Mount Carmel Health System First in Central Ohio to Offer Mark-Free Radiation for Breast Cancer
July 23, 2024Date: July 23, 2024
Mount Carmel Health System First in Central Ohio to Offer Mark-Free Radiation for Breast Cancer
Surface-guided radiation therapy using AlignRT eliminates the need for skin marks for central Ohio patients.
Columbus, Ohio- Mount Carmel Health System is proud to be the first in Central Ohio to offer mark-free radiation therapy for breast cancer treatment using surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) with AlignRT. Developed by VisionRT, this advanced technology eliminates the need for traditional skin marks, providing a more comfortable experience for patients and eliminating the constant reminder of treatment.
Historically, radiation therapy has required small tattoos or skin markings to ensure precise delivery of radiation. And now, patients at Mount Carmel Hospitals can receive radiation treatment without any marks.
Many patients have expressed distress with the permanent or semi-permanent skin marks required in the past. According to VisionRT, 78% of patients prefer a tattoo-less or mark-less treatment, so much that they are willing to spend more time and travel further to a facility that offers it.
“Seeing the marks was a constant reminder for patients of their cancer journey,” said Dr. Alex Yaney, Radiation Oncologist at Mount Carmel Health System. “Offering mark-free treatment allows our patients to be more comfortable and enjoy everyday activities like going to the gym, swimming or looking in a mirror without that constant reminder. This technology enables us to deliver treatment that is more accurate, safer, quicker and improves the patient experience.”
Instead of physical markings, AlignRT projects a pattern of red lights onto the patients’ skin, acting like thousands of virtual tattoos. This information is input into a software program that monitors positioning with sub-millimeter accuracy to ensure patients are treated in the correct position. Utilizing AlignRT results in higher accuracy of set-up, less repeat imaging, and reducing overall treatment time.
“Using this technology for breast cancer treatment is just the beginning,” said Yaney. “We are currently working to expand this offering for treatment of cancers in most every area of the body.”
To learn more about Mount Carmel Health Systems, visit www.mountcarmelhealth.com.
ABOUT MOUNT CARMEL HEALTH SYSTEM
Mount Carmel Health System, a member of Trinity Health, has provided high-quality, comprehensive healthcare services in central Ohio for more than 130 years. Our team of more than 9,000 colleagues, 2,300 physicians and 550 volunteers provide compassionate, people-centered primary and specialty care at its four hospitals—Mount Carmel East, Mount Carmel Grove City, Mount Carmel New Albany and Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, as well as Diley Ridge Medical Center, an affiliation of Mount Carmel and Fairfield Medical Center. The health system is also comprised of Mount Carmel Medical Group and Mount Carmel Health Partners, along with surgery centers, emergency and ambulatory care centers, and hospice and home care services throughout the region.