Cancer Center at Lake Manassas adds stereotactic radiosurgery

Novant Health Cancer Center at the entrance of the Lake Manassas community has acquired the TrueBeam™ system, which was engineered to perform sophisticated radiosurgery procedures with pinpoint accuracy and fine precision, according to a news release.

The new world-class technology will enable a radical new approach that expands radiosurgery treatment options for even the most challenging cases, the release said.

The system works by choreographing highly sophisticated systems—imaging, beam delivery and motion management—and makes it possible to deliver treatments quickly while monitoring and compensating for tumor motion. It will enable faster, accurate tumor targeting in the treatment of challenging cancers throughout the body, including those in the brain, spinal cord and lung.

The $6 million construction project is expected to be complete with the new TrueBeam system operational in the spring of 2015. Novant Health leadership, trustees, auxilians, physician partners and community representatives gathered for a groundbreaking Sept. 11.

Dr. Sanjeev Aggarwal, medical director of Novant Health Cancer Center, was quoted as saying, “TrueBeam is a breakthrough technology that enhances our ability to treat cancer and other diseases with noninvasive image-guided radiosurgery. It represents a quantum leap in terms of the spectrum of advanced treatment options we can offer patients fighting serious disease.”

According to the news release, TrueBeam’s mechanisms run smoothly, quietly and fast. Three closed-circuit television systems and a two-way audio system allow for comprehensive monitoring of the patient from outside the treatment room and facilitate interactions between patient and therapist. Enhanced technology enables music to be played during the short treatments, helping to create a more soothing treatment environment.

Also, the system can deliver treatments 2.4 to 4 times faster with a dose delivery rate of up to 2,400 monitor units per minute—double the output of most other radiosurgery systems, including CyberKnife. This is important, as independent studies have shown that with faster treatments there is less tumor and patient movement.

“Intelligent” automation further speeds treatments with an up to five-fold reduction in the number of steps needed for imaging, positioning and treating patients compared with earlier Varian technology. A complex radiosurgery that typically takes 30 to 60 minutes can be completed in just 5 to 20 minutes, the news release stated.