BATON ROUGE – Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has announced that it has launched a $10 million-plus adaptive radiation therapy program that uses the Elekta Unity treatment system. The center says it is the first and only organization in Louisiana with this technology.
“The Elekta Unity system represents a revolutionary fusion of magnetic resonance imaging, linear accelerator technologies and artificial intelligence that offers unprecedented precision in cancer therapy,” said a hospital spokesperson in a press release. “Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s acquisition of this leading-edge equipment underscores its commitment to providing world-class, patient-focused care and solidifies its position at the forefront of cancer treatment innovation.”
The Art Favre family, community donors and an investment from the Cancer Center funded the acquisition of the system, which will begin being used to treat patients next week.
Elekta Unity is designed to help oncologists visualize tumors and surrounding healthy tissue in real-time, before and during treatment, and with more clarity than before. LINAC technology enables each patient’s treatment plans to be adjusted in response to changes in the patient’s anatomy or tumor size during treatment.
The combination of MR imaging and radiation delivery in a single system is intended to streamline the treatment process. Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms can accelerate the processing of high-resolution imaging and assist the treatment team in identifying changes in anatomy or tumor position.
“The Elekta Unity MR-LINAC is a game-changer in cancer care,” said Kos Kovtun, MD, radiation oncologist and medical director of adaptive radiation therapy at Mary Bird Perkins. “Its ability to provide real-time imaging and adaptive radiotherapy allows us to tailor treatments with unparalleled precision, ultimately improving outcomes for our patients. We are proud to be the only cancer center in Louisiana offering this advanced technology, and we most certainly could not provide care at this level without our generous donors.”
“My family and I are excited to be a part of this momentous achievement, which marks a new era in the fight against cancer,” said Favre, who is a past board chair of the center. “Having this technology will mean more people can stay closer to home and receive the same level of care as some of the largest cancer centers in the country. This is a major win for Louisiana, and as a close friend of Mary Bird Perkins, I can tell you many more innovative, life-saving treatments and services are on the horizon. This is really just the beginning of the Cancer Center’s progression as the Gulf South’s premier cancer care organization.”
