Technology

Leading-Edge Technology

At MD Anderson - Orlando, we use the most advanced cancer-fighting technology in the nation to give hope to our patients - the most hope for survival. Read on to see how each of these cancer-combating tools allows our expert physicians to better test, treat, and heal our patients, and add hope.

SuperDimension Bronchus SystemTM

Based on electromagnetic technology, wireless tracking of a flexible catheter and virtual three-dimensional images, the SuperDimension Bronchus system allows doctors to access areas deep within the lungs that were once considered out of reach of a pulmonologist's probe. Because the system allows doctors to view the lungs from inside, doctors can precisely diagnose even the smallest abnormalities, and in turn, possibly identify lung cancer sooner in patients.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy

Often referred to as bloodless surgery, Novalis BrainLAB stereotactic radiotherapy delivers photons - high doses of radiation - to eliminate vascular abnormalities or tumors. Although the result is comparable to the Gamma Knife, stereotactic radiotherapy allows for more patient comfort at less cost.

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan

This remarkable nuclear medicine imaging device pinpoints the source of cancer and other diseases in their earliest stages. PET Scans have the ability to identify where cancer is located in the body, determine whether a tumor is malignant or benign, illustrate how a tumor is responding to treatment and let the physician know if the cancer has spread.

Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery

Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery is a procedure that is usually performed on an outpatient basis for people with brain, head and neck, spine, liver and lung tumors. Magnetic resonance and CT scans pinpoint the tumor location and calculate the right dose of radiation.

The radiation beam is formed by a special shaping device and transmitted with great accuracy to the tumor, minimizing the possibility for damage to surrounding tissue or vital structures. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and light sedation - eliminating the risks associated with general anesthesia and major surgery. The patient is then transferred to the treatment room and is positioned on the treatment table.

Novalis then delivers precise, high-energy radiation beams to the center of the tumor. After the treatment is complete, the patient can comfortably return home the same day.

Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery (New Radiation Technology)

• MD Anderson - Orlando is among the first sites in the United States to offer Novalis Shaped Beam Surgery, an advanced radiosurgery technology.
• Novalis is a non-invasive (doesn't require going under a surgeon's knife) delivery of a precise dose of high-energy radiation to shrink or control the growth of a tumor by killing tumor cells or interfering with their ability to grow.
• The field of radiation can be customized to match the shape and size of a tumor. As the tumor begins to shrink, so, too, does the field of radiation. This minimizes the chances of hitting critical structures (such as the optic nerve for brain tumor patients) or healthy tissue that surrounds the tumor.
• The treatment can be used for tumors that were once considered inoperable. Novalis can be used for brain, head, neck, spine, liver, lung and prostate tumors.

MammoSite

MammoSite is a type of partial breast radiation for women with small and early stage breast tumors. By delivering radiation from inside the body and targeting the area where tumors are most likely to recur, radiation exposure is minimized to healthy tissue, which means fewer side effects to the breast, skin, heart and lungs.

The treatment begins with a lumpectomy. During the operation, a surgeon positions the balloon portion of a MammoSite catheter within the cavity created by removing the breast tumor. The other end of the catheter extends outside the breast.

During twice-daily, 15-minute long treatments, a radioactive metal seed about the size of a grain of rice is injected into the catheter, which is attached by a cable to a radiation machine. After the seed delivers radiation to the affected area, it is removed at the end of each session, allowing patients to return home between treatments. Once complete, the catheter is removed at week's end.

Helical tomotherapy is the best radiation therapy for cancer available. MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando uses the TomoTherapy HiArt System. This is the only radiation therapy device that combines a computed tomography (CT) scanner (for 3-D precision planning) with the ability to change the size, shape, location and amount of radiation delivered in a single unit. The radiation beam is shaped to the patient's specific needs as the tumor changes shape. That means the tumor receives a higher dose of radiation, while sparing or minimizing radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. In addition, large or unevenly shaped tumors or several tumors can be treated all at once. MD Anderson - Orlando was the first center in the world and the only one in Central Florida to commercially offer helical tomotherapy, considered the most advanced form of image-guided intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Helical tomotherapy is the future of image-guided IMRT and is an important step forward in cancer treatment. It's anticipated that some patients currently ineligible for radiotherapy may be candidates for treatment because of tomotherapy's enhanced precision." Tomotherapy means "slice therapy."