As leaders in radiation therapy, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center and Hobbs Oncology Center on the Doctors Hospital campus have received accreditation by the American College of Radiology. We also participate in the Radiation Oncology Therapy Group (RTOG), the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP).

In addition, Riverside is the area's recognized leader in prostate seed implantation, with volumes increasing 500% from 1997 to 2001.

Patients who come to Riverside for radiation treatment visit a separate, free-standing facility adjacent to the hospital, with free parking right outside the door and easy and convenient hours and scheduling.

Our staff

Therapies

Equipment and technologies

Our staff

Our physicians provide optimal care for patients, combining the disciplines of surgery, medical oncology and many other professionals involved in the care of patients with cancer. Our staff includes:

• Radiation oncologists
• Licensed radiation therapists
• Board certified medical physicist and dosimetrists
• Support personnel

A radiation oncologist is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to manage oncologic emergencies.

Our staff works with you and your doctor to determine the best treatment; this may be radiation alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

— back to top —

Therapies

Our program provides a wide range of cancer therapies including

External bream therapy

• Brachytherapy for a variety of cancers including prostate, lung, esophageal and cervical cancer
  • Cardiac brachytherapy for the prevention of cardiac restenosis
  • Intracavitary brachytherapy
  • Interstitial brachytherapy
  • Low dose rate and high dose rate afterloading devices
  • Radioactive prostate seed implants
  • Strontium-89 isotope therapy
• 3-D conformal treatment planning and radiation therapy
• Stereotactic radiosurgery to provide precision and safety for radiation dosage of lesions
• Practical intensity modulated treatment therapy (IMRT)
• Stereotactic radiosurgery

Before beginning treatments, one of our radiation oncologists consults with you and your doctor to determine the need for additional evaluation, then schedules a simulation, or planning session. The simulation allows the oncologist to see the area to be treated and how beams will enter, at which time specifics like dosage can be determined in concert with CT scan images.

— back to top —

Equipment and technologies

We have the latest equipment and technology available, including a new Varian linear accelerator with multi-leaf collimator technology and the Clinac EX Series.

The collimator technology allows more dose to be delivered directly to the tumor and less to surrounding, healthy tissue. The EX Series offer the best, most accurate treatment available using external beam radiation. The microwave and accelerator designs allow shorter treatment times for critical patients and for conformal therapy, and the computerized control system allows fractional dose rate control and absolute mechanical positioning.

We also use three linear accelerators, with multiple photon and electron beams for external beam therapy and computerized, three-dimensional conformal treatment planning. Our linear accelerators are state-of-the-art, and capable of treating tumors deep inside the body or closer to the skin surface and in the skin.

The Trilogy Stereotactic System at Riverside

The Trilogy Stereotactic System is an imaging and treatment machine combined into one. It can take an image that pinpoints the exact location of the tumor, enabling the beam to target the tumor more precisely. That, combined with the amazing accuracy of the beam itself, allows treatment of smaller lesions and tumors that are very close to vital structures resulting in substantially fewer side effects and a much better quality of life for patients. 

The Trilogy System can:

• Pinpoint smaller tumors
• Accurately treat hard-to-reach tumors
• Target more of the radiation to the tumor while sparing healthy tissue around it
• Produce Cone Beam CT (CBCT) images

The system is augmented by the BrainLab ExacTrac, which further enables us to provide image-guided radiation therapy with shorter treatment time and less patient discomfort.

The Trilogy Stereotactic System can be used to offer a variety of treatment modalities, including:

• Intensity-modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)
• Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
• Stereotactic radiosurgery - the most advanced treatment mode currently available
• Conventional 3-D conformal therapy
• A choice of treatment technique that will be customized for each patient

For more information about the Trilogy System at Riverside, or to refer a patient for radiation teratment or therapy, please call Riverside Radiation Oncology at (614) 566-5560.

— back to top —