The devices, due to be delivered to oncology departments in Maidstone and Canterbury in the spring, will mean the service will be among the first in the country to offer the faster and more-efficient RapidArc radiotherapy treatments.

 

“This is exciting news for the centre as it will be the first time image-guided and intensity-modulated radiotherapy can be offered to the nearly two million people served by the Kent Oncology Centre,” said Dr Stewart Coltart, clinical director.

 

“These new machines will ensure we have sufficient capacity to meet waiting times at current levels, while offering patients faster and more-efficient treatments. Our consultants are especially excited about starting RapidArc treatments, which we feel will be a terrific additional tool in our armoury.”

 

The centre currently delivers radiotherapy on five medical linear accelerators in Maidstone and two in Canterbury. The new fully-equipped Clinac iX accelerators with RapidArc capability will bring the total number of machines at both hospitals to nine. In addition, an existing machine at Maidstone will be upgraded to RapidArc technology.

 

The new technology enables clinicians to deliver a highly-precise, image-guided, intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatment in as little as one or two revolutions of the machine around the patient, much faster than is possible with conventional devices. This speed of treatment allows for greater precision since there is less chance of patient or tumour movement during treatment delivery.

 

To coincide with the upgrade, the radiotherapy department at Canterbury Hospital is undergoing a £2.5m refurbishment.

 

David Scott, spokesman for Varian, said: “This project is immensely significant for cancer patients in Kent as they will quickly have access to RapidArc technology. More and more hospitals are selecting this as a way of delivering advanced and ultra-precise treatments without putting pressure on waiting lists.”