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Sweden has a long tradition in research and development of radiotherapy and radiotherapy related industry. The founders of Micropos Medical are closely related to this history. For example; Professor emeritus Bengt Rosengren made pioneer work with treatment simulation and portal vision in the beginning of the 1960:s.
Professor Sten Nilsson and associated professor Bo Lennernäs have played a major role in the implementation of high precision radiotherapy, using 3D dose planning and high dose brachytherapy, of prostate cancer in Sweden.
Professor Seymour Levitt is a well-known radiotherapist and editor of the book “Technological Basis of Radiation Therapy”.
Several of the techniques used today in radiotherapy (such as 3D dose planning) were outlined in collaboration between the Nordic countries during the 1980:s. This collaboration was called the CART project and involved the STU (Styrelsen för Teknisk Utveckling, today Nutek, The Swedish Business Development Agency).
During the last decade the CART-group has developed and evaluated different techniques for high precision positioning in real time for external beam radiotherapy. Already in 1995, Dr Bo Lennernäs, applied for a patent for use of electromagnetic fields for patient- and organ- positioning during radiotherapy. In collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology / Chalmers Innovation the R&D of “The tumor positioning group” has been transferred into Micropos Medical AB.
The goal is to improve external beam radiotherapy using high precision techniques with automatic set-ups and positioning detection throughout the whole radiotherapy chain. This includes the first diagnostic investigation (such as MR, PET, CT), through treatment planning and during every second of the treatment. All with the same technique - and with millimetre resolution.
This will fulfill the requirements in 4D radiotherapy.
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