King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia recently began treating cancer patients with a new high-tech radiation therapy that promises faster, more accurate treatment.
The hospital has treated 70 patients with the Elekta Versa HD system since Nov 2.
"We had been looking for an advanced radiation therapy system that integrated well in our current department setup," KAUH's Vice Dean Faculty of Medicine and Radiotherapy Unit Professor Yasir Bahadur said. "We already have been using Elekta Synergy linear accelerator, Monaco treating planning, MOSAIQ and brachytherapy systems for some time. Versa HD fits in well and provides Agility beam-shaping for high-precision radiotherapy and High Dose Rate mode to reduce beam delivery time."
By applying the radiation in one uninterrupted dose, doctors are able to cut down on the length and number of treatments.
KAUH officials said they expect the development of radiation technology to continue as the technologies prove themselves and patient interest increases.
"Our initial experience with Versa HD has been promising," Bahadur said. "Saudi Arabia is using cutting-edge radiation therapy technology in the vast majority of the country's centers. In our opinion this trend will continue, so we anticipate that demand for advanced technology will increase. KAUH is not only a patient-centered organization, but an academic institution as well. Therefore, we are looking forward to acquiring technology that is beneficial for our patients, in addition to sustainable partnerships for educating and training our students and young professionals."
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