Along with surgery and infusion therapy, radiation therapy is one of the three pillars of cancer treatment. Currently, nearly two-thirds of individuals diagnosed with cancer will receive some form of radiation therapy.
The Medical Group of South Florida in Jupiter, Florida offers image-guided radiotherapy to deliver advanced high-quality cancer treatment using the Halcyon™ Radiotherapy System. This system was engineered to deliver sophisticated, highly targeted cancer treatments quickly with precision and accuracy. It is well suited to handle the majority of cancer cases including lung, pancreatic, prostate, breast, head & neck, and many other forms of cancer.
“Typically radiation is delivered at other sites where the head of the machine rotates around the patient treating different angles and the beam is only on at that angle. Between angles, the beam turns off. What this leads to is very long treatment times, upwards of 30 minutes.” Said Dr. Michael Hall, Radiation Oncologist at The Medical Group of South Florida. “Our machine here, it’s a continuous rapid arch of treatment that never goes off. So the machine delivers continuously a dose that is usually a 2 to 5-minute treatment. This creates less time for the patient to be on the table and is overall more precise and accurate.”
What is the Halcyon™ Radiation Therapy System?
The Halcyon™ radiation therapy system is designed to deliver precise image-guided, volumetric, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) up to four times faster than standard technology.
Its purpose is to simplify and enhance the delivery of radiation treatments, offering unmatched accuracy, speed, and patient convenience. The patient lies on the treatment table, while the linear accelerator delivers beams of radiation to the tumor from various directions over a few minutes. The intensity of each beam’s radiation dose is dynamically varied according to the treatment plan.
How Does the Halcyon Radiation Therapy System Work?
The Halcyon System delivers image-guided volumetric arc therapy up to four times faster than standard technology. The system captures either two-dimensional or cone-beam CT images for guidance in less than 15 seconds. It also delivers varying — intensities of radiation (in this case, high-energy x-rays) for cancer treatments that last about two minutes per session.
Halcyon Radiotherapy Treatment: What to Expect
If your oncologist decides that Halcyon therapy is right for you, the team of radiation oncologists at The Medical Group of South Florida will:
- Use computer-generated images to custom-design your treatment plan
- Deliver a precise, tightly focused radiation dose that conforms to the shape of your tumor while minimizing impact on surrounding healthy tissue
The major benefit of Halcyon is its efficiency. Images can be acquired in less than 15 seconds, and treatment can be administered in about two minutes, minimizing your time on the table and optimizing the delivery of your treatment plan.
Halcyon also offers enhanced features for patient comfort, including:
- A wide bore
- Ambient lighting with the patient’s choice of color
- Brushless motors for nearly silent movements
- An enclosed gantry, so all rotation takes place within the machine itself, rather than externally around the patient
Where Can I Receive Halcyon Treatment?
Halcyon treatment is available at The Medical Group of South Florida in Jupiter, Florida.
Contact Us
If you have concerns about a cancer diagnosis, please call (561) 622-6111 and make a consultation with Dr. Michael Hall, Radiation Oncologist at The Medical Group of South Florida. Dr. Michael Hall can help walk you through the various treatment options available to your unique situation.
Book a consultation with Dr. Hall today!