Physician Info
Home Patient Info IMRT Equipment/Planning Dr. Walsh Physician Info Directions Contact Info Questions

  

Physicians can be assured of quality care for their patients, detailed progress reports, and:  

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy at Mid-Rivers Cancer Center

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a powerful cancer-fighting technology. 

Conditions Treated with IMRT

Oncologists consider IMRT to be ideal for prostate cancer as well as benign and malignant tumors of the head and neck, and other organs that lie near important body parts such as the eyes, optic nerves, brain, brain stem, salivary glands, bladder, rectum, small bowel, kidneys, liver, lung and spinal cord.  We also treat patients with breast cancer and lung cancer, to protect the heart and normal lung.  

How It Works

Unlike regular 3-D radiation therapy, IMRT with "inverse" planning enables the radiation oncologist to constrain the dose of unwanted radiation.  This reduces the dose of radiation that would otherwise cause "collateral damage" to surrounding tissue.

Mid-Rivers Cancer Center IMRT uses diagnostic imaging, computers, special software, and solid brass compensators to conform the radiation beam to the shape of the tumor. IMRT is the latest advance in 3-D CRT technology. IMRT involves the use of varying intensities of hundreds of small radiation beams to produce dosage distributions that are more precise (conformal) than those possible with 3-D CRT. Each patient who receives IMRT at Mid-Rivers Cancer Center will have three (3) to five (5) custom milled solid brass compensators created for each treatment course. New studies presented at the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation (ASTRO) meeting in November, 2005, have shown that patients experienced fewer side effects when treated with IMRT than with 3-DCRT.

Advantages of Mid-Rivers Cancer Center IMRT for your patients:

The advantages of IMRT, compared to traditional radiation therapies, include:

+Decreased radiation to normal sensitive surrounding tissue

+Decreased chance of harming normal cells

+Higher radiation dosage to cancer cells

+Precise radiation distribution

+Increased chance of destroying cancer cells


Mid-Rivers Cancer Center also uses VEEBAAT®

The VEEBAAT® system was designed by and for Radiation Oncologists. Today’s Radiation Oncologists are constantly being challenged to provide the latest in cancer treatments by a more informed patient population. Increased publicity and healthcare agencies' involvement in patient safety require the Radiation Oncologist to balance safe patient care with these bureaucratic demands.

• Our Sign-In module and Dynamic Reporting feature alert the physician of patient status, which reduces “run around” time.

• Patient cross-checks and ID sounds occur in real-time.

• Treatment documentation occurs at the point of patient care.

• Physicians can plan more sophisticated, tailored treatments because VEEBAAT® increases confidence in the treatment delivery process.

 

Insurance Coverage for your patients

Mid-Rivers Cancer Center, Montross, Virginia, has been fully reimbursed by all insurance companies for radiological treatments made at Mid-Rivers Cancer Center.  You can plan your medical care with the assurance it will not be disrupted by insurance concerns!  

Mid-Rivers Cancer Center participates in all major insurance plans including: Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna, Tricare, and Cigna.

 

To refer one of your patients to Mid-Rivers Cancer Center please call: 804-493-8880
or send Fax to: 804-493-9993

 

 

 This site last modified: 20 January 2008
Copyright © 2007-08 Christopher S. Walsh, M.D.; all rights reserved.

Portions of site content adapted from non-copyrighted material and resources.