Launch of Versa HD Equipment
The hospital has recently invested € 8.6 million in our Radiotherapy Department – one of the busiest in Ireland treating on average 60-70 patients every day. This department has been at the forefront of providing Radiotherapy services as part of our comprehensive multi-disciplinary oncology services since the mid 1990’s
This investment puts the hospital at the forefront of modern radiotherapy treatment with the installation of a pair of identically matched Versa HD™ systems, which combine high-definition dynamic radiosurgery treatments and precision radiotherapy in a single platform. We also invested in new planning, recording and workflow systems which will transition the Department to a paperless / paperlite environment over the coming year.
Patients attending the hospital will now be treated with precision radiotherapy and dynamic radiosurgery giving them the best possible treatment and care at a time of severe illness.
The new technology will allow our Radiotherapy Department to introduce Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) treatments for patients. VMAT is a highly efficient and accurate method of radiation delivery that maximises the radiation dose to the target while minimising the exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. The new equipment also allows the introduction of Stereotactic treatments, a specialised type of radiation therapy which employs the use of small beams and associated high radiation doses directed at a tumour. VMAT will be possible for virtually all treatments and the department will have the capability to launch a stereotactic radiotherapy service that can extend not only to curative cases, but palliative cases as well.
The first Versa HD was launched in June of 2017 and the second in September 2017. With the introduction of these state of the art machines and systems, we hope to make available further treatment opportunities for a wider range of patients.
Visit our Radiotherapy department for further information.