health
“Future of
Radiation Oncology”
Henry Ford oncologist touts world’s
fi rst MRI-guided radiation system.
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January 25 • 2018
jn
RUTHAN BRODSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
F
The MRIdian radiation therapy
or the past six months, I’ve
system is made by ViewRay Inc.
experienced how this first-in-
in Oakwood, Ohio, outside of
the-world ViewRay MRIdian
Cleveland. The machine costs $10
Linac machine is changing the ways
million. Henry Ford was
we treat cancers and I’m
ABOVE: Dr.
able to install and test the
convinced this technology
Benjamin
is the future of radiation
Movsas in front machine within two or three
oncology,” says Dr. Benjamin of the ViewRay weeks because they worked
machine.
very closely with the ViewRay
Movsas, chair of radiation
team, says ViewRay spokes-
oncology at the Henry Ford
man Michael Saracen, who
Cancer Institute.
added that last year a few other
“With this new system, it’s now
machines were installed and should
possible to see the treatment area
be treating patients within four to
and deliver radiation at the same
six weeks. The machine requires a
time so that we can accurately align
special room modified to house the
the tumor to the treatment beams
system.
and make adjustments in real time
“Radiation therapy damages the
to avoid sensitive internal struc-
cancer cells by destroying the genet-
tures. “
ic material that controls how they
According to the Mayo Clinic in
grow and divide,” Movsas explains.
Rochester, Minn., more than half
“The problem is that sometimes
of all people with cancer receive
healthy cells may also be damaged
radiation therapy as part of their
by radiation therapy although the
treatment for just about every type
goal, of course, is to destroy as few
of cancer. Traditionally, radiation
normal cells as possible. The good
therapy refers to external beam
news is that most side effects are
radiation therapy conducted using
temporary and generally disappear
a linear accelerator, a machine that
once treatment has ended. Patients
directs high-energy beams aimed at
a precise point on the patient’s body. typically undergo periodic scans
after treatment to determine how
The Henry Ford Cancer Institute
their cancer has responded.
is the first medical institution in the
“Previously, we could limit the
world to offer patients an advanced
movement of the patients using
radiation therapy using an FDA-
immobilization devices, but it was
approved real-time magnetic reso-
nance imaging (MRI) to deliver more very challenging to control for the
internal movement of the tumor or
precise radiation treatment using a
neighboring healthy organs,” says
linear accelerator.
continued on page 78