"3D Robotic Motion Phantom" - A Make In India Initiative by Indian Scientists for Lung Cancer Treatment

Indian scientists have created a unique, low-cost 3-D robotic motion phantom that can mimic human lung motions while breathing. This technique will make it easier for doctors to work progressively in Lung Cancer Treatment by focusing radiations aimed correctly in the upper abdomen or thoracic region.

The 3D Robotic Motion Phantom technology is developed with the help of the Department of Science and Technology's (DST) Advanced Manufacturing Technologies program. It is also linked with the "Make in India" plan. This initiative is currently undergoing final testing at SGPGIMS in Lucknow. 

This new invention is being placed inside a CT scanner, and this scanner can be fit at any hospital treating a patient with cancer. This is the reason why researchers have termed this phantom a game-changer in treating lung cancer that has been a challenge for a long time now.

While undergoing therapy, non-cancerous tissues sometimes get targeted among cancer patients due to respiratory movements. By imitating lung movement, the new 3D robotic motion phantom can assist in focusing these. As a result, the therapy could be more effective with less radiation exposure and is a lung specialist in the true sense. A minicomputer can provide high-quality photographs of sophisticated 4D radiation therapy procedures with minimum radiation exposure dosage.

Need for 3D Robotic Motion Phantom

• Breathing motion makes it difficult while administering concentrated radiation doses to cancer tumors in the upper abdominal and thoracic areas.

• During the motion, an area larger than the actual tumor is exposed to radiation during lung cancer treatment, harming tissues around the targeted tumor.

• As a result, targeted radiation for a patient could be tailored by mimicking the patient's lung movement and then orienting the radiation delivery to be effective with minimal dosage.

• However, before doing so on a human, the procedure's success must first be tested on a robotic phantom developed by Indian Scientists now.

3D Robotic Motion Phantom - What Will It Do? 

• The 3D robotic motion phantom can mimic the motions of the human lungs during breathing.

• The phantom can be used to evaluate if the radiation is correctly focused on a moving object and simulate human lung motion while a patient is breathing.

• This will make it easier for doctors to treat cancer patients since the focused radiation will be placed correctly in the upper abdomen and thoracic region.

Significance of this development:

• For the first time in India, such advanced manufacturing has been developed to detect and treat lung cancer symptoms

• The 3D robotic motion phantoms developed are more affordable than other imported products available in the market.

A New Innovation in the Field of Lung Cancer Treatment

The radiations which is targeted to the cancer tumor attached to the upper abdomen and thoracic areas are hampered by breathing movements. This motion is capable of sending more harmful radiation and ultimately can greatly damage other tissues. A patient's concentrated radiation could be tailored by imitating the patient's lung movement and performing a lung test to determine the patient's radiation intake capacity. After this, a minimal yet effective dose of radiation can be delivered for lung cancer treatment. This all is tested in a robotic phantom to check the effectiveness.

Modern motion management strategies such as gating and tracking have been developed as a result of recent technological advancements. Though modest progress has been noted in the delivery of radiation treatment to respiratory moving targets, quality assurance (QA) methods have not kept any good pace. For determining the absorbed dose in a patient's organ for a specific type of medication, additional respiratory motion phantoms are required.

Working of 3D Robotic Motion Phantom

A group of Indian scientists has created a unique and inexpensive 3D robotic motion phantom that can mimic a human's lung motion while breathing and is a lung specialist in the true sense. The 3D phantom is actually a part of a platform that can be used to evaluate if radiation is being focused accurately on a moving target while also simulating human lung movements while a patient breathes.

The phantom is put within a CT scanner on the bed in place of the patient, and it simulates human lung motion while being irradiated during lung cancer treatment. 

High-quality photographs of advanced 4D radiation therapy treatments are reliably acquired during irradiation. The efficiency of the targeted radiation in focusing on a human subject is tested before it is delivered.

The Minds Behind this Novel and Cost-Effective Initiative for Lung Cancer Treatment-

Professor Ashish Dutta from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and Professor K. J. Maria Das from Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, are the main minds behind the development of the programmable phantom device with funds from the Government of India's Advanced Manufacturing Technologies program of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

"Most things right from the scalpel to more complex equipment are extremely important, in the medical domain, and in India, we don't try to make anything and end up paying 10-20 times more than the actual price. We have the technology to make most of the things in India, and we can make it much cheaper. This device that we have made costs from $600 to $1300”, lead researcher Ashish Dutta was quoted saying. 

Breathing motion has long been a hurdle in monitoring the effects of radiation on tumor patients. According to scientists, these radiations are exposed to a larger region than the tumor, which significantly causes damage to the patient.

According to PTI, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) stated, "Before this is done on a human, its effectiveness must be evaluated on a robotic phantom."

“For quantitative determination of the dose absorbed in an organ for a specific type of treatment procedure in a patient, additional respiratory motion phantoms are required,” reported PTI, citing the DST. 

Device Offering a 'Dynamic Platform' for Lung Cancer Treatment

The phantom's main feature is a dynamic platform that can be used to install any dosimetric or imaging quality assurance equipment, and the platform can mimic 3D tumor motion utilizing three independent stepper-motor systems. This platform is put on the patient's bed while he or she is receiving radiation therapy.

A moving or gating window is employed to focus the phantom because it simulates lung movement and focuses the radiation on the moving tumor. Detectors that are being placed inside the phantom helps in detecting if the radiation is localized on the tumor or not.
 

An Affordable Solution to Lungs Motion

This is for the first time in India, this type of robotic phantom is being developed and manufactured for lung cancer treatment, which is still more affordable than all the other imported products available in the market. This program can also be changed to diagnose different types of lung cancer stages and lung motion.

The innovators are also trying to commercialize the product, which can be used in place of the overseas model, which is again much more expensive and does not give access to the control software.

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. The information about the 3D Robotic Motion Phantom and its role in lung cancer care is based on available research and technological developments and may not apply to every clinical setting. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised advice regarding lung cancer diagnosis, treatment, and available medical technologies.