Radiation Oncology facilities and equipment
Our Radiation Oncology Department is among the finest in the world, and has the highest patient and treatment volumes in the State of Michigan, treating more than 3,500 patients per year after approximately 4,100 consults per year. The Elekta Synergy® linear accelerator with an on-board cone-beam CT scanner and kV imager for image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) was invented, designed, and developed in our department. We also installed and commissioned the first Elekta Axesse® linear accelerator in the world, currently in use in our department. This machine is specially designed for CT-based image-guided extracranial radiosurgery with a fully integrated 6D robotic couch. Volumetric image-guided radiotherapy is routinely used to treat patients in the clinic for multiple disease sites.
There are a total of four linear accelerators at the primary institution in Royal Oak. Royal Oak is also home to a full HDR brachytherapy suite, a Gamma Knife® Center, and the Beaumont Proton Center. Royal Oak has 9 clinical faculty members, some of which are full-time, some of which are part-time, and some who focus primarily on research in the lab. Our secondary site at Beaumont Hospital – Troy is home to three linear accelerators as well as a full HDR brachytherapy suite with capabilities for both intracavitary and interstitial procedures. We have 5 full-time faculty members at our Troy location.
Our third and newest site is in Dearborn, and is home to an additional three linear accelerators and a fully functional HDR brachytherapy suite with capabilities for both intracavitary and interstitial procedures. Beaumont Hospital – Dearborn (formerly Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center) has proudly served residents across southeastern Michigan since 1953. It became part of Beaumont Health in September of 2014. Beaumont Hospital – Dearborn is a major teaching and research hospital, and home to three medical residency programs in partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Beaumont Hospital – Dearborn has been recognized for clinical excellence and innovation in the fields of orthopedics, neuroscienes (Stroke Center of Excellence), women’s health, heart and vascular, and cancer care. The Radiation Oncology Department at Beaumont Hospital – Dearborn is staffed by Beaumont Health Radiation Oncologists. We currently have 3 full-time Dearborn faculty and 3 part-time Dearborn faculty who are also faculty at our Royal Oak campus. Our residents now also have the opportunity to spend valuable time at our Dearborn location, participating in all aspects of Radiation Oncology care.
The Gamma Knife® Center at Beaumont has been in operation since 2007. We perform approximately 300 Gamma Knife® intracranial radiosurgery procedures per year working in conjunction with neurosurgeons, otologists, and neuroradiologists. The Gamma Knife® treatment unit has been used to treat a variety of malignant and non-malignant conditions.
Brachytherapy equipment at our institution includes one Nucletron low dose rate interstitial remote afterloader and three Nucletron high dose rate remote afterloaders. Sealed isotopic sources include iridium 192, iodine 125, and strontium 90. We treat approximately 200 patients per year with interstitial or intracavitary brachytherapy implants (approximately 1,000 procedures), which include breast, gynecological, prostate, coronary, and ocular treatments.
Within our hyperthermia suite, external hyperthermia treatments are given using ultrasound and/or radio-frequency units. Interstitial hyperthermia is delivered via a radio-frequency generator and/or two microwave multichannel generators.