Jun 15, 2007 9:46 pm US/Central
Latest Radiation to Target Tumors
by Dennis Douda
(WCCO)
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Carolyn had four radiation treatments with Novalis Shaped Beam Radiation to destroy the cancerous tissue. It is a process that allows precise targeting with less risk to healthy tissues nearby.
Another leap in technology is making it harder for cancers to hide. The latest weapon to hit the Twin Cities builds on a combination of advances from previous therapies and adds some gee-whiz elements of its own.
Just a few months ago it was too painful for Carolyn Kranz to raise her arms to play her piano. A cancer she thought she had beaten years ago was back, this time on her spine.
Studying MRI images, Radiation Oncologist Dr. Robert Haselow determined the cancer's position, wrapped around two of Kranz's vertebrae, made surgery and standard radiation therapy too risky to the spinal cord. But a new multi-million dollar suite at Methodist Hospital might be able to reach what a scalpel could not.
Carolyn had four radiation treatments with Novalis Shaped Beam Radiation to destroy the cancerous tissue. It is a process that allows precise targeting with less risk to healthy tissues nearby.
"We are generally able to have less than one millimeter of variability from what we want, to what we are able to do. So we are able to get sub-millimeter accuracy in our positioning," said Dr. Haselow. "You've got to have a very sharp separation between the cancer and the spinal cord."
To help Kranz hold as still as possible she was literally vacuum-wrapped to the table with a thin, flexible layer of plastic sheeting. To make the aiming process even more precise, real time X-rays of the patient are taken while they are immobilized on the table. Those X-ray images are then computer synchronized with the targeting system by advanced positioning software.
Dr. Haselow says the Novalis is excellent for tumors of the head and spine. He said he is also finding it shows promise fighting cancerous tumors in the liver and lungs.
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