Radiation Oncology Centre

3D Conformal Radiotherapy conforms radiation to the area that the Radiation Oncologist had determined (target) while keeping the dose to the surrounding tissues as low as reasonably achievable. It uses multiple beams of uniform intensity that conform to the target. 

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy is an advanced type of 3D conformal radiotherapy that uses multiple beams that conform to the target of non-uniform intensity. This allows high conformance of dose around the target while the dose to organs at risk is lower and the side effects are less. This technique allows higher doses to be delivered to the target and improves disease local control. 

Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) is a state of the art radiation therapy. It’s a novel form of IMRT that allows dose to be delivered in a single 360 degrees rotation. It is a high precision technique that highly conforms dose around the target. It allows higher dose of radiation to be delivered improving in that way the disease local control. The sourounding healthy tissues are spared and the possibility of side effects is minimized.  HYGEIA’s Radiation Oncology Centre was the first centre in Greece that implemented this method (since 2009).

High dose radiation therapy is delivered by state of the art linear accelarator that uses high dose rate to maximise the advantages of the latest radiation therapy techniqes (IMRT/VMAT) achieving accurate treatment delivery in very short time. HYGEIA’s Radiation Oncology Centre was the first centre in Greece that implemented this method (since 2015).

Image Guided Radiation Therapy refers to the use of patient imaging in the treatment room, just before radiation starts, to ensure accurate dose delivery to the target. Cone beam CT is the most advanced technique. Patient posiotioning is guided by 3D images obtained by an on board CT imager just before the treatment starts. Patient CT images are obtained on the treatment machine and compared to the CT images used for treatment planning. Sophisticated software calculates the differences and corrects on – line the position of the treatment couch. IGRT ensures highest precision of dose delivery. HYGEIAs Radiation Oncology Centre was the first centre in Greece that implemented this method (since 2007).

Stereotactic Radiotherapy – Radiosurgery is a specialized technique, that utilizes highly targeted radiation beams under image guidance for the treatment of small lesions anywhere within the patient.
Unlike conventional fractionated radiotherapeutic techniques, stereotactic radiotherapy deliveres very high dose in a single fraction (called stereotactic radiosurgery) or few (1-10) number of fraction (called stereotactic radiotherapy). HYGEIA’s Radiation Oncology Center performs a wide range of stereotactic applications to target tumors throughout the body using specialized linear accelerators incorporating highly accurate robotic systems (since 2007).

In the last few years, breast cancer survival rates have been steadily increasing, so it is necessary to protect the neighboring organs and avoid indirect side effects in the future. A large percentage of women also undergo chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the disease. Chemotherapy may place a further burden on healthy tissues, such as the heart and lungs, so the side effects may be more intense if followed by radiotherapy. Therefore, it is extremely important to protect the heart and lungs during radiotherapy, limiting subsequent side effects.

HYGEIA Hospital has become the only hospital in Greece to perform left breast radiotherapy using the Active Breathing CoordinatorTM (ABC) system by Elekta. Through this system, the radiation is delivered during a specific breathing phase, protecting the heart and lungs.

The radiotherapy is administered during the inhalation phase, which is when the distance between the heart and the mammary gland is the largest, while the radiation dose to the heart and lungs is reduced.Combined with the only Elekta VERSA HD^ΤΜ linear accelerator installed in Greece capable of administering high FFF dose rate, this method ensures fast and safe radiotherapy for patients, using the advanced ΙMRT/VMAT techniques. The accuracy of the treatment is also ensured with the IGRT technique, i.e. using low-dose CT to pinpoint the correct position of the patient.

The ABC technique may also be used to treat lesions in the lungs and liver, as well as other moving tumors – due to respiratory function – ensuring maximum accuracy during radiation.

Brachyterhapy is a radiotherapy technique that uses radioctive sources placed in body cavities, in tissue or close to the target in order to deliver very high dose to the target while minimizing the dose to the sourrounding tissues. High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy uses high activity sources and allows quick irradiation of the tumor volume. Brachytherapy is used to treat cervical cancer, breast cancer, esophagus cancer etc. Sometimes brachytherapy is combined with external beam radiotherapy.  HYGEIA’s Radiation Oncology Center was the first centre in Greece that implemented this method (since 1993) and performs a wide range of brachyterapy applications including image quided interstitioal brachytherapy techniques. to target tumors throughout the body using specialized linear accelerators incorporating highly accurate robotic systems (since 2007).

The new end-to-end verification method for brain and head and neck radiotherapy ensures maximum patient safety and effective treatment delivery and has been introduced for the first time in Greece at HYGEIA Hospital. The new verification method takes place prior to the patient’s treatment using RTsafe Personalized PseudoPatient™ technology.

Specifically, using CT images and highly accurate 3D printing medical technology, an exact and unique replica of the patient head is created from a material that interacts with radiation similarly to the human tissue. The PseudoPatientTM simulates the anatomy of the patient and allows measurement of the delivered dose to the tumor and the organs at risk. This allows radiotherapy professionals to simulate the radiotherapy procedure on an anatomically perfect facsimile of the patient before the actual treatment is performed, ensuring maximum accuracy and safety during radiotherapy.

The benefits of the method are quite significant for patients, given that many brain tumors are located only a few millimeters from healthy tissue, such as the optic nerve.

HYGEIA Hospital is listed among the leading hospitals using the RTsafe technology worldwide, including UCLA, MD Anderson and UTHealth in the USA, as well as Royal Marsden and the University of Freiburg in Europe.