Technology
Diagnostic Imaging
A wide variety of imaging capabilities at The Regional Cancer Center contribute to the diagnosis of cancer and the monitoring of treatment progress. A variety of machines and techniques allow doctors to look at the structures and activities inside the body. The technology used depends on the patient’s symptoms and part of the body being examined. X-rays, mammography, Computed Tomography (CT), and "Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and combined PET/CT scans are all available at The RCC.
Many imaging tests are painless and easy. Some require patients to stay still for a long time inside a machine, which can be uncomfortable.
Diagnostic Imaging Services Include:
A CT scan uses a combination of X-rays and computers to give the radiologist a non-invasive way to see inside the body. One advantage of CT is its ability to rapidly acquire two-dimensional pictures of anatomy. Using a computer, these 2D images can be presented in 3D for in-depth clinical evaluation
A PET scan detects changes in cellular function – how cells are utilizing nutrients like sugar and oxygen. Since these functional changes take place before physical changes occur, PET can provide information that enables physicians to make an early diagnosis. The PET exam pinpoints metabolic activity in cells and the CT exam provides an anatomical reference. When these two scans are fused together physicians can view metabolic changes in the proper anatomical context of the body.
PET/CT exam results may have a major impact on the diagnosis of a potential health problem and, should an abnormality be detected, how a treatment plan is developed and managed. A PET/CT exam not only helps physicians diagnose a problem, it also helps predict the likely outcome of various therapeutic alternatives, pinpoint the best approach to treatment, and monitor treatment progress. If a patient is not responding as well as expected, the course of treatment can be changed to seek something more effective.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation oncology services at The Regional Cancer Center include Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), brachytherapy, BAT ultrasound for prostate cancer, 4D treatment planning (respiratory gating) for lung cancers and PET-CT imaging for both diagnostic and treatment planning applications.
Radiation therapy can be used to treat a large number of primary tumors, often with chemotherapy, and is also used for pain control in end stage disease. State-of-the art technology at The RCC includes the Varian Trilogy Radiation Therapy System. All radiation equipment at The Regional Cancer Center is monitored daily by medical physicists to ensure technical accuracy and safety.
Radiation is delivered by very high-energy precisely focused treatment machines known as linear accelerators. Generally, radiation therapy is given five days a week over a period of four to eight weeks. Most treatments can be completed in about 15 minutes. The ability to have radiation therapy close to home allows patients to receive treatment while maintaining a lifestyle and work schedule that is as near to normal as possible.
Radiation Therapy Services Include:
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) allows doctors to increase the dose of radiation to tumors by precisely targeting the tumor with many radiation beams to improve treatment side effects and cure rate. IMRT shapes the radiation field and dose to accurately match the tumor size and shape.
Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) accounts for body motion to ensure that the target is in the same position every treatment session. Imaging scans are done on the treatment machine which enables automated repositioning functions that enable clinicians to verify that treatments are completely in sync with respiration. Images are generated to pinpoint tumor sites, adjust patient positioning when necessary, and complete a treatment—all within the standard treatment time. RCC’s Trilogy, a highly specialized radiation therapy machine, is used to deliver IGRT treatments. BAT Ultrasound system supports the treatment of prostate cancer patients undergoing IGRT. Ultrasound images contribute to maximizing the therapy dose to the prostate while limiting dose to surrounding tissue. This non-invasive technique is part of the daily therapy for prostate cancer patients bringing added efficiency and accuracy to the daily treatment.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
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Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is a radiation delivery procedure that precisely delivers large radiation doses to tumors in the brain, often in a small number of sessions. The goal of this non-invasive procedure is to destroy, or make inactive, the target anatomy without harming nearby healthy tissue and without involving traditional surgery. Patients who are not candidates for conventional surgery, those who have tumors that cannot be treated surgically and patients with tumors that are adjacent to vital structures can benefit greatly from these highly-precise treatments. RCC’s Trilogy, a highly specialized radiation therapy machine, is used to deliver radiosurgery treatments.
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)
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Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) is a radiation delivery procedure that precisely delivers large radiation doses to tumors and other relevant anatomical targets, often in a small number of sessions. The goal of this non-invasive procedure is to destroy, or make inactive, the target anatomy without harming nearby healthy tissue and without involving traditional surgery. Patients who are not candidates for conventional surgery, those who have tumors that cannot be treated surgically and patients with tumors that are adjacent to vital structures can benefit greatly from these highly-precise treatments.
Radiosurgery was initially used to treat tumors in the brain and has now extended to include cancers of the spine, lung, prostate, liver, head and neck and pancreas. RCC’s Trilogy, a highly specialized radiation therapy machine, is used to deliver radiosurgery treatments.
For certain cancers, brachytherapy (internal radiation) may be prescribed. Brachytherapy involves the use of radiation-producing materials placed inside the body to attack cancer. The radiation oncologist leads a team of professionals that administers the treatment high dose rates using a Nucleotron. Brachytherapy in high dose rates is often used to treat gynecological cancers.
When brachytherapy is used in the treatment of breast cancer it is sometimes referred to as partial breast irradiation, or Mammosite.
For prostate cancer patients, brachytherapy is often referred to as prostate “seed” implantation.
An injectable isotope called Quadramet is a cancer therapy agent that may be prescribed for patients with advanced prostate and breast cancer. The isotope provides significant pain relief that can be associated with bony metastasis, the spread of cancer throughout the body.
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