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A technician works at the computer console connected to the new IGRT system at the North Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Center.

The marriage of radiation therapy with diagnostic-quality imaging on a single machine is making it possible to deliver more accurate dosages of radiation than ever before.

In October, the North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) Cancer Center in Tupelo began using an on-board imaging (OBI) component to its linear accelerator device, introducing a new form of Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) for treatment of cancer patients.

“Of course, we’re always trying to make the treatments as focused and as accurate as we can,” radiation oncologist Dr. Bert Duncan said. “What this allows us to do is to use the patient’s position on that day to image them right before we treat them.”

Previously, radiation oncologists relied upon megavoltage imaging taken periodically on a separate machine. They then dealt with variations in the position of both the patient and the tumor inside by including a margin of healthy tissue around the treatment area.

“What we hope is that we’ll be able to use smaller margins, and by being more certain, get better results and fewer side effects,” he said.

IGRT is used to treat tumors virtually anywhere in the body, including those in the brain, head and neck, lung, liver, prostate and other areas. This new technology has been widely available for the last year or so, Duncan said, adding that many hospitals in the region are expected to make similar upgrades in the coming year.

“Most radiation oncologists are excited about this technology and anxious to use it,” he said.

NMMC was able to avoid replacing its existing accelerator by working with leading manufacturer Varian Medical Systems to upgrade the one it already had. The process involved adding a new swing-out imaging arm and installing a new computer system that feels intuitive once you learn a few keystrokes, Duncan said.

“Any time you have to use new software and equipment, it takes a little bit of time to get used to it,” he said. “But the nice thing about the Varian system is that it’s relatively easy to use. The transition was not difficult.”

Having practiced in Tupelo for 19 years, Duncan remembers well the days when he had to hunt for a patient’s imaging films filed away in a jacket somewhere.

“Now when you see a patient, you can pull it up on a computer, print them out and use them in your treatment plan on the computer,” he said. “So much has changed.”



March 2008

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