The Cancer Center at Lake Manassas is proud to offer the latest radiation therapy and treatment planning technologies to help in the fight against cancer.

IMRT   |  IGRT with Onboard Imaging  |   PET/CT   |   Brachytherapy  |  Chemotherapy

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy - IMRT is a state-of-the-art cancer treatment method that delivers high doses of radiation directly to cancer cells in a very targeted way, much more precisely than is possible with conventional radiation therapy. IMRT can deliver higher radiation doses directly to cancer cells while sparing more of the surrounding healthy tissue. This has important advantages in oral cancers as it allow the beams to hit their target area while missing the surrounding structures such as the salivary glands.

IMRT uses computer-generated images to plan, and then deliver, tightly focused radiation beams to cancerous tumors. Clinicians use it to exquisitely "paint" the tumor with a precise radiation beam that conforms as closely as possible to the shape of the tumor. IMRT can be used to treat tumors that might have been considered untreatable in the past due to close proximity of vital organs and structures.

A powerful computer program optimizes a treatment plan based on a physician's dose instructions and information about tumor size, shape, and location in the body. A medical linear accelerator, equipped with a special device called a multileaf collimator that shapes the radiation beam, delivers the radiation in accordance with the treatment plan. The equipment can be rotated around the patient to send radiation beams from the most favorable angles for giving the tumor a high dose while preserving important healthy tissues.

Image Guided Radiation Therapy with On-board Imaging -The Cancer Center is equipped with a linear accelerator for delivering radiation treatments, and it was one of the first centers in Northern Virginia to utilize new technology known as image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). This technology is used to scan patients before daily treatment to ensure accuracy and significantly minimize treatment side effects. Here's how it works:

• High-resolution 3-D images of the treatment area are taken immediately before each daily treatment. This technique, known as image-guided radiation therapy, helps track changes in the position of the tumor or cancerous area in the patient’s body.
• The new images are compared with images from the patient’s original treatment plan.
• Depending on the changes that the images show, the patient’s position on the treatment table is adjusted so that the radiation can be delivered more directly to the treatment area.

View video demonstration of patient positioning for IGRT

PET/CT Imaging - The Cancer Center is one of the only facilities in the area to offer PET/CT imaging with a direct link to our radiation treatment planning computer. This technology allows more accurate and efficient treatment planning, as the images are immediately imported into the cancer center treatment planning system in a matter of minutes. PET/CT imaging combines two tests—a PET (positron emission tomography) scan and a CT (computed tomography) scan—to produce images that allow doctors to more precisely pinpoint where cancers are located and how far they have spread. This lets the doctors make more accurate treatment planning decisions, allowing for more precise and effective care. For patients with head and neck cancers, PET/CT imaging can be especially helpful. Head and neck cancers tend to be challenging to treat with radiation, and PET/CT imaging helps improve treatment effectiveness while keeping side effects and complications to a minimum.

Brachytherapy - During this procedure, radiation is delivered to the prostate by inserting small, rice-sized radioactive seeds into the prostate. It is a simple, same-day surgery that usually takes about two hours. Patients can generally return to their normal daily routine within a few days. Depending on the case, patients may need only the brachytherapy implant, but some may also require external radiation. Dr. Aggarwal will soon be working with local urologists to provide the implants at both Prince William Hospital and Fauquier Hospital.

Chemotherapy - The Cancer Center at Lake Manassas is pleased to welcome Fairfax-Northern Virginia Hematology and Oncology, P.C., to our facility. Patients can now receive both chemotherapy and radiation therapy services at the Cancer Center under the care of local doctors who work collaboratively to develop and monitor each patient’s treatment plan. For chemotherapy information or to contact Fairfax-Northern Virginia Hematology and Oncology, call (703) 369-1400) or visit their website http://www.fnvho.com/site/. Chemotherapy services are also offered at both Fauquier and Prince William Hospitals. For information on chemotherapy services at the hospital, call Prince William Hospital Physician Referral at (703) 530-WELL or Fauquier Hospital Physician Referral at  (540) 316-DOCS or toll free 800-322-7500.