treatment - radiotherapy

Patients receive high quality radiotherapy treatment at UCH for sarcomas at all body sites, for children, teenagers and adults. The radiotherapy department, which opened in 2005, has the most up-to-date equipment and consequently is at the forefront of current radiotherapy techniques, with routine use of conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), brachytherapy, and the introduction of new technologies including image fusion with MRI and PET-CT in radiotherapy planning, respiratory gating, and image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). Recent developments have included starting to deliver IMRT with RapidArc® technology, and the designation of University College Hospital as one of two planned UK sites for proton radiotherapy facilities. Since 2011, in a unique joint venture with NHS Ventures, UCH Radiotherapy Department hosts the first True Beam linear accelerator in the UK, used for both private and NHS patients, offering RapidArc IMRT and stereotactic radiotherapy capability. All of these advances are especially important for sarcoma patients who need radiotherapy.

What to expect