Technology at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Department of Radiation Oncology
Advanced technology
Kaiser Permanente's Cancer Treatment Center employs advanced technology that is in use at many of the world's most sophisticated radiation oncology departments.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays to destroy abnormal cells, typically cancer cells. Radiation applied externally (outside the body) may also be referred to as external beam treatment, X-ray therapy, irradiation, or electron beam therapy. A machine called a linear accelerator (LINAC) is positioned near your body and sends high-energy rays to the area of your body needing treatment.
Radiation may also be applied internally using implants of small amounts of radioactive material (brachytherapy). These implants are placed inside the body or directly on cancer cells.
A special type of external radiation therapy called Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is also avalable through Kaiser Permanente. In this very precise set of treatments (typically one to five) a high dose of concentrated radiation can be delivered to the target area with sub-millimeter accuracy. Although there is surgical precision, the treatments are noninvasive-no cutting is involved-and can be delivered in an outpatient setting. This form of radiation is available at various regional referral centers.
Several systems used at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Kaiser Cancer Treatment Center target tumors precisely, minimizing damage to normal tissues. These techniques and systems include:
- Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT )
- Intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT )
- Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT )
- Brachytherapy (High Dose Rate- HDR)
- RapidArcTM radiotherapy
- Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)- at South San Francisco
- Electronic portal imaging device (EPID)
- Multileaf collimator (MLC)
- On-board imager (OBI)
Please see the Glossary section, for a detailed description of each of these cancer treatment techniques and systems.
Regional referral center
A few types of radiation procedures are available only as part of highly specialized programs at selected universities and hospitals. In addition to providing the services offered at most advanced radiation facilities, our Santa Clara Cancer Treatment Center has been designated a Regional Referral Center for High Dose Rate Brachytherapy and Pediatric Oncology.
