Disruptive Technology Driving a Solution

Drawing on its collective world-class expertise in accelerator and medical physics, engineering design, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and cloud technology, and drawing on significant user input from healthcare professionals in LMICs and HICs, Project STELLA has substantially completed the design phase for a new LINAC.
The system will deliver high-quality treatment to cancer patients similar to that provided by existing technology, but with its technical complexity “buried” to make it simpler and less labor intensive to operate. The new LINAC will be more robust and significantly less costly.

“The scourge of cancer can be ‘tamed’ with the concerted commitments and efforts of all involved in this STELLA collaboration.” Dr. Taofeeq Ige,  chief consultant physicist at National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria and president of the Federation of African Medical Physics Organizations (FAMPO).

These innovations are integral to Project STELLA:

  • The new technologically advanced LINAC will be significantly less expensive to purchase, operationally more robust to withstand infrastructure variables such as power and clean water supplies, and, in time, 40 percent to 60 percent less expensive to operate, service, and maintain than currently available medical LINACs.
  • The end-to-end highly integrated operating system will utilize cloud-based technology and feature high-performance big data computing while supporting local access and functionality. The AI/ML-centric software, with remote and early fault/failure alerts, will improve patient outcomes and safety while significantly reducing operating costs through increased automation that scales back the need for technical support. Advanced diagnostic imaging technology will be an essential component that will be seamlessly integrated into the system.
  • To ensure safe and efficient quality cancer care, robust education, training, and mentoring programs to support radiation therapy colleagues in LMICs will be developed by experts in ICEC Hubs – cancer programs in universities and private practices in HICs. A key goal of ICEC and Project STELLA is to develop capacity and capability for local champions in LMICs to provide high quality cancer care that will achieve world class credibility as part of a global network.