Radiation Oncology

Radiation Oncology is an important component to the overall care of 60-65% of cancer patients throughout their cancer journey. Shady Grove Adventist Radiation Oncology delivers high-quality care in its two state-of-the-art facilities located in Germantown and Rockville.

Radiation Oncology Services

The Shady Grove Adventist Radiation Oncology Center at Rockville is accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The Germantown center will receive ACR accreditation when it becomes eligible in the summer of 2012. Only 15 percent of centers in the U.S. are ACR accredited. Both the Rockville and Germantown provide state-of-the-art equipment for the latest advancement in treatments, including:

• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a cutting edge cancer treatment method that uses specialized equipment to match the radiation beam to the contours of the tumor, which allows for precise delivery of higher doses of radiation to the cancer cells and spares the surrounding healthy tissues.
• Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) is a technique that involves imaging the tumor area on a daily basis while the patient is on the treatment table. If the present image shows a change to the planned treatment image, the radiation oncologist can make an instant change to the active treatment field before treatment is delivered.
• Elekta Synergic is Elekta’s next generation arc therapy technique that establishes new standards for radiation therapy treatment speed and dose reduction to the patient. With Elekta VMAT, single or multiple radiation beams sweep in uninterrupted arc(s) around the patient, dramatically speeding treatment delivery. Doctors can use Elekta VMAT to reduce treatment times from the 8 to 12 minutes required for “conventional” radiation therapy to as few as 2 minutes.
• CT Simulation uses special x-ray equipment to capture 3-D images that can determine the exact location and size of the area to be treated, which is used to create a unique plan for each patient’s treatment.
• Transperineal Interstitial Brachytherapy (Prostate Seed Implants) places tiny radioactive seeds in the prostate gland. This one-day procedure is done on an outpatient basis. The therapy delivers high doses of radiation directly to the area of the tumor with minimal side effects. Prostate Seed Implants are performed at local hospitals by the radiation oncologist and urologist.
• Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Treatment (SRS/SRT) is an advanced treatment that delivers high doses of radiation using a very thin beam during one to four treatment sessions. It is generally used for smaller lesions and metastases of the brain. Because tumors treated with stereotactic radiosurgery are quite small, this approach requires precise patient positioning and exact targeting of the beam. This treatment will be available at the Rockville center in August 2012.
• High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy uses a catheter to deliver radiation directly within or adjacent to the tumor. This therapy is used to treat breast cancer using the Mammosite or Contara method, which allows patients who meet carefully defined criteria to complete treatment within five days compared with up to six weeks of standard treatment. It is also used effectively for gynecological, esophageal, skin and thoracic malignancies. HDR will be available at the Germantown center in June 2012.

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