Technology

Technology

Cutting Edge Technology

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is committed to providing the highest standard of care and offering our patients the most up-to-date, leading edge radiation treatment technology in the nation. Many innovative practices that have improved radiation-based imaging and treatment technology are a result of collaboration between the Center’s physicians and medical physicists. These scientists are finding new ways to use technology to enhance patient care.

Icon- Technology

Gamma Knife Icon

Gamma Knife Icon is a noninvasive and innovative radiosurgery technology for the treatment of primary brain tumors, brain metastases and other central nervous system conditions. The Icon is now treating patients at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Versa- Technology

Elekta Versa HD

The latest, most sophisticated cancer treatment system available, Elekta Versa HD, is available at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge. Versa HD can significantly reduce treatment times and decrease the number of treatments, enhancing the patient experience.

Additionally, Versa HD leverages the latest advances in technology to enable treatment of traditionally challenging cases. The system’s patented technology provides superior conformance to tumor size, shape and volume, allowing Cancer Center clinicians to administer higher dose rates in less time, which can enhance treatment effectiveness while protecting critical structures such as the heart, spine or bladder.  With Versa HD’s more conformal treatments, it significantly limits normal tissue exposure and decreases side effects, which not only manages a patient’s cancer, but also minimizes the impact of treatment on their quality of life.

For more information on Versa HD, please read our press release.

Elekta Infinity

Elekta Infinity

The Infinity is a radiation treatment system with VMAT (volumetric modulated arc therapy), an advanced IMRT (intensity-modulated radiation therapy) technique that enables delivery of high doses of radiation to the tumor while minimizing effects on surrounding normal tissues. The Infinity is one of the most advanced linear accelerator available, with tools that allow us to personalize treatment and support the accuracy of its delivery.

For more information on Elekta Infinity, please read our press release.

Imaging

Imaging

Because diagnostic imaging plays a critical role in initial cancer diagnosis, treatment planning and palliative therapies, the 8,149-square-foot Thomas J. Moran Imaging Center in Baton Rouge offers the latest in diagnostic technologies, including digital X-ray, CT, nuclear medicine, SPECT/CT, PET/CT and MRI. The Imaging Center is named after throat and lung cancer survivor Thomas J. “T.J.” Moran, a grateful patient who was moved by the compassionate and expert care he received and made an initial $1 million donation. His gift inspired many others to give and led to the creation of the Heart of a Hero Honor and Memorial Program.

Da Vinci

Da Vinci Surgical System

The daVinci Surgical System allows surgeons to perform procedures laparoscopically instead of a more traditional open approach. It is used for prostate removal, kidney removal and certain complex head and neck procedures such as removing tumors from the base of the tongue or removing stones from saliva glands. We are the only Cancer Center in the area using the daVinci Surgical System for these types of procedures.

Some benefits of using the System for minimally invasive surgery include: high-definition 3D vision and unparalled precision and ability to fully manipulate small objects through a small space, provided by the system’s EndoWrist instrumentation.

HexaPOD evo RT System

HexaPODMary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge is now utilizing the HexaPOD evo RT System, an advanced robotic patient positioning platform providing six degrees of positioning freedom. The technology is utilized to even more precisely deliver stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), a cancer treatment delivering extremely defined, very intense doses of radiation to cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Utilizing HexaPOD with SBRT provides for the best possible outcome, especially in cases of cancer located within the spine, bones, liver, lung and other critical and hard-to-reach anatomy.