By Sarrah Peters
News Editor
About a month ago, Gadsden Regional Medical Center’s Cancer Center began using a new machine that will help fight cancer more efficiently.
The new machine is the latest technology in radiation treatment.
“We went from having a Ford to a Ferrari,” said Josh Hester, GRMC Assistant Chief Executive Officer
The new machine allows for radiation treatment to be more precise and effective. It cuts down on the amount of radiation sessions needed. It tracks a patients respiration, and only applies radiation to the necessary area, making the treatment safer for patients, and allowing for treatment in sensitive areas like the brain. As a result, the radiation treatment is now more effective.
“There is no technology anywhere that can touch this and we’ve got it right here in Gadsden,” said Hester. “I think that is one of the most impressive things. We are a community hospital and we’ve got the same technology as some of the best in the country.”
In fact, the machine is one of only three in the state.
The machine also allows for the treatment to go faster, which is especially helpful with cancers that make lying still painful, such as bone cancer.
“We can do the most specific dose in the most specific location to take care of any tumor you’ve got,” said Hester.
The project to receive the new machine started about a year and a half ago.
GRMC Radiologic Technologist Chad Montgomery is one of the technicians that flew to Las Vegas to get advanced training in how to operate the machine.