What is AlignRT®?
AlignRT® is an innovative technology which increases treatment accuracy and patient comfort during radiation therapy.
Quickly growing in use around the world, AlignRT® uses a 3D camera system to track your body surface in real time and may be used to help position you accurately before radiation therapy, and ensure you keep that position during treatment. Using your external skin surface, the technology monitors your movement and knows exactly where you are at any moment to within a fraction of a millimeter. AlignRT® can be used from head to toe.
How does it work?
AlignRT® is a system of cameras, mounted to the ceiling, that feed data into a software program. Each camera unit uses a projector and image sensors to create a 3D surface model of the area by projecting a red light (containing a pseudo-random speckle pattern) on your skin. The speckled pattern allows AlignRT® to reference thousands of points on the skin, acting as virtual tattoos. This imaging information is fed into software program that allows real time, accurate tracking during your set up and radiotherapy treatment, making sure your radiation therapist is alerted if you move from the optimal position, and in many cases automatically pausing treatment if this happens.
The benefits of choosing AlignRT®
There are many benefits to choosing AlignRT®, here are a few:
Accuracy
AlignRT® sets up and tracks your radiation treatment position with submillimeter†,accuracy.
Protection for left breast cancer
In a study, patients followed up six months after treatment with DIBH and AlignRT® were shown to be free of any abnormalities in blood flow to the heart. In an earlier study during which left breast cancer patients were treated conventionally, 27% exhibited blood flow abnormalities after six months.2,3
Understand all the benefits AlignRT® can provide you now. Use this as a Discussion Guide to speak with your healthcare provider about your radiation therapy treatment options.
Tattooless treatment options
Accurate positioning and motion tracking may eliminate the need for you to have permanent tattoos.4
Left-Breast
A study suggests that AlignRT® + Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) can prevent abnormalities in blood flow to the heart resulting from left-breast radiation therapy.2
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Brain
AlignRT® in stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has shown clinically equivalent results, with better patient comfort and fast treatment times, compared with other commonly-used, more invasive technologies.5,6
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Lung and Liver
AlignRT® has been shown to help treat stereotactic body radiation therapy patients with better than patients with accurate initial setup and monitoring during treatment and relatively little immobilization which leads to enhanced comfort.7
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Arms + Legs
With AlignRT®, the radiation therapist can position the limb in the same way each day, aligning and tracking in all directions.8
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Head and Neck
AlignRT® offers a more comfortable radiation treatment while making sure that the treatment is as accurate as treatments with a full-face mask.
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Children
AlignRT® offers many benefits to pediatric patients, including easier set up, avoiding tattoos, and may reduce the need for general anesthesia in children.
Learn MoreA clinical perspective on AlignRT®
Am I a candidate?
If you are being recommended Radiation treatment, yes. Of course, all patients’ cancer treatments and options are different so make sure you discuss the use of AlignRT® as part of your radiation treatment with your oncologist. To support your conversation with your doctor, please feel free to use our downloadable discussion guide. To easily find an AlignRT® center near you, use our Treatment Center Locator
