IMRT features in £21m round of Scottish radiotherapy capacity and upgrade programme
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Scotland is investing almost £21m ($30m) in radiotherapy equipment over the next year, in a bid to ensure its five cancer centres are "at the cutting edge" of the technology. This year's round of the Radiotherapy Equipment Programme (REP) features intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) units to provide "high-precision radiotherapy" using computer-controlled X-ray accelerators (Linacs) to precisely target the tumour, or specific areas of it. The approval of the REP's 2009-10 capacity and upgrade investment was announced by Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon today at Edinburgh's Western General hospital, which has received brachytherapy equipment and Linacs through the REP.