MADURAI / January 21, 2023: First time in Tamilnadu, Tomotherapy with clear RT and Synchrony facility has been inaugurated at Meenakshi Mission Hospital & Research Center (MMHRC) in Madurai. The inaugural function saw the participation of top management and medical specialists from the hospital, including Dr. S. Gurushankar, Chairman; Mrs. Kamini Gurushankar; Dr. Kirushna Kumar KS, Senior Consultant & HOD, Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Dr. Ramesh Ardhanari (Medical Director & HOD, Dept. of Gastroenterology; and Dr Kannan B, Medical Administrator.
In his address, Dr. S Gurushankar, Chairman, MMHRC, spoke about the hospital’s innovative initiatives in cancer treatment. “We are happy to introduce this latest equipment for radiation therapy in India that can cause a transformation in the practice of cancer treatment. Meenakshi Mission Hospital has been a trailblazer in embracing new technologies and is actively working to raise healthcare service standards, particularly in southern Tamil Nadu.”
Tomotherapy is a type of cancer therapy in which radiation is aimed at a tumor from many different directions as the patient lies around the table. The radiation source in the machine rotates around the patient in a spiral pattern. The introduction of Tomotherapy with Clear RT and Synchrony facility has considerably strengthened radiation therapy capabilities at Meenakshi Mission Hospital. It is one of the most ground-breaking developments in radiation in the history of cancer care. Tomotherapy entirely redefines the norm for customized and accurate treatment of malignancies anywhere in the body, while establishing a new paradigm for patient comfort and quality of life.
“The installation of Tamilnadu’s first Tomotherapy with clear RT and Synchrony facility serves as more evidence to the world that a tier-II city like Madurai can leverage cutting-edge technology and provide services that are often seen only in the world’s top hospitals. While adopting latest technology with therapeutic benefits is something we are constantly interested in, we also make sure that such technology is made accessible to the masses,” said Dr. S Gurushankar.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Kirushna Kumar, Senior Consultant & HOD, Dept. of Radiation Oncology said that MMHRC has introduced such atop-notch instrument for cancer treatment for the first time in Tamilnadu, which is very reassuring for patients. “With the help of this system, we can precisely target the size, shape and location of the patient’s tumor, thereby reducing normal tissue dose by adjusting the radiation beam’s size, shape and intensity. Compared to traditional cancer treatment systems, ClearRT’s enhanced picture clarity enables doctors to effectively see more, know more, and do more.”
The doctor said that ClearRT offers market-leading functionality to maximize clinical treatment delivery capabilities. Clinicians can use synchrony technology to increase the dose and Precisely deliver to the target thereby reducing the reaction to the healthy tissue. The system does away with the necessity for breath holds and patient restraints, which reduces discomfort and enhances the patient experience overall. Multiple targets such as the liver, lung and brain can be treated in one go. A patient or treatment area with a maximum length of 135 cm can be treated without any breaks. In lungs, liver, prostate, etc., moving tumours can be tracked and treated in real time using this technology.
To mark the inauguration of the new facility at MMHRC, an activity called the “Purple Movement” was organized. More than 400 individuals marched from Race Course Road to MMHRC as part of a rally to raise awareness about Tomotherapy among the general public.