health “Future of Radiation Oncology” Henry Ford oncologist touts world’s fi rst MRI-guided radiation system. SPECIAL EVENT AT WA LT O N WO O D T W E LV E OA K S “Made in Michigan” Open House Saturday, February 24th 12 - 4 p.m. Attend our Open House and visit with some of the “Hometown Classic” businesses that are made in Michigan, including Traverse City Wine and Pie, Faygo, Vernors, Better Made, National Coney Dogs, Saunders Ice Cream, local art vendors and others... including Waltonwood! Food tastings, shopping, tours, raffles and fun! RSVP today or call and schedule a tour of Waltonwood Twelve Oaks 248-567-2060 Independent Living | Licensed Assisted Living | Memory Care 27475 Huron Circle, Novi, MI 48377 Located across from Twelve Oaks Mall wwwWaltonwood.com | www.SinghJobs.com 76 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