Radiation Therapy
At SSM Health we specialize in offering patients personalized cancer treatment, with a proven track record of positive outcomes. One of the treatment options we specialize in is radiation therapy.
Imaging and radiation therapies are painless procedures that provide you with a more focused treatment. These procedures are designed to specifically place radiation in, or near, the tumor all while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
SSM Health radiation oncologists are leaders in their field of radiation therapy. They use some of the latest radiation treatment options in the fight against cancer.
Treatment With State-Of-The-Art Technology
Today’s radiation oncology treatment protocols call for the right technology to address the cancers we treat. Advances in science and technology mean continued refinement in the use of technology for radiation oncology treatment. SSM Health’s radiation oncology treatment centers keep pace with technologic developments while investing in the most effective new technology.
The best radiation oncology treatment requires continual upgrades to several technologies and staff that continues to learn the newest techniques. We believe that together we can produce the best outcome for patients. Pinpoint accuracy, flexibility, and patient centric, the finest technology available is used to improve the patient experience. Powerful therapy with fewer side effects and less recovery time, results in a healthier patient at SSM Health.
Linear Accelerators
Designed to treat cancerous and benign tumors, the linear accelerator is the technology that delivers radiation therapy to tumors.
An integral part of the linear accelerator, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is an advanced type of radiation therapy using 3D computed tomography (CT) images for a precise and effective delivery of radiation therapy. IMRT allows physicians to visually chart the location of the tumor and surrounding normal tissue while shaping the beams of radiation to the tumor. They then deliver high doses of radiation directly to cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to surrounding organs.
This therapy uses the linear accelerator to deliver small individual doses of radiation over multiple treatment sessions, so that the total accumulated dose is larger. It’s a precise and accurate delivery system. Each SBRT treatment is called a "fraction" and is sometimes called "fractionated" therapy.
SBRT is often used for treatment of tumors or lesions that may not respond well to surgery, chemotherapy, standard radiation or other treatments. For tumors and lesions in difficult locations, SBRT allows the physician to safely deliver high doses of radiation to the tumor while limiting dose to critical surrounding structures.
Delivers powerful tumor-destroying radiation therapy with precision and speed. The system gives SSM Health’s radiation oncologists and multidisciplinary teams the power to manage challenging cancers anywhere in the body, including the lung, abdomen, breast, and head and neck. It’s fast, powerful and it seamlessly integrates respiratory gating, imaging and treatment techniques.
Designed with the patient experience in mind, TrueBeam is quiet and provides a comfortable environment as the linear accelerator arcs over and around the patient. Enhanced communication technology enables a constant interaction between the patient and the therapist who operates the equipment.
Varian’s Truebeam Linear Accelerators
TrueBeam from Varian Medical Systems delivers powerful tumor-destroying radiation therapy with precision and speed. The system gives SSM Health’s radiation oncologists and multidisciplinary teams the power to manage challenging cancers anywhere in the body, including the lung, abdomen, breast, and head and neck. It’s fast, powerful and it seamlessly integrates respiratory gating, imaging and treatment techniques.
Designed with the patient experience in mind, TrueBeam is quiet and provides a comfortable environment as the linear accelerator arcs over and around the patient. Enhanced communication technology enables a constant interaction between the patient and the therapist who operates the equipment.
Often referred to as SBRT, this therapy delivers small individual doses of radiation over multiple treatment sessions, so that the total accumulated dose is larger. It’s a precise and accurate delivery system. Each SBRT treatment is called a "fraction" and is sometimes called "fractionated" therapy. SBRT combines the precision of Radiosurgery with fractionated radiation improving the delivery over standard radiation therapy.
SBRT is often used for treatment of tumors or lesions that may not respond well to surgery, chemotherapy, standard radiation or other treatments. For tumors and lesions in difficult locations, SBRT allows the physician to safely deliver high doses of radiation to the tumor while limiting dose to critical surrounding structures.
A dose of radiation damages cells, specifically the cell’s DNA. Normal cells can repair this damage while tumor cells are less able to. While a tumor is precisely targeted with SBRT, some healthy tissue receives a small amount of radiation, is damaged, and will begin to repair itself. Each treatment damages the abnormal tissue even more. The healthy tissue recovers, the diseased tissue does not.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) uses computer guided radiation therapy system, directing highly focused beams of radiation into tumors and other abnormalities of the brain and other structures such as spine.
SRS is a non-surgical method utilizing a Stereotactic linear accelerator. It is performed with sophisticated technology using MRI and CT guided planning, specific tumor localization and highly technical delivery to ensure optimal effects to tumor while sparring normal tissues.
Radiosurgery is ideal for treating brain metastases, acoustic neuromas, and tumors located deep within the brain as very little radiation reaches normal brain structures or tissue, and there is minimal recovery time
TomoTherapy®
TomoTherapy® technology delivers radiation treatment in a unique mode. It precisely targets cancers that are challenging to treat because of where they are located in the body. SSM Health’s radiation therapy team uses the TomoTherapy® technology to sculpt the dose to the edge of the treatment area.
TomoTherapy®technology benefits prostate cancer patients with hip replacements, certain breast cancers in close proximity to the heart, and other cancers of the head and neck. TomoTherapy®’s 360-degree fan-beam delivery of radiation therapy is a gold-standard treatment for targeting complex tumors. During radiation oncology treatment, the linear accelerator completes multiple 360-degree rotations around the patient while the couch passes through the center bore of the system.
Image-Guided Radiation Therapy
Image-Guided Radiation Therapy, or IGRT, uses 2D and 3D imaging to determine the exact location of cancerous tumors before or during radiation therapy treatments. This on-board imaging tracks the tumor’s position as it may shift slightly. Radiation beams are adjusted to pinpoint the cancerous area, maximizing treatment to the cancerous cells and it is used to treat tumors that are likely to move such as lung cancers.
MammoSite®
MammoSite® is a patented process delivering radiation into a breast after a tumor has been removed through a lumpectomy. After the tumor is removed, a small balloon is attached to a thin catheter tube. This is then placed inside the lumpectomy cavity after a small incision is made in the breast. Next, the balloon is inflated with a saline solution so fitting snugly within the open cavity.
During treatment a computer-controlled High Dose Rate (HDR) machine is connected to a portion of the catheter that remains outside the breast. Once your radiation oncologist determines the necessary amount of radiation, it is delivered by the machine through the catheter. No radiation remains in the breast between treatments.
TomoTherapy®
TomoTherapy® delivers a sophisticated form of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). It allows your doctor to combine treatment planning, CT image-guided patient positioning, and treatment delivery into one integrated system.
Need a Second Opinion?
Ultimately, the goal of radiation therapy will vary depending on the type and stage of your cancer. Your personalized treatment plan will be developed with the help of your SSM Health oncologist. If you’re interested in learning more, or receiving a second opinion, schedule an appointment with an SSM Health radiation oncologist today.
