Therapeutic Radiology Department
Department Overview
Our department specializes in the treatment of cancer (malignant tumors) with radiation. Radiation therapy is non-invasive and preserves the body’s normal function and appearance. It’s best point is that it allows the treatment of cancer without surgery.
Malignant tumors in any part of the body can be treated. We work with Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Otolaryngology, Urology and other departments to carry out the best, recommended treatment. The improvement of the devices we use along with the recent development of therapies that combine radiation with chemotherapy have resulted in progress in treating cancers the previously would not respond to radical therapies.
In addition, radiation therapy can now be used not only to directly attack a cancer, but in a palliative way, in order to address the pain and other unpleasant symptoms of the disease. Post-op it can be used prophylactically to help prevent recurrence as well. The treatment covers a broad spectrum of applications, and plays a major role in the fight against cancer.
Testing We Perform
- 3-dimensional CT imaging to pinpoint radiation treatment location
This is a CT exam performed to create images used in developing a radiation treatment program for a specific patient. It is used to create precise, 3-dimensional location information and charts for dosage amounts.
Our Equipment
- ELEKTA Liniac Synergy®
Specialized Radiation Treatments
With the acquisition of more sophisticated equipment, we are now able to carry out the following treatments:
Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (Radiosurgery)
For stereotactic radiosurgery of the brain, we use an externally-mounted micro multi-leaf collimator. Employing a 6-axis adjusting couch, CBCT and shell, we can pinpoint high-intensity radiation on precise parts of the brain without the need for attaching pins directly to the skull.
Besides the head, the technique can be used to treat both primary and metastatic lung tumors, primary liver tumors and other tumors in major body organs.
Besides the head, the technique can be used to treat both primary and metastatic lung tumors, primary liver tumors and other tumors in major body organs.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy（IMRT, VMAT）
IMRT uses a carefully calculated computer aiming system to change the strength強度of the radiation beam so that only the tumor itself receives high dosages of radiation, while surrounding healthy tissue receives a much lower dose. Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) is a variant of IMRT where the linear accelerator generating the radiation rotates around the patient’s body. This allows shorter treatment times and more precise dosages.
Strontium-89 Chloride Therapy
Strontium-89 Chloride is used to treat bone tumors, particularly in patients who have multiple metastatic bone tumors. It is particularly effective in reducing the pain of such tumors. Because of its similarities to the natural calcium that makes up bones, Strontium-89, when injected, gathers into the actively growing portions (usually the tumor) of bones. It gives off β particles of up to 1.49MeV with a half-life of 50.5 days. Because of their relative inability to penetrate other structures, these β particles travel only an average of 2.4mm (max 8mm) within the body, thereby making possible a very locally-focused therapy that leaves healthy parts of the bones and marrow unaffected. Typically, patients will begin to see a reduction in pain within 1-2 weeks of injection, and the effects of the treatment can last up to three months. It is not necessary for patients to be admitted for these injections; they can be treated on an outpatient basis.