Radiation Therapy Might be a Treatment Option for COVID-19

A recent article by the Journal of Nuclear Medicine is one of the first published studies to examine radiation therapy to treat COVID-19 patients. Researchers in New York radiolabeled the CR3022 human antibody with Iodine-131 as a targeted agent, since this antibody binds to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

 

The researchers concluded, "Our results confirm the potential of CR3022 as a molecularly targeted probe for SARS-CoV-2. A labeled version of CR3022 could potentially be used for Auger radiotherapy or non-invasive imaging.”

 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., authored a blog on the CR3022 human antibody, stating it might hold the key to developing effective therapy against COVID-19. Collins wrote that researchers had shown CR3022 cross-reacts with the new coronavirus, though the antibody does not bind tightly enough to neutralize and cease infecting cells. Vaccine designers could potentially leverage the capabilities of how precisely the antibodies attach to the virus.

 

Although it seems novel, radiotherapy has been considered for treating viruses in the past. A genetically-engineered measles virus that expressed the sodium iodide symporter in infected cells was sensitive to I-125 in vitro. This halted virus replication but could not translate to an in vivo model.

 

 

 

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RapidArc Rotational Radiation Therapy

 

RapidArc Rotational Radiation Therapy combines the most current technologies to decrease treatment times and radiation exposure for the patient. The technologies used in this process are Intensity Modulated Therapy (IMRT), Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), On-Board Imaging (OBI), and Cone Beam CT Scanning (CBCT). 

Rapid Arc technology from Varian Medical Systems, a renowned leader in radiation research and development, has brought all of these technologies in their practice together to advance precision and targeted treatments to the next level. 

The RapidArc process emits radiation, usually in less than 90 seconds per fraction. IMRT Arc Therapy from RapidArc uses a single rotation of the linac gantry to execute a very targeted IMRT plan following IGRT and OBI targeting. This is considered a “volumetric arc” that is often labeled as VMAT (Volumetric Arc Therapy). It allows for a more effective, targeted, and faster treatment of prostate cancer radiation. Ultimately, the RapidArc treatment process is an evolved and more efficient treatment in its delivery, speed, and sophistication. 

To learn more about RapidArc therapy and its processes, read the full article here.