Agility Synergy Linear Accelerator
Agility Synergy is the advanced linear accelerator that is made capable to meet modern radiation therapy demands. Agility Synergy delivers radiation with enhanced precision whilst prioritising the patient’s comfort and safety.
HCG was the first hospital in India to have the Agility Synergy linear accelerator. This linear accelerator comes with 3D image guidance, which helps the radiologists visualise and target the tumour precisely, along with its movement during and between the radiation fractions.
How Does Agility Synergy Work?
Agility Synergy targets the tumour with high-energy radiation beams, which destroy the DNA structure of the cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing further.
Before the radiation therapy session, the treatment area will be carefully marked on the skin. Later, the patient is carefully positioned on the treatment couch. Once the patient is comfortable, images of the tumour are captured using imaging equipment. Images are taken before every session of the planned treatment, and if there is any change in the tumour position, the patient will be repositioned accordingly.
Agility Synergy sculpts the radiation beams to the contours of the tumour precisely and thereby reduces damage to the surrounding tissues.
Each session may take 10 to 30 minutes.
Since it is a non-invasive procedure, patients may not need hospitalisation and show faster recovery.
This radiation delivery platform facilitates the following radiation therapy techniques:
- Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT/Rotational IMRT)
- Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)
- Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)
- Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
- Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT)
- Electron therapy
Advantages of Agility Synergy
- Agility Synergy increases the speed of radiation delivery and thereby supports higher dose radiation therapies.
- Treatment duration is shortened remarkably.
- Intelligent beam shaping technology supports consistent monitoring and better treatment control throughout the session.
- Agility Synergy helps reduce damage to the surrounding healthy tissues and thus reduces the risk of secondary malignancies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Patients may experience mild to moderate side effects. Many patients who undergo radiotherapy experience fatigue and skin reactions. Other side effects such as hair loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, nausea, taste changes, blurry vision, headache, etc., may be experienced depending on the organ treated.
Most of the side effects are short-lived and disappear after some time. However, in rare cases, patients may experience long-term side effects, or there could be a late-onset of side effects. In these cases, the patients must consult their treating doctor, who will help them with appropriate medical advice.
Radiation therapy may weaken your immune system, especially if the radiation is targeted to the bone marrow. In most cases, radiation therapy will not have a serious impact on immune functions.
However, if you have any concerns about your immunity or risk of developing infections, please talk to your treating doctor.
Most of the patients can drive while undergoing radiation therapy. Nevertheless, patients with a few cancer types are treated with stronger radiation doses and may experience extreme fatigue. In such cases, it is better to bring your caregiver with you.
You can talk to your treating doctor before the procedure as he/she is the best person to let you know if it would be okay for you to drive.
After each radiation session, your body will need ample rest. Therefore, make sure you rest enough. If you are working, please talk to your employer and plan your working hours accordingly. Also, you must avoid activities that cause tiredness and strain. Therefore, we suggest you get your family members and friends to run errands for you.
Make sure to consume a balanced diet. Feeling worn out and exhausted during the treatment is normal, and therefore, you may also have to increase your calorie intake. You can consult an onco-dietician who will help you with the right diet plans that will help you stay strong and recover faster.
Lastly, the treated area tends to develop skin reactions. Common skin reactions seen are redness, burning sensation, itching, swelling, etc. Again, you can talk to your treating doctor and ask them for instructions on how to care for your skin.