SCI Installs First TomoTherapy® Radiation Therapy System in Seattle Metropolitan Area

TomoTherapy Incorporated, maker of advanced radiation therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, has announced that Swedish Cancer Institute (SCI) has installed the first TomoTherapy® radiation therapy system in the Seattle area at its new, community-based Radiation Treatment Center on the Ballard, Wash. campus.

"We selected the TomoTherapy system because it's a promising technology with many advantages - from the complete integration of treatment planning, imaging and treatment delivery, to its flexibility in treating a wide range of cancers," said Dan Landis, M.D., Ph.D., the lead physician at the SCI facility on the Swedish/Ballard campus. "In a large system like ours, we want to be able to offer our patients the very best care in every situation, and TomoTherapy technology gives us the ability to do so."

The TomoTherapy radiation therapy system is the only one of its kind to be built on a CT imaging platform, which allows clinicians to see the tumor immediately before treatment and adjust radiation delivery in real-time. The ring-like design enables helical delivery of radiation from all angles around a patient, and features beam-shaping technology specifically designed for delivering intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). These features provide clinicians with greater control of how they can conform radiation delivery to complex tumors, while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

The TomoTherapy system introduces the first fully integrated process for radiation therapy, combining software for treatment planning, quality assurance, patient set-up and treatment delivery from a centralized database. Because all patient and treatment plan information is stored in a single, secure location, the risk of data transfer errors is minimized. To further enhance safety, an enclosure surrounds the rotating gantry and associated components so these moving parts cannot come in contact with the patient or therapist.

Swedish Cancer Institute also will be using the TomoTherapy system's TomoDirect™ capabilities at the Ballard campus. The TomoDirect radiation delivery mode is a non-rotational delivery option that enables clinicians to quickly plan and deliver advanced radiation treatments by applying multiple, carefully directed radiation beams to the target area.

"Our long-term goal has been to more fully develop cancer-care capabilities for patients in the northwest Seattle area," said Albert B. Einstein Jr., M.D., executive director of SCI. "The recent expansion and redevelopment of our Ballard campus, and the addition of the TomoTherapy system there, is giving our patients an opportunity to conveniently receive the most advanced cancer care closer to home."

"Swedish Cancer Institute is one of the premier cancer institutions in the Pacific Northwest and we are pleased to be partnering with them to bring the advantages of the TomoTherapy system to the Seattle area," said Fred Robertson, M.D., TomoTherapy's CEO.