Brain tumour patients in Oxford benefitting from UK-first

The Churchill Hospital has introduced the method of conducting MRI scans to plan specialist radiotherapy treatment after receiving £115,000 worth of new equipment, funded by Oxford Hospitals Charity.

The equipment, an AIR Open Coil Suite for Radiation Oncology, was developed by GE HealthCare.

The AIR Open Coil (Image: JMB Photography/Oxford Hospitals Charity) It is a flexible electromagnetic coil that will initially benefit around 250 patients a year.

It will highlight even the tiniest of tumours and reduce adverse effects on healthy brain tissue.

Patients receiving radiotherapy for brain tumours wear a mask to hold them completely still.

To plan the treatment, they need to have CT and MRI scans.

(L-R) Anthony McIntyre, diagnostic radiographer, Rhona Watson, therapeutic radiographer, and Samuel Allison, diagnostic radiographer (Image: JMB Photography/Oxford Hospitals Charity) While the CT scan can be carried out with the patients held steady in the mask, previously, the MRI scans had to be done without a mask.

This meant the two images were different and had to be manually overlayed to provide a single image to plan treatment from.

Now, the new coil can fit around the mask, ensuring identical positioning of the head in the MRI scanner, so images can be lined up without the need to manually adjust.

Rhona Watson, consultant therapeutic radiographer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Thanks to funding from Oxford Hospitals Charity, this new piece of equipment will dramatically change how we plan radiotherapy for some of our patients.

Rhona Watson, consultant therapeutic radiographer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Image: JMB Photography/Oxford Hospitals Charity)

Patient Graham Best, the first patient to benefit from the new coil, with therapeutic radiographer Rhona Watson (Image: Oxford Hospitals Charity) “The benefits are multiple – most significantly, the quality and precision of the images is greater, because they align better and the new coil fits more snugly to the face.

“Even the tiniest of tumours can be seen and radiotherapy can be targeted with pinpoint accuracy, reducing side effects such as inflammation of surrounding brain tissue.”

While this new approach has been used in the US and Europe, this is the first time it has benefited UK patients.

Ms Watson added: “We are excited about being the first team in the UK to bring this big step forward to our patients.

(L-R) Anthony McIntyre, diagnostic radiographer, Rhona Watson, therapeutic radiographer, and Samuel Allison, diagnostic radiographer (Image: JMB Photography/Oxford Hospitals Charity) “We are incredibly grateful for the support from Oxford Hospitals Charity and their very kind donor for making this possible.”

Felicity Taylor-Drewe, chief operating officer at Oxford University Hospitals, said: “We are proud to be the first in the UK to offer this equipment and are excited about the positive impact it will have for our patients and staff. 

“Thank you to Oxford Hospitals Charity and to the clinical team for making this possible.”