DANVILLE, VA., March 5, 2008 - Radiation therapy patients will now have cutting-edge technology in their backyard with Danville Regional Medical Center’s acquisition of a Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machine.
The LINAC is a device that produces high energy photons for use in radiation therapy. The equipment is most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer. External beam therapy is used to aim highly focused beams of radiation at the site where cancer is found in order to destroy any abnormal cells and prevent the growth or re-growth of the tumor.
“The LINAC is especially important to cancer patients because it allows us to treat the area of cancer and protect as much surrounding tissue as possible,” stated Dr. Peter Leider, MD, Radiation Oncologist at Danville Regional Medical Center. “The technology allows us to custom design the treatment fields for the patient and delivers only the planned amount to the desired area.”
An advanced function of the LINAC is the Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). Currently, IMRT is being used to treat cancers of the prostate, head and neck, breast, thyroid and lung, as well as in gynecologic, liver and brain tumors and lymphomas and sarcomas. IMRT is also beneficial for treating pediatric malignancies.
The unique functions of the LINAC help to assure that cancer patients will not have to go out of town to receive their treatments. “It is important that patients who were leaving town to get treatment know that DRMC is able to provide this amazing technology to help in their recovery process,” said Kathy White, Manager of The Center for Radiation Oncology at Danville Regional Medical Center. “We want to make the process as easy as possible for our patients and now we are able to continue to provide this expertise close to home.”
Edith McLaughlin, a Danville area resident undergoing cancer treatment was able to get the care she needed without having to leave her hometown. “The hardest part is walking into the center because then it really hits me, I am here because I have cancer,” said McLaughlin. “But Dr. Leider and the girls make me feel comfortable and I truly trust them with my life.”
The LINAC machine is housed in a room dedicated solely for its use and operated by a team of radiation experts including the Radiation Therapist, Oncologist, as well as Medical Physics and Dosimetry. The LINAC machine is in the Radiation Oncology building, which has recently undergone $1.7 million worth of enhancements. Since last year, Danville Regional has invested more than $25 million in hospital improvements.
