What an SBRT immobilization system has to do
Stereotactic body radiotherapy puts an ablative dose into a small target in a handful of fractions. The margin around that target is set by how well the patient can be positioned and held, so the immobilization device is part of the dose plan whether or not anyone draws it.
AerFrame does two things. The frame stabilizes the body: a U-shaped composite base gives rigid support around the patient, limiting lateral shift and roll through treatment. Compression stabilizes the diaphragm: frame-mounted compression applies a controlled, repeatable pressure to limit respiratory motion, set to a prescribed depth at simulation and reproduced every fraction.
It completes the motion-management stack rather than replacing any of it. The patient's vacuum cushion stays; the frame goes around it.
Nearly invisible to the beam
Legacy body frames earned their reputation for rigidity and lost it on weight and attenuation. AerFrame is built from a low-density composite that measures under 2% single-beam attenuation at 6, 10 and 15 MV away from the side rails, with a mean target D95 loss of 1.1% across eleven patients and three separately manufactured units. On the planning CT it renders at −928 HU, close to air.
That matters most for online adaptive radiotherapy, where the adapted plan is computed on the patient's anatomy alone and never sees the hardware. Read how AerFrame fits adaptive workflows →
Data on file, Stabilix. Available on request.
In the room
The base frame weighs 9.1 lb and indexes to any couchtop by friction, so it moves between simulation and treatment rooms and between platforms without adapters. The patient carries two tattoos; the isocenter lives in the frame's own coordinates, recorded on a worksheet at simulation.
Every fraction, four steps
- Place. Frame and the patient's own vacuum-bag cradle onto the couch. Patient into the bag.
- Verify the marks. Coordinate arch and laser box to the registration position. The two dots land on the patient's marks; shift the patient in the frame if they don't.
- Frame to the room. Arch to the isocenter position on the rail. Move the frame until the room lasers meet X, Y and Z on the arch.
- Remove and verify. Arch off. Image guidance confirms the alignment before every fraction, as the IFU requires.
Treatment sites
AerFrame is used for thoracic, abdominal and pelvic SBRT. Common sites — examples, not a limit:
Restraint + compression. Lung SBRT immobilization →
Restraint + compression. Liver and abdominal SBRT →
Restraint + compression.
Restraint + compression.
Restraint.
Restraint.
Specifications
| Model | AFPIS · LBV2 — AerFrame™ Patient Immobilization System · Alignment Laser Box |
|---|---|
| Base frame weight | 9.1 lb / 4.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 1200 × 514 × 236 mm (47.24 × 20.24 × 9.29 in) |
| Beam attenuation | <2% measured, 6/10/15 MV, away from the side rails |
| CT number | −928 HU (air ≈ −1000) |
| LINAC & couchtop | Agnostic — friction-based indexing |
| MR | MR Conditional per labeling |
| Image guidance | IGRT required each fraction |
| Regulatory | FDA 510(k) cleared for photon-based immobilization |
| Warranty | 3 years · 30-day return |
Two part numbers cover the whole system: AFPIS (the frame, head rest, compression arches, screws and plates, coordinate arch) and LBV2 (the alignment laser box). Request the technical documents →
Questions
Does AerFrame replace the vacuum cushion?
No. The patient lies in their own solidified vacuum bag inside the frame. The bag conforms to the patient; the frame holds the bag and the patient in a rigid, reproducible position and gives compression a fixed reference to push against.
Will it fit my linac and couchtop?
AerFrame is LINAC- and couchtop-agnostic. It indexes to the couch by friction, with no adapters or indexing bars, so the same frame moves between CT simulation, treatment rooms and platforms.
Is image guidance still required?
Yes. The IFU requires image guidance to confirm the alignment before every fraction. The frame coordinates reproduce the setup; imaging verifies it.
Is it MR safe?
AerFrame is MR Conditional per labeling. The frame, head rest and the black compression arch go into the MR suite; the blue compression arch, the coordinate arch and the alignment laser box are MR Unsafe and stay out. See the MR environments guide for the component list.
What is it cleared for?
AerFrame is FDA 510(k) cleared for photon-based immobilization.
What is included, and what does it cost?
Everything in the system ships under two part numbers, AFPIS and LBV2, with a three-year warranty and a thirty-day return. Pricing and configuration are quoted per institution; request a demonstration and we will bring the frame.