While doing her doctoral research, Rajko Topolnjak developed a more efficient way to irradiate tumors.
During radiation treatment, tissue is bombarded with high-energy rays using an accelerator, which destroys the cancer cells. To avoid damaging healthy tissue, the shape of the beam has to approximate that of the tumor as much as possible, which is how a multi-leaf collimator works. Topolnjak developed a new way of shaping the beam using a six-bank multi-leaf collimator. This new method is suitable for all types of treatment.
Topolnjak will receive her PhD from Utrecht University on October 17. The title of her thesis is, “The six-bank multi-leaf system.”