Cutting edge radiotherapy equipment installed at Charing Cross Hospital
Cancer patients are benefitting from the next generation of radiotherapy treatment thanks to two new state-of-the-art linear accelerator machines (LINACS) installed at Charing Cross Hospital.
The new machines use high energy X-ray beams to target and destroy cancer cells and are the most advanced of their kind. They include a high precision radiation delivery system, highly accurate imaging and a robotic patient couch which allows patients to be precisely positioned during treatment. This means that treatment can be adapted to the exact size, shape and position of the tumour, helping to deliver increasing levels of precision to target tumours.
The radiotherapy team at Charing Cross see up to 150 patients a day, sometimes more. By using the latest evolution of LINAC technology the Trust will be able to continue delivering its excellent outcomes for patients and help people with smaller tumours that might have previously been treated elsewhere.
The two new LINACS, worth £6 million, were purchased by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust with £4.2 million secured from NHS as part from the radiotherapy modernisation fund. The first machine started treating patients in September 2018 with the second machine going live today, 1 April 2019 – five months ahead of schedule (pictured above with the radiotherapy physics team).
Dr Catherine Urch, divisional director of surgery, cardiovascular and cancer, said:
“We are delighted to be able to offer our patients the very latest in radiotherapy treatment. The new LINACS will allow us to treat complex cases more efficiently as well as giving us greater precision. They are part of our largest ever investments in new facilities and equipment at Charing Cross Hospital.”
Over the past two years, some £6 million has been spent on major new developments at Charing Cross, including: Riverside theatres; main outpatient clinics; a new acute medical assessment unit; our first patient service centre; and the main new facility for North West London Pathology. We are also carrying out a £7 million pound refurbishment and expansion of the A&E at Charing Cross. Much of this work has been made possible by the support of Imperial Health Charity.
