University Daily Kansan
Monday, September 19, 1977
5
Med Center buvs cancer treatment machine
A new $1.48 million radiation machine for cancer treatment will have a permanent home at the KU Medical Center within 18 months.
Carl Mansfield, chairman of radiation therapy, said last week that the 40 million-volt linear accelerator would be only the third largest investment machine of its kind in the United States.
The machines have been in use in Europe in another form for several years, he said, but they are now this country.
The Med Center now has a 6-million-volt linearmeter that requires two machines to operate.
The larger machine will require three to four technicians at each site, with as many as 20 million radiation
treatment building on the Med Center campus.
Groundbreaking for that building was to have been Oct. 22, but has been postponed. Completion is expected in 18 months. The new building will house linear accelerators, a new high-speed port staff for the machines and treatment and examination and conference rooms.
THE INCREASED power of the new machine was the main justification for requesting its purchase, Mansfield said.
Mansfield said the new machine would not be able to treat more people than the smaller one but would be more effective in treating hard to reach cancerous tumors.
The new supravoltage radiation machines, which began with the Cobalt 60 and linear accelerator models, have shown that this model can generate a rival vale rate compared with the old X-ray
The smaller linear accelerator is not now computer operated but will be when it is needed.
It is a more sophisticated machine and is able to deliver a higher voltage of radiation to the tumor while sparing the normal tissue surrounding it. Mansfield said.
machines, he said. The X-ray or ortho voltage, machines have a five-year survival rate.
The computer operation of the machines,
Manfield said, made them almost mistakes.
WITH 40 MILLION volts at its disposal, the machine can deliver either X-ray or electron beams, or a computer-determined combination of both.
He said the lack of mistakes was an important factor in treatment because the 40 million-volt machine was the most powerful in the United States for treatment purposes.
The other four linear accelerators in the 40 million-volt series are at Oklahoma City, Yale University, Indiana University and the Fuselich Cancer Hospital in Columbia, Mo.
SUA Indoor Recreation QUARTERBACK CLUB
Complete film of KU-UCLA Game
A member of the KU Coaching Staff will attend to comment on the game and answer questions.
TUES., SEPT. 20
7:00 p.m.