The Radiation Oncology department of the DMH Cancer Care Institute is staffed by four Radiation Oncologists: Dr. Edward C. Elliott, Dr. MaryAnne dePaz, Renata C. Moore and Dr. Harold A. Yoon. The radiation oncologists work with the other members of the radiation therapy team to develop the patient’s treatment and ensure that each treatment is given accurately. The radiation oncologists will monitor the progress and adjust the treatment as necessary to ensure the radiation is hitting its target which minimizes side effects. Before, during and after the patient’s radiation treatments, the radiation oncologist works closely with other cancer doctors, such as medical oncologists and surgeons to maximize the radiation's effectiveness.
State of the Art Treatment Technology
The Radiation Oncology Department at Decatur Memorial Hospital is a full service, state-of-the-art department. Treatment is delivered from linear accelerators incorporating the latest technology including multi-leaf collimation and electronic portal imaging. Radiation therapy simulation is performed with a CT/PET simulator. Radiation therapy planning is performed with sophisticated three-dimensional computerized treatment planning systems. Implant radiation therapy, including radioactive low dose prostate seed implant is performed at Decatur Memorial Hospital.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a breakthrough in cancer treatment. IMRT optimizes treatment plans for each patient by maximizing the radiation dose delivered to a tumor while preventing it from harming the surrounding healthy tissue. This ability allows radiation oncologists to deliver more cancer-killing radiation to tumors while reducing the potential side effects. It also allows for complete flexibility in treating tumors that surround crucial structures and organs, assuring that patients receive the most accurate, state-of-the-art radiation therapy available today.
Image Guided Radiation Therapy is new technology that can precisely locate a tumor and track it before each radiation therapy treatment. It improves treatment accuracy, minimizes the amount of healthy tissue exposed to radiation and reduces other side effects.
Decatur Memorial Hospital recently installed a Varian’s Clinac iX Linear Accelerator which includes an on-board imaging device in a robotically controlled arm. Before each radiation treatment, the on-board imager uses low-energy X-rays to precisely pinpoint a tumor site giving clinicians high-resolution digital images.
Additional technologies used with IGRT to plan a patient’s course of radiation therapy include CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography)
Even with all these advanced technologies, the standard treatment time stays the same and less radiation is used for more effective treatment.
The IGRT system complements Decatur Memorial's IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) system. IMRT helps shape the radiation beam to precisely fit the contours of the tumor.
For more information, please contact the Department of Radiation Oncology at
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