This Saturday, Phoebe received its second Elekta linear accelerator for the Cancer Center.  This state-of-the-art equipment generates radiation, that can be used to treat a variety of cancers, gives Phoebe an improved capability for stereotactic radiosurgery and provides more precise radiation due to advanced imaging that is incorporated into the machine itself. 

This LINAC is the second to be installed over the past year. The availability of two machines allows for greater access to patients receiving regular treatments.  Radiation treatments at the Phoebe Cancer Center are delivered exclusively by the physicians and team at Radiation Oncology Associates.  “With our first LINAC, we are already witnessing an overall improved patient experience,” says Dr. Jay McAfee, Medical Director for Radiation Oncology.  “This second machine will allow us to treat more patients comfortably, with fewer side effects and will give us enhanced capability for our radiosurgery program.”

Equipment this advanced and complex takes nearly one month to be assembled and installed properly and then undergoes roughly two months of calibration and testing.  Staff is then trained on the specific machine before it is used to treat patients.  The first LINAC was delivered in January 2016 and treated its first patient in May of 2016.  The second LINAC machine is expected to be ready to treat patients in January 2017.

In addition to receiving this newest LINAC, Radiation Oncology Associates is celebrating an achievement of chief physicist, Bipin Agarwal.  He was recently awarded a “lifetime achievement award in medical physics” from the Indo-American Society of Medical Physics, and he has been nominated for Fellow by the American Association of Physicist in Medicine.  Agarwal serves as chief physicist for the department and is responsible for the technical oversight of the delivery and accuracy of radiation.