Easier Breathing

According to an article in The American Institute of Physics (AIP Publishing), “Is Upright Radiotherapy Medically and Financially Better?”(April 2021):

“Gravity assists with positioning for many human activities from ordinary to medical. Most people spend their day either standing or seated. Most chairs are designed with a 15° backrest angle from vertical with the seat pan inclined backwards up to 5°. Chest x-rays are routinely acquired in the upright position because the lung volume is larger and the density smaller because  gravity pulls the diaphragm down. By lowering the lung density background smaller lesions are more easily seen at a smaller dose.”

In 2013, a team from the MD Anderson Cancer Center published a paper comparing  lung volume and respiratory motion in supine and upright positions. Data from this article highlighted potential benefits to treating thoracic cancer patients in the upright orientation and inspired us to create our upright radiation therapy products.

The study suggested that in the upright orientation lung volume was on average 25% larger but in some cases up to 50% larger. This paper stated that the increased lung volume suggested a reduction in breathing motion.

With lungs and airways being more inflated, we believe breathing will be less laboured and therefore more comfortable upright. Our assumptions were confirmed in a survey completed by patients that have experienced being setup in our technology after being treated laying down.

The study completed in 2022 by The Radiation Oncology Department of Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France, stated that “Patients all found it comfortable or very comfortable (100%) to breathe in the upright position compared to 87% in the supine position.”