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FROM STAFF REPORTS

ALABASTER – Generations Radiotherapy and Oncology, PC, owner of the Shelby Cancer Care Center, recently announced that it has signed an agreement with Elekta, Inc. for the purchase of a new linear accelerator, which will be used to treat patients with radiotherapy.

The new equipment, known as an Elekta Infinity Linear Accelerator, is expected to improve both the speed and accuracy with which treatment can be delivered, and will bring new options for treatment, such as intracranial stereotactic radio-surgery for the treatment of tumors located within the brain, while minimizing radiation dose to healthy tissue.

“The new Elekta Infinity LinAc will help us continue to offer our patients the cutting-edge treatments they’ve come to expect, while offering enhanced patient comfort with faster treatment times, and numerous means by which we will improve our accuracy and overall treatment quality,” said the center’s radiation oncologist Dr. Christopher Jahraus.

Nick Callea, Healthcare Account Director with Elekta, Inc., said “Elekta is delighted to continue its longstanding relationship with Generations Radiotherapy. We look forward to installing and supporting the Infinity accelerator, with options that will truly advance the quality of care in this area.”

Earlier this year, Generations Radiotherapy was one of the first four centers in the country to implement Elekta SmartClinic, a software system that helps oncologists provide more seamless, efficient care while giving them the ability to access data in a secure mobile environment as well. Jahraus and the Generations Radiotherapy staff are responsible for numerous improvements to the system as they worked collaboratively with Elekta to better tailor the SmartClinic system to community oncology practice needs. The linear accelerator order comes on the heels of another recently-placed order with Philips Healthcare to provide new imaging equipment to the center.

Beginning March 3, Generations Radiotherapy will be using a Philips Big Bore Oncology CT scanner for designing and targeting cancer patients’ radiation treatment plans. The new scanner is larger than the prior unit, and will offer better options for patient positioning and comfort during radiation treatment, while simultaneously rendering improved image quality. Patients with implanted metal structures such as dental fillings and hip replacements, which may cause inaccuracies in imaging performed on other scanners, will have notably improved image quality on the Philips scanner.

Richard Joyce, regional manager for CT products with Philips Healthcare suggested that the new scanner is characterized by “accuracy, superb imaging performance, and quantitative integrity.” He went on to note that the Generations Radiotherapy unit was “designed and enriched to meet the specific treatment planning and imaging needs of radiation oncology” like those of the center in Alabaster.

News of the new equipment and services has other oncologists at Shelby Baptist pleased as well. Daniel Allendorf, MD, PhD, an oncologist with Alabama Oncology who practices at the Shelby Cancer Care Center was enthusiastic in offering his support for the upgrades.

“These advances will further our common mission of providing first-rate care to all of the patients of our region,” Allendorf said.

Although the new imaging equipment will be functional this spring, the linear accelerator requires a custom build in the Elekta factory in Crawley, England, and will require modifications to the cancer center building in order to accommodate it. Generations Radiotherapy anticipates the new treatment device will be operational in 2021.