Ethos Adaptive Radiotherapy
radiation-oncology
Ethos Adaptive Radiotherapy is available at 2 hospitals across 1 city in the Voumed network.
2 hospitals operate this technology across 1 country through the Voumed network; 2 of them hold JCI accreditation.
Ethos is an adaptive radiotherapy system that uses artificial intelligence to tailor each cancer treatment to the patient's anatomy on the very day it is delivered. Bodies change a little from session to session: a tumour can shrink, organs shift, the bladder or bowel fill differently. Ethos takes a fresh image at the start of every session, detects these changes and, with AI support, can generate an updated plan in minutes rather than the hours such replanning would normally take, so the dose stays focused on the tumour while better protecting healthy organs.
Key takeaways
- Ethos is a linear accelerator whose planning software leans on artificial intelligence, so the irradiation plan is rebuilt around the body as it is today instead of a single scan taken weeks earlier.
- It is used for cancers of the lung, pancreas, prostate, rectum, bladder, brain, gynaecological organs and the head and neck region, and it earns its place wherever anatomy shifts visibly from one day to the next.
- A cone-beam CT is taken with you already positioned, AI outlines the tumour and the structures beside it, the software proposes a recalculated dose distribution and the treating team approves it before the beam switches on.
- Nothing is felt during the irradiation, there is no surgery, no anaesthesia and no overnight stay, and a single visit runs roughly ten or fifteen minutes even though the plan is being rewritten while you lie still.
- Whether radiotherapy fits a given case is settled by a radiation oncologist working from the diagnosis and the imaging, the course is split into short daily visits across days or weeks, and nothing radioactive remains in the body.
On this page
At a glance
- Type
- AI-assisted adaptive image-guided radiotherapy
- Used for
- prostate, head and neck, lung, pancreas, rectal, bladder, gynaecological and brain tumours
- Key benefit
- a treatment plan refreshed to match the body's daily changes, in minutes
- Session
- non-invasive and painless, usually around ten to fifteen minutes
- Where it is used
- leading accredited radiotherapy centres abroad
What it is
Ethos is a linear accelerator built for adaptive radiotherapy, meaning the plan can be updated to match your anatomy as it is on the day of treatment rather than relying only on a scan taken at the start of the course. It uses cone-beam CT imaging on the machine together with artificial-intelligence tools that automatically outline the tumour and the nearby organs and compare them with the original plan. When the day's anatomy differs, the system proposes an adjusted plan quickly, and the team reviews and approves it before treatment. A wide opening and a couch that passes through the machine make the experience more open and comfortable.
How it works
At each visit you lie on the couch and the machine takes a detailed cone-beam CT image of the treatment area. AI tools map the tumour and the surrounding organs on this new image and check how they have changed since the planning scan. If the difference is meaningful, the system generates an updated plan within minutes while you remain in position, and the radiation oncology team reviews and approves it before the beam is delivered. The dose is then reshaped to fit the tumour as it is that day while steering radiation away from healthy organs. You feel nothing from the radiation, and a session usually takes about ten to fifteen minutes.
What it treats and who it helps
Ethos is used for a broad range of cancers, including tumours of the prostate, head and neck, lung, pancreas, rectum, bladder, gynaecological organs and brain. Adaptive planning is particularly valuable where anatomy changes noticeably during a course, for example when the bladder and bowel fill differently each day, when a tumour shrinks as treatment progresses, or near organs that move and shift. By matching the plan to the body each day, it helps keep the dose accurate over the whole course. Whether radiotherapy and an adaptive approach suit a particular case is decided by a radiation oncologist after reviewing the diagnosis and imaging.
Benefits and what to expect
The main benefit is accuracy that keeps pace with your body: daily imaging and AI-assisted replanning concentrate the dose on the tumour as it actually is that day while sparing healthy organs, which can mean fewer side effects. The replanning that once took hours is done in minutes, so you are not kept waiting. Treatment is non-invasive and outpatient, with no surgery or anaesthesia, and the wide, open machine helps people who feel uneasy in enclosed spaces. A course is divided into short daily sessions; your team explains the schedule, manages any side effects and follows up throughout.
Frequently asked questions
These answers are general guidance and may vary by provider. Confirm the details with the hospital you choose.
What does adaptive mean here?
It means your treatment plan can be updated to match your body on the day of each session, rather than using only the plan made at the start. If your anatomy has changed, the dose is adjusted so it still fits the tumour precisely.
Is the treatment painful?
No. You cannot feel the radiation, much like having a CT scan. You simply lie still while the machine works, and each session usually lasts about ten to fifteen minutes.
Why is artificial intelligence used?
AI helps quickly outline the tumour and nearby organs on each day's image and prepare an updated plan in minutes. The radiation oncology team always reviews and approves the plan before any treatment is given.
Will I be radioactive afterward?
No. Ethos is external radiotherapy and leaves nothing inside your body, so you are not radioactive and it is safe to be around others, including children, after a session.
Is it suitable if I feel claustrophobic?
It can help. The machine has a wide opening and an open design, and the couch passes through it, which many people find more comfortable than enclosed equipment.
How many sessions will I need?
That depends on the type and stage of the cancer. Treatment is given as a series of short daily sessions over days or weeks, and your radiation oncologist explains your exact schedule in advance.
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