TomoTherapy®

The TomoTherapy® Hi•Art® system introduces a new, integrated way to deliver radiation treatments for cancer. The process makes it easier on clinicians and patients alike. offering maximal chance of cancer cure with minimal radiation related side effects. Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, CA is the only Tomotherapy treatment center in the San Diego area. We are currently using Tomotherapy to treat most cancer sites including brain tumors, prostate cancers, head and neck cancers, lung cancers, and esophageal cancers.

Download the TomoTherapy Patient Brochure

The TomoTherapy® Hi•Art® treatment system gives clinicians everything they need to deliver the best radiation therapy possible.

TomoTherapy users have the unique ability to:

• Use daily CT imaging to guide treatment based on patient anatomy for that day, rather than for last week or last month
• Customize delivery for each patient, surrounding the target with highly-precise radiation delivered from all angles
• Minimize radiation exposure to healthy tissue
• If necessary, adapt the treatment plan at any point

About five years ago, the first patient was treated on a Hi•Art system. Today, thousands will be treated on more than 150 systems installed in centers around the world. This growing community of patients—survivors—is our greatest source of pride and inspiration.

Before beginning a TomoTherapy treatment, the doctor puts together a plan using 3D images from a combination of scanning technologies (such as CT and MRI) and special software to establish the precise contours for each tumor and surrounding sensitive organs or tissues. The doctor then prescribes how much radiation the tumor should receive, as well as acceptable levels for healthy tissue nearby. The Hi•Art treatment system calculates the appropriate pattern, position and intensity of the radiation beams to be delivered, based on the doctor’s prescribed dose.

After checking in for a daily treatment, the patient will be taken to the TomoTherapy treatment room where a radiation therapist will help them onto the Hi•Art system’s couch. The patient will most likely lie on their back, and the therapist may fit them with a special device to help them hold still during treatment.

First, the couch will move the patient through the machine once for daily CTrue imaging. Based on these images, the therapist may fine tune the patient’s position via small couch adjustments. Then the couch will move the patient through the machine once again, this time more slowly, as the Hi•Art system delivers the daily treatment.

A typical course of radiation therapy involves a daily process, Monday through Friday. The number of treatments varies by case. On the average, the full daily TomoTherapy procedure takes 20 minutes from when the patient enters the treatment room until they leave. This includes about five minutes for the daily CT to be performed and another five minutes for treatment to be delivered (“beam-on time”). The remaining time is used for patient set-up and image registration for proper positioning.

TomoTherapy treatments are usually painless. While there is no discomfort from the radiation beam entering the body, occasionally patients will experience discomfort related to the treatment position. The experience is similar to having a CT scan or an x-ray taken. You may hear a clicking noise and the hum of the machine, both of which are normal sounds that the machine makes.

Download Tomotherapy Patient Brochure Brochure Requires Free Adobe Reader - download here if needed

For more information visit the TomoTherapy web site