Imaging Center
The right beginnings mean a higher success rate, with accurate diagnosis critical to high-quality medical services. MedPark Hospital’s Imaging Center has been designed to provide the best possible services including diagnostic radiology, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine, to help medical teams raise the bar in their practice, thus increasing the patient’s quality of life.
- Diagnostic Radiology
MedPark Hospital’s Diagnostic Radiology Department is staffed by more than 20 experienced specialists and has radiologists on duty around the clock. Advanced instruments and technology including CT Scan, MRI, or examination which integrates several techniques together to provide more accurate and faster diagnosis. This also allows specialists to control the radiation dose and the treated area in order to minimize impacts on surrounding healthy tissue.
Crafted by doctors
The Diagnostic Radiology Department is located on the 6th floor. It also provides ultrasound and X-ray equipment for the Emergency Room to shorten the time required for medical examinations and procedures and eliminate any difficulties in moving patients to the 6th floor.
Decisions on the location of the department and of the equipment were made by MedPark Hospital’s architect team in close collaboration with radiology specialists early in the design phase. By involving radiologists in the conceptualization and design, MedPark has been able to effectively manage space and building functions for the benefit of both the medical team and patients.
Highly experienced team
To meet its goal of being a private hospital of choice offering the highest quality medical services, MedPark Hospital’s Imaging Center has carefully recruited team members with at least five years of experience in their specialty areas. They are part of the multi-disciplinary team and work closely with experts from other departments in order to understand the root cause of the individual patient’s condition and illness. Information from the Imaging Center, clinical information, and patient history taking are combined to provide a comprehensive picture of the patient’s condition and illness, thus allowing the multi-disciplinary team to come up with appropriate treatment and efficient patient care.
Close collaboration
Radiologists work closely with medical specialists and join the ICU ward rounds, thus giving the opportunity for immediate consultation on diagnostic and radiotherapy options to the physician in charge. This shortens medical procedures and reduces time as the radiologist can promptly read the radiology report, compare radiology imaging with other diagnostic techniques and propose other options for additional examination or treatment. This information is crucial in assisting doctors to make better decisions on both diagnosis and treatment.
Advanced digital technology for enhanced patient safety
All machines at the Imaging Center are digitalized and the latest models in their range. They include Digital X-ray Optima 646HD, Mobile X-rayXR240amx, Ultrasound Logiq E10 and E9, Bone Bensitometry, MRI 3 T MAGNETOM Vida, CT SOMATOM Go Top, CT SOMATOM DRIVE, PET CT Biograph Horizon, SPEC CT Symbia Intevo 6 Selenia Dimensions, and Selenia workstation.
Advanced radiology technology allows for minimum use of contrast media and lowers the radiation dose while maintaining high quality imaging for efficient diagnosis. Thanks to the lower contrast media and radiation dose, pediatric patients, those with kidney disease, patients requiring radiotherapy every three or six months, and patients undergoing annual checks for lung cancer will enjoy lower risks of side effects from contrast media and damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
The latest CT Scan machine at MedPark Hospital is much faster than its predecessors and can complete scanning in less than one minute. This is more comfortable for patients who cannot hold their breath or stay still for longer periods during the scan.
The MRI machine has a larger tunnel or Magnet Room thus providing more space for larger patients and calming those prone to claustrophobia. It is easy for specialists to adjust imaging method, which makes it faster to take images and to examine the patients.
- Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a proven treatment for cancer and some other conditions. Located on floor B2, the Radiotherapy Department is designed to the highest safety standards with parts of the concrete walls 2.5 meters thick to prevent radiation leakage.
The Radiotherapy Department is equipped with advanced, high efficiency machines. The equipment can accurately target cancer cells and avoid harming healthy surrounding issue, thus allowing for better quality of life over the treatment period.
Radiotherapy comprises two types: teletherapy where the radiation is delivered from a machine outside the patient’s body, and brachytherapy, a procedure that involves placing Iridium 192 inside the patient’s body to delivers radiation right to the tumor for a period of time. The radioactive material is then removed and the patient can go home and live a normal life.
Two Linear Accelerators and one brachytherapy machine give MedPark Hospital the capacity to treat a large number of patients. They will also ensure service continuity in case of maintenance and future technology upgrades.
Good planning for safe treatment
Recognizing that each patient has a different biological makeup, physical condition and treatment needs, MedPark Hospital has put in place equipment that helps the medical physicist draw up an effective and safe treatment plan.
Planning is a very important process that requires high levels of experience and expertise. Accuracy and precision are at the heart of the therapy because in many cases the targeted tumor is very close to important organs. The medical physicist has to deliver high doses of radiation directly to the tumor while simultaneous lowering the radiation dose to the minimum on surrounding issue, which may be only two millimeters away. Planning the treatment can take time but is essential when patient safety is at risk.
CT Simulator: Siemens SOMATOM Confidence
This latest CT Simulator is an advanced tool for treatment preparation, simulating 3D treatment. Thanks to its large size, the patient will feel comfortable in the Simulator throughout the treatment. Images from CT Simulators will be used for planning to ensure that the tumor receives high dose of radiation but the surrounding healthy tissues or organs are exposed to minimal radiation dose.
Once the planning is completed, the treatment plan will be sent back to CT Simulator room to mark the radiation beam location. With this technique, patients can be assured that the radiation will be delivered to the same area in every treatment.
A state-of-the-art surface tracking system monitors the patient’s movements, such as the rise and fall of the chest as the patient inhales and exhales, and automatically adjusts the radiation region to match the patient’s movement. The tumor will therefore receive the right dose of radiation according to the plan/
Targeted tumor
A medical physicist and radiation oncologist will work closely together to draw up a personalized treatment plan for the individual patient. Before the actual treatment, the medical physicist will check again the radiation region to ensure the treatment location is accurate. Once this has been confirmed, other medical personnel will leave the room for safety reasons, leaving only the patient inside the machine. The medical physicist moves to the control room to operate the machine. The machine moves around the patient and delivers the radiation to the planned spot for a certain time. The entire process takes 5-30 minutes depending on the technique used.
Prior to the treatment, MedPark’s staff will talk to and calm the patient and reassure him/her about the treatment process. Some tools, such as a hard face mask, might be applied to keep the patient in place. However, the patient can ask to stop at any time during the treatment if he/she does not feel well and MedPark staff will provide immediate help.
ELEKTA: Teletherapy technology certified by US FDA
The two teletherapy machines are used for several radiotherapy treatments, from Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT) to the more sophisticated Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), and 4D Techniques, which can significantly reduce the radiation dose to surrounding tissue. Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) help enhance efficiency in confirmation of the radiation region.
- ELEKTA InfinityTM generates 6MV and 10 MV X-ray beams, and produces electron beams of 6,8,10,12,15 MeV. It can effectively treat tumors at different depths. The 5-mm 160-leaf Multileaf Collimator allows for precise contouring based on the tumor shape.
- ELEKTA VersaHD performs similar tasks to the ELEKTA Infinity but also encompasses Flattening Filter Free (FFF) beams allowing for an increased radiation speed. The patient table can be adjusted in 6 directions. The Motion Management system executed prior to the treatment also increases precision. It is ideal for treatments requiring high precision, such as radiosurgery, Radiation Therapy (SRT), and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT).
ELEKTA Flexitron
For brachytherapy, specialists will insert a special equipment directly to the tumor, ensuring that the radiation will be delivered fully to the tumor while surrounding tissue is exposed to the lowest possible radiation dose. Once the right treatment plan is drawn, Iridium-192 will be moved to the planned location for a certain period of time. When the treatment is completed, the radioactive material will be removed and stored in the afterloader. The patient will be sent home and can live a normal life free of radiation. This technique is suitable for the treatment of cervical cancer, endometrial cancer and prostate cancer.
With a well-designed building, advanced technology and, most importantly, a highly experienced multi-disciplinary team of experts, MedPark Hospital can provide precise and efficient radiodiagnosis and radio therapy, allowing patients to enjoy a high quality of life while trusting MedPark to take care of their health.
