World's first high-field magnetic resonance image-guided adaptive radiotherapy system

Elekta Unity is the world's first high-field intensity magnetic resonance image-guided adaptive radiotherapy system. It integrates Philips' 1.5T high-field intensity diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging technology, Elekta high-energy linear accelerator and intelligent software system on this platform. It is currently One of the most advanced tumor image-guided radiotherapy equipment in the world, the equipment was approved to be launched in China in August 2020.

Elekta Unity's image-guided radiotherapy based on 1.5T MRI can not only accurately determine the location of the tumor, but also clearly see the boundaries, tissue morphology and functional changes of the tumor, and the surrounding normal tissue can also be clearly displayed. During treatment, the dose distribution can be adjusted according to the anatomical structure of the tumor to protect normal tissue as much as possible; at the same time, MR images can be collected in real time to monitor the location of the tumor, and the patient will not receive additional doses. These functions were jointly developed by Elekta and seven world-renowned oncology centers (Elekta’s MR-linac Consortium).

The use of the Elekta Unity magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy system solves the problem of "seeing clearly" in order to "treat accurately" in image-guided adaptive radiotherapy,this opens a new chapter for MRI image guidance technology to confirm and track tumor information during radiotherapy.

Elekta's magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy system (Elekta Unity) has a wide range of treatments, covering tumors in various parts of the head and neck, chest and abdomen, pelvis, etc. It can treat head tumors, mediastinal tumors, lung tumors, liver tumors, and kidney tumors. , pancreatic tumors, breast tumors, bladder tumors, prostate tumors, bone tumors and other cancer types. 

The magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy system combines the functions of MRI imaging and linear accelerator to achieve high-precision tumor localization and real-time monitoring, thereby improving treatment effects. This technology is increasingly used in precision radiotherapy, especially in tumor target delineation, treatment plan formulation and online guidance. 

In addition to Elekta, there are two other companies around the world that produce magnetic resonance image-guided radiotherapy equipment. They have demonstrated strong strength in technology, innovation and market application.

ViewRay's MRIdian system is the world's first magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy system that has passed FDA certification and is put into commercial operation. The system combines 0.35T magnetic resonance imaging and a 6MV linear accelerator to achieve dynamic monitoring and automatic adjustment of the tumor target area.

MagnetTx Oncology Solutions Aurora-RT™ system combines high-quality magnetic resonance images with a 6MV linear accelerator, using a rotating magnet design to rapidly analyze tumor motion and enable intelligent workflow through cloud-based software. 

In the current field of precision radiotherapy, more mature linear accelerators are more widely used in the treatment of various cancers, including head and neck tumors, lung cancer, breast cancer, etc. It has a wide range of applications and is currently the main equipment for radiotherapy. It is also a product series with a wider range of current tenders.

The main competitors in the linear accelerator market include international brands such as Varian and Elekta, which dominate the high-end market. However, chinese brands such as United Imaging Medical, Xinhua Medical, Neusoft Medical, Haiming Medical, etc. are rising and gradually gaining market recognition. Especially with the trend of rising prices year by year, the technical recognition and market share of domestic brands are expected to further increase.

Precision tumor radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and can be used for the early, middle and late stages of treatment of a variety of cancers. About 70% of tumor patients require radiotherapy at different stages of disease development. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, from 2000 to 2013, the comprehensive cure rate of tumors increased from 45% to 67%, with radiation therapy making the largest contribution, increasing from 18% to 30%. Radiotherapy has a wide range of applications and can cover 95% of cancer treatments. 

China's precision radiotherapy market will account for approximately 74.0% of China's radiotherapy market in 2022.

It is expected that by 2030, driven by the advancement, penetration and effectiveness of precision radiotherapy technology, its market share will continue to grow to 79.7%.

The market size of China's precision tumor radiotherapy will reach 41 billion yuan in 2022, with an average annual compound growth rate of 13.28% from 2018 to 2022, and is expected to grow to 80.9 billion yuan by 2025.In the future, with the continuous increase in penetration rate, iterative updates of radiotherapy technology and the improvement of radiotherapy awareness, the radiotherapy market is expected to continue to expand.