Press Releases
Texas Oncology Expands Portfolio of Advanced Radiation Technologies to Treat Central Texans
New Brainlab System Offers Patients Faster Treatment and Recovery
10/10/2011
Central Texas cancer patients with difficult to treat, previously-deemed inoperable tumors now have new hope for treatment and a faster, easier recovery. Texas Oncology today announced the addition of Brainlab to its already advanced arsenal of radiation technology available for patients fighting cancer across Central Texas, from Williamson County to San Marcos.
The Brainlab system is used in conjunction with a Varian® iX linear accelerator, which is a powerful radiosurgery and radiotherapy system, that delivers precisely focused, high-energy radiation very quickly to a localized area, enabling doctors to painlessly treat otherwise unapproachable, inoperable tumors, sometimes in a single session.
“At Texas Oncology, we are now able to offer patients an extremely precise form of radiation treatment called stereotactic radiosurgery. These treatments are painless, have few side effects, and require no incisions,” said Courtney Sheinbein, M.D., Texas Oncology–Seton Williamson. “Patients can be treated in minutes, walk out of the clinic and return to their daily lives.”
The Varian machine with Brainlab utilizes both stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which are non-surgical procedures that enable physicians to concentrate radiation doses directly on a tumor with pinpoint precision. Because SRS and SBRT are so accurate, very little radiation reaches surrounding healthy tissue or normal cells during the procedure. SRS is used to treat brain tumors, and SBRT is used to treat tumors in the lung, liver, abdomen, prostate, and head or neck.
New Imaging System Delivers Increased Accuracy During Treatment
In addition to the Brainlab system, Texas Oncology has also added the highly advanced imaging system called the Varian On-Board Imager® (OBI) with Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). With this new high resolution imaging system, the clinical team can compare treatment images with simulation images to ensure patients remain in the correct position throughout treatment. This improves treatment accuracy which helps protect sensitive tissues and organs, especially when the tumor is in a tough to reach area.
Other Advanced Radiation Treatment Options for Central Texans
Together with leading-edge treatment planning systems and leading-edge radiation technology, Texas Oncology provides patients with a full and up-to-date range of radiation treatment options. More importantly, patients throughout the Central Texas area can be treated close to home using the latest technology and advanced treatment planning. Additional options for radiation therapy for patients in Central Texas include:
- Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) technologies provide image-guidance and verification capabilities during radiation treatment. Examples include External Portal Imaging Device/Computerized Radiography, Varian On-Board Imager® (OBI) with Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), ExacTrac®, and ultrasound.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is an advanced form of noninvasive radiation treatment enabling radiation oncologists to precisely target tumor cells. The addition of image guidance technology allows for accurate localization of the affected area, so that the target is precisely treated with this form of radiation while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues.
- High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR) uses a radioactive source that is placed inside the body part to be treated. Given either inpatient or outpatient, the treatment’s advanced imaging facilitates exact catheter placement, resulting in a radiation dose with one-millimeter accuracy to significantly spare radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and critical organs.
- Low Dose Rate (LDR) Brachytherapy Radioactive Seed Implants are often used for prostate cancer. This treatment involves surgically implanting radioactive “seeds” into the tumor, which deliver a high dose of radiation with minimal or no effects to surrounding tissues. The seeds are permanently in place, but become inactive after a period of weeks or months.