The linear accelerator and the treatment bed are highly mobile. The lasers are often sighted on a small tattoo inked on patients to mark where the linear accelerator should be aimed. Small, custom-made baffles may be used to limit the flow and shape of the radiation. Then, a small dose of radiation is directed at the tumor, shrinking or destroying it over time. The linear accelerator treats about 50 patients a day.
Illnesses treated include cancers of the breast, prostate, head, neck, lung and lymph nodes.
The treatments are short, usually no more than a few minutes. Having the accelerator so close to home means, for local residents, that a treatment visit is as convenient as a trip to the corner store, Abner said. The endoscopy suite is used to diagnose gastrointestinal bleeding, peptic ulcers and colon cancers. People are referred by their primary-care physician because they have reached a certain age, typically 50, or have a family history of colon cancer. Now, with our expansion, we can handle patients with the newest video and monitoring technology in a more timely and comfortable manner.