HealthManagement, Volume - 5 - Issue 1, 2006
Anja Sussner, PR Manager
Planning Software for
Particle Therapy with Protons
The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Siemens Medical Solutions recently signed a cooperative as well as licensing agreement for software to be used for the planning of particle therapy with protons.
Siemens will receive the exclusive right of usefor software and calculation methods for accuratelyplanning particle therapy sessions withprotons, and will reciprocate by supportingresearch positions for a period of three years.Additionally, the Institute will benefit from revenuesthrough the sale of software for therapyplanning.
Important components of the agreement include the planning program for tumors in the brain and the body (‘KonRad2’) and for eye tumors (‘OCTOPUS’). The programs enable the required radiation techniques and optimum dose to be calculated quickly based on CT and MRI images. The new products will be used at the University Clinic in Heidelberg once the heavy ion therapy (HIT) system is completed, then implemented by Siemens in standard solutions for particle therapy, making them available to cancer patients worldwide.
