Korea's Ajou University Hospital Launches Halcyon 5.0 Integrated Precision Radiotherapy Solution

Ajou University Hospital announced on August 6 that it has established a Halcyon 5.0 integrated precision radiotherapy solution and has begun full-scale use for patient treatment. The system integrates high-definition high-speed image acquisition, six-degree-of-freedom patient positioning correction, and markerless real-time motion management into a single treatment workflow to enhance the accuracy and safety of image-guided radiotherapy.

This implementation is based on Halcyon system software version 5.0, integrating the high-resolution cone-beam CT imaging system HyperSight, the six-degree-of-freedom patient positioning couch Dynamic Couch, and the surface-guided radiotherapy system IDENTIFY. Ajou University Hospital stated that it is the first hospital in Korea to establish the integrated Halcyon system and the second in Asia to use the system for actual patient treatment.

Among these, HyperSight can acquire high-definition cone-beam CT images in approximately 6 seconds, offering a wider imaging range and enhanced soft-tissue contrast, which helps physicians more clearly identify the location and anatomical changes of tumors and surrounding normal tissues before treatment. The shorter scan time is also expected to reduce image distortion caused by patient movement, improving the efficiency and accuracy of image-guided radiotherapy. The system can also be used for adaptive radiotherapy, which adjusts treatment plans based on changes in patient anatomy during the course of treatment.

Dynamic Couch can correct patient positioning, body tilt, and rotational errors in six directions, thereby helping to reduce pre-treatment positioning deviations, improve irradiation accuracy, and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure to normal tissues.

IDENTIFY monitors the patient's body surface status and motion in real time through 3D cameras. When patient movement exceeds the set range during treatment, the system can temporarily suspend radiation therapy to enhance treatment safety. Additionally, this technology can reduce discomfort caused by skin markers or permanent tattoos.

Ajou University Hospital stated that it will leverage this system to improve the accuracy and safety of image-guided radiotherapy for various cancers, expand the application of individualized precision radiotherapy for patients, and broaden the clinical scope of adaptive radiotherapy.

Roh Oh-kyu, head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the hospital, stated that this upgrade is not merely a Halcyon software version update, but more importantly, it fully integrates high-definition imaging, positioning correction, and real-time patient motion management technologies into a single treatment workflow. The hospital will provide more precise and safer radiotherapy through this system and will continue to explore new clinical applications, including adaptive radiotherapy.