Surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) utilizes light projection and three-dimensional camera technology in real time to deliver radiation accurately to cancer cells while sparing nearby organs.
Baptist Cancer Center is the only radiation center in the Mid-South to offer this innovative technology, which monitors patients’ movement and the location of tumors during treatment and adjusts so that only affected tumors are targeted.
SGRT can be used in the treatment of breast, brain, head and neck cancers, sarcomas and other conditions.
“We are excited to offer this innovative treatment to our radiation patients,” said Dr. Michael Tomblyn, radiation oncologist at Baptist Cancer Center. “Not only will it make our patients more comfortable, but it will increase the precision and safety of procedures.”
Baptist’s SGRT system, from Vision RT, particularly benefits breast cancer patients, as it can help the radiotherapy team reduce radiation doses to the heart. Because the left breast is close to the heart, it is vulnerable to radiation exposure, which can cause heart issues years after treatment.
Another benefit of the therapy is that it eliminates the need for external body markings, or tattoos, in the delivery of radiation treatment.
“Body markings used to improve radiation precision often serve as permanent reminders to patients of their cancer after treatment is completed,” said Tomblyn. “And while this technique was the best practice in the past, it was limited in its ability to adjust to changes in patients’ positioning. Technology advances, such as surface guided radiation therapy, have provided better and safer options for patients.”
