Tanner Cancer Care’s newly expanded Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center is not only visually impressive but also features the latest advancements in cancer treatment technology.
Tanner Cancer Care’s newly expanded Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center is now the first community cancer provider in the nation to offer the advanced Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, equipped with the exclusive HyperSight functionality.
“This technology just received FDA approval in March,” said Dr. Anil Dhople, medical director at the Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center and a board-certified radiation oncologist at Tanner Radiation Oncology. “Right now, it’s only available in about half a dozen research facilities, with none in the Southeast.”
HyperSight, developed by Varian, represents a major breakthrough in radiotherapy. In radiation therapy, precision is critical for effectively targeting cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. HyperSight enhances treatment accuracy by providing radiation oncologists with near-real-time, high-quality imaging, enabling faster treatment planning and adjustments.
For patients, this means quicker treatments with reduced side effects due to more precise radiation delivery. The technology provides doctors with clearer images that offer a larger field of view, greater contrast, and more spatial detail to guide the treatment process.
At Tanner Cancer Care, patients begin their cancer journey with a clinical scan on the center’s CT device, which is then used to plan their radiation treatments. While traditional linear accelerators offer on-board CT imaging, the images are often grainy, slow, and challenging to interpret. HyperSight, however, provides high-definition images that allow radiation oncologists to modify treatment plans in real time.
“We can monitor a tumor’s response to treatment immediately,” Dr. Dhople explained. “This gives us the flexibility to adjust our approach as needed during treatment, which is revolutionary. Tanner is the only community-based cancer care provider offering this technology.”
Dr. Dhople added that HyperSight is particularly valuable for treating tumors near sensitive areas, such as the spine, where minimizing radiation exposure is crucial.
“Advancements in radiation oncology are all about improving accuracy,” he said. “This technology gives us near-diagnostic quality images during treatment, allowing us to target cancer from all angles without harming healthy tissue. It’s a major leap forward.”
The HyperSight technology is part of the new Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator featured in the Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center’s recent expansion.
“This will allow us to provide faster treatments, reducing the time patients spend on the machine,” Dr. Dhople noted. “It also minimizes radiation exposure, as we can make adjustments quickly and clearly. Ultimately, this technology will improve outcomes, save time, and provide patients and their families with greater confidence in their care. Tanner’s commitment to cutting-edge cancer treatment is evident, as we are the first community provider in the nation to offer HyperSight on a TrueBeam linear accelerator.”
