Charity funded technology transforms radiotherapy at Musgrove Hospital

Patients with head and neck or breast cancers benefit from advanced technology that removes the need for tattoos or treatment marks, as well as open mask designs which improve comfort during radiotherapy.

Surface‑guided radiotherapy began to be introduced at Musgrove Park Hospital in January 2024 by the radiotherapy, physics and oncology teams, marking a significant step forward in improving patient experience and safety whilst maintaining treatment accuracy.

The new system was made possible thanks to an £800,000 donation from the Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) charity, which funded the technology across both pre‑treatment and treatment areas.

The surface‑guided radiotherapy cameras use infrared technology to track a patient’s body surface in real time. This means colleagues can continuously monitor a patient’s position during treatment, helping to ensure radiotherapy is delivered accurately and safely while reducing the need for permanent skin markings.

Since its introduction, the technology has been rolled out across multiple cancer treatment sites, with the most recent implementations for patients undergoing radiotherapy to the head and neck and breast regions.

For patients undergoing radiotherapy to the head and neck, the system now allows the use of an open‑face head only mask rather than a traditional full‑face and shoulders mask. This offers a more comfortable experience while maintaining precise positioning throughout treatment.

Johnathon Aylsbury, from Bridgwater, has recently finished six weeks of daily radiotherapy for head and neck cancer and has appreciated the masks making his treatment more comfortable. He said “The new head and neck support mask was straightforward and easy to use, the radiotherapy team had me set up for treatment within 4 or 5 minutes, I had my treatment and was in and out very quicky.

“The masks are much better than the previous ones I’d seen, which was one less thing to be worried about in an unpleasant time having treatment. It was another positive that you don’t need to have any tattoo’s anymore as well.”

Patients undergoing radiotherapy to the breast also benefit from the system through the use of a breath‑hold technique, where the cameras help guide and monitor patients into the correct position. This removes the need for pen marks or radiotherapy tattoos, which are no longer required for any treatment site.

Vanessa from Bridgwater has had 15 treatment sessions at the Beacon centre for breast cancer and explained how the new equipment helped her get in position for her treatment. She said “Using the visual aid helped me to maintain my breath hold at the right level as I could see if the green bar so moving or not.

“I’m 64 so I wasn’t too bothered about the thought of needing a tattoo, but for other patients I can see how psychologically, it’s yet another reminder of the trauma you’ve been through.

The whole radiotherapy team, and I met quite a few of them, every one of them was really kind and genuinely concerned and interested in how I was doing and how the treatment was affecting me. The receptionist at the Beacon centre was super nice and helpful, and took the trouble of remembering my name.

They made what could have been a very frightening and traumatic experience, as comfortable as possible.”

This development reflects the ongoing commitment of Musgrove Park Hospital’s radiotherapy team to improving patient comfort while maintaining the highest standards of precision and care.

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