We’re excited to announce that the Austin Center for Radiation Oncology has added the Halcyon Radiation Therapy System to our practice! Engineers of this state-of-the-art device spent years building it from the ground up with the goals of increased treatment efficiency, precision, technical simplicity, and patient comfort.

Halcyon precision and speed

The Halcyon system rapidly delivers image guided Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) through a dual-layered multi-leaf collimator to precisely target the cancerous tumor. The increased speed of this system allows faster treatment times, while minimizing the exposure risk of tissue and organs that are in close proximity to the tumor being targeted.

Because treatment times are reduced patients benefit from less time on the table during treatments, and more flexibility in securing desired time slots for treatment. This includes the possibility of receiving treatments during ‘non-traffic’ hours – avoiding early morning and afternoon drive times when traffic in Austin is heavy.

Patient comfort

A key aspect of Halcyon therapy is designed around patient outcomes, safety, and comfort. Halcyon is an enclosed unit, much like a CT machine. The patient table is constructed to be lowered close to the ground, allowing patients to get on and off the table safely. The machine also has a large opening so that patients don’t feel constricted during treatment. Engineers also built in ambient lighting, and sound canceling controls so that treatments are quiet and comfortable. Noise cancelling has also been built into the intercom system between the device and technical controls outside the treatment area. This allows radiation technicians to clearly communicate with patients who are in the radiation room undergoing treatment.

As Dr. Garza will explain to patients during their consultation, it is important to keep the bladder full during each radiation treatment. One of the benefits of Halcyon radiation therapy is the speed of the system. This improves patient comfort because they will not need to hold their urine as long during their daily treatments.

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, contact our office to schedule a consultation.