New research from Western Sydney may lead to effective cancer treatments that may be first in the world. 

There are four MR machine with a linear accelerator (MRI-Linac) research bunkers in the world but Sydney has differentiated their research by having combined the MRI-Linac radiotherapy system. 

With this, doctors can see the cancers they are treating on the patients in real time and also focus the radiotherapy beams exactly on the malignant cells while leaving the surrounding tissue and organs. 

This precision will be achieved through having the split magnet MRI having the radiotherapy beams to travel in alignment with the magnetic field of the MRI. 

“Radiotherapy is very precise. And this machine acts like a giant microscope- being able to see tumours better allows us to treat it better. The sky really is the limit,” Ingham Institute’s research director Michael Barton said.

This new radiation treatment for cancer patients will ensure better precision and accuracy. 
“It is the next generation in cancer treatment as it will improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment for patient in our community, Australia and the world,” Mr Barton added. 

The research has been funded with a $7 million grant by the National Health and Medical Research Council from the Australian Government. 

The system is under research at the Ingham Institute for Applied Research at the Liverpool Hospital and will be available by the end of the year.