Siteman Cancer Center and TomoTherapy Inc. Partner to Deliver State-of-the-Art IG/IMRT
The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been ranked among the nation’s best hospitals for the past 12 years. A National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, it is an international leader in patient care, cancer research, prevention, education and community outreach.
So when the Radiation Oncology department was looking to develop their IG/IMRT capability, they naturally selected the TomoTherapy Hi·Art System® to deliver state-of-the-art radiation treatment for their patients.
“We were familiar with rotational IMRT from [other systems],” explains Daniel Low, Director of Medical Physics. “However, these systems don’t have continuous delivery or imaging capability. That’s why we’re excited about the TomoTherapy solution, which integrates 360° delivery with on-board imaging.”
“Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine will be a strong research partner for us,” notes Gustavo Olivera, PhD, TomoTherapy’s Vice President of Research. “We look forward to a great collaboration with this prestigious and experienced group of professionals who continue to contribute so much to the field of radiation oncology and advanced treatment techniques.”
The department began treating patients using the Hi·Art System in February 2006—ahead of their initial schedule. “Installation went very smoothly” notes Low. “Once the site was ready, TomoTherapy came in and installed the machine quickly and efficiently.”
S. Murty Goddu, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Chief of the TomoTherapy Physics Service at the School of Medicine. “Highly conformal dose distributions with great delivery accuracy are possible with the Tomotherapy system,” he explains. Dr. Goddu’s team is developing an impressive array of research protocols, including simultaneous irradiation for gynecologic lymph node beds, intra-prostatic and whole pelvic boosts for high-risk prostate cancer, CNS radiation for children with tumors of the central nervous system, and outcomes-based treatment planning.
5 Apr 2006
