Bringing Advanced Photon Therapy Closer to Home at Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center

Cancer care today is more advanced, more personalized, and more effective than ever before, and Radiation Oncology plays a central role in that progress.

February 26, 2026
6 min

Atlantic Health System

At a Glance

Category	Detail
Condition	Cancer requiring radiation therapy
Key Mechanisms	Advanced image-guided, high-dose rate radiation therapy with TrueBeam system integrating onboard imaging, real-time motion management, and rapid dose delivery
Target Population	Cancer patients requiring radiation therapy including breast, prostate, lung, brain, spine, and metastatic disease
Care Setting	Community hospital radiation oncology department with advanced linear accelerator technology

Key Highlights

Installation of Varian TrueBeam system enables precise, efficient radiation therapy locally without need for travel to academic centers
Advanced onboard imaging (HyperSight®) reduces need for invasive tumor marker placement and improves treatment accuracy
High dose rate delivery shortens treatment times from up to 45 minutes to 5-10 minutes, enhancing patient comfort and treatment stability

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

Utilize advanced onboard imaging to visualize tumors directly at treatment time, potentially eliminating invasive marker placement

Management

Deliver radiation therapy using high-dose rate TrueBeam system for efficient, precise treatment tailored to tumor type and location
Incorporate stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) via HyperArc™ for selected brain and body tumors

Monitoring & Follow-up

Perform image-guided alignment before each treatment session to ensure accurate radiation delivery
Maintain physician-to-physician communication before, during, and after therapy to integrate radiation into overall cancer treatment plan

Risks

Minimize patient motion during treatment by reducing session duration to improve accuracy and reproducibility

Patient & Prescribing Data

Cancer patients receiving radiation therapy in a community setting

Advanced photon therapy with TrueBeam allows for fewer invasive procedures, shorter treatment times, and access to complex radiosurgery locally, improving patient convenience and comfort

Clinical Best Practices

Prioritize direct communication with referring physicians to align radiation therapy with overall treatment strategy
Use advanced imaging capabilities to reduce pre-treatment invasive procedures when possible
Leverage rapid dose delivery to enhance patient comfort and reduce motion during treatment
Provide detailed treatment summaries and follow-up communication to referring clinicians to ensure continuity of care
Offer advanced stereotactic radiosurgery options locally to reduce patient travel burden