It uses pinpoint accuracy to deliver higher doses of radiation in less time
Hematology/Oncology Associates of CNY (HOACNY) recently added a TrueBeam radiation therapy system to its cancer-fighting arsenal in its Brittonfield office in East Syracuse, completing its planned radiation technology upgrades.
Providing the most advanced linear accelerator and radiosurgery treatment system available, TrueBeam uses pinpoint accuracy to deliver higher doses of radiation in less time.
It allows for treatment of many different types of tumors, including those in sensitive areas such as the abdomen, liver, lung, breast and head and neck.
The practice began using this system last year in its Onondaga Hill office.
“With this second TrueBeam all our radiation therapy patients now have access to the most advanced technology available for targeting tumors with greater comfort,” said medical doctor and HOACNY’s Radiation Oncology Medical Director Tracy E. Alpert. “Offering our patients greater accuracy and shorter treatment times close to home is at the core of our mission to provide the highest level of quality care in a healing environment.”
How It Works
External beam radiation therapy uses high amounts of radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Without any incisions at all, TrueBeam uses cutting-edge imaging technology to target only the tumor and minimize potential damage to healthy cells. TrueBeam’s sophisticated motion management quickly and quietly rotates it around the patient to deliver a prescribed radiation dose from different angles.
TrueBeam also offers new respiratory gating technology providing physicians the ability to synchronize radiation beams to accommodate a tumor moving during a patient’s natural breathing patterns. For example, the diaphragm will shift the liver minutely with a breath, and lungs move as they work. TrueBeam adapts to these tiny changes in position.
HOACNY has begun using DIBH (deep inspiration breath hold) for select breast cancer cases, whereby patients are asked to take a deep breath in and hold it during delivery of a radiation beam. With TrueBeam, this now typically takes 20 seconds and is verified based on its respiratory gating software.
“We studied this process with 15 breast cancer patients between November 2019 and October 2020, and our data shows sparing of heart and lung can be improved with DIBH compared to historical numbers for left breast cancer,” says Alpert. “This improved avoidance should translate into low risk of late heart and lung side effects from radiation, which is a major advantage for patients.”
Additional Benefits
With speed and precision as the hallmarks of the TrueBeam system, the following advantages also are worth noting, according to Alpert.
• Its automated technology can result in up to a five-fold reduction in the steps needed for imaging, positioning and treating patients.
• The system performs accuracy checks every 10 milliseconds throughout an entire treatment.
• More than 100,000 data points are monitored continually during treatment to ensure safety.
• It has communication technology enabling interaction between patients and clinicians operating the equipment.
• TrueBeam also has two closed-circuit television systems so your treating clinicians can always see and hear you.
Photo: New external beam radiation therapy at Hematology/Oncology Associates of CNY uses high amounts of radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. Without any incisions, TrueBeam uses cutting-edge imaging technology to target only the tumor and minimize potential damage to healthy cells. TrueBeam’s sophisticated motion management quickly and quietly rotates it around the patient to deliver a prescribed radiation dose from different angles.