and innovative Magnetic Resonance Coils for MRI systems, thereby bridging a gap between research institutes and large industries.
IT-V Medizintechnik GmbH
Small and medium-sized enterprise
Innovative Technologie Völp (IT-V) was established in 1997 as a result of scientific cooperation with the University Hospital for Radio Oncology in Innsbruck (ROI). Since then the company has been developing innovative positioning systems for patient immobilization during radiation therapy.
Modus QA
Small and medium-sized enterprise
Founded in 2000, Modus QA develops and manufactures cost-effective and innovative quality assurance tools for advanced radiotherapy. Today, there are over 4,900 QUASAR™ phantoms being used in more than 3,000 leading treatment centres worldwide.
Quantib BV
Small and medium-sized enterprise
Scientific Publications
University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU):
Noise navigator based motion detection and compensation. R. J. M. Navest, T. Bruijnen, J. J. W. Lagendijk, A. Andreychenko, and C. A. T. van den Berg. Abstract #1169 at the Joint-Annual meeting of the ISMRM-ESMRMB in Paris 2018. Recipient of the Magna cum laude award.
Detecting abrubt patient motion using the noise navigator on an MR-linac system. R.J.M. Navest, S. Mandija, A. Andreychenko, J.J.W. Lagendijk, C.A.T. van den Berg. Abstract at the 6th MR in RT symposium organized in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU) in collaboration with MRCode:
Implementation of a software framework for automated offline MR image reconstructions. T. Schakel, B. Stemkens, R.H.N. Tijssen , C.A.T. van den Berg. Abstrat at the 6th MR in RT symposium organized in Utrecht, The Netherlands.