A Few Reasons It May Be Time To Upgrade Your Linear Accelerator

When it comes to medical equipment a linear accelerator is considered the “workhorse” as it is used again and again, every day.  Some facilities, with lower patient counts, can often still use a linear accelerator that can be decades old whereas larger facilities often replace their radiation oncology equipment regularly every few years.  In the United States, linear accelerator equipment and other larger pieces of radiation equipment are upgraded every decade.   

When you are ready for an upgrade depends on a number of things.  A few indicators that it is time to upgrade your linear accelerator include:

• You want to provide treatment to more clients, provide higher quality of care, and provide treatment for a wider variety of cases.

Newer technology can empower a facility to provide faster and more precise, or more integrated, treatment. An upgrade may allow a broader ability to take on any case. For example, an upgrade to offer SRS (Stereotactic Radio Surgery) to treat head and neck cases may be an option. Other common upgrades include:

• Upgrading the MLC
• Updating the portal imaging system
• Adding VMAT capabilities
• Enhancing the couch

• The goal of your facility is to maintain a competitive edge.

Expanding your capabilities means referrals can also grow. Enhanced capabilities enable physicians to direct new types of treatment cases. Patients who had to be referred to another clinic may now come to your clinic.

• Maintenance expenses are continual and keep adding up.

Many LINAC systems will be under an annual service contract, with preventive maintenance visits throughout the year to keep the machines working smoothly. However, older machines that have reached their “end-of-life” may no longer be supported and, in worst-case scenarios, some of the replacement parts may not be available at all.

• Replacing the linear accelerator is not an option.

Extending the life of a machine with upgrades is less costly than purchasing a new machine. It also means less downtime as your old machine is removed and a new one installed, a process which can take as long as five weeks. No machine means no treatments, and you risk losing patients.
Any of these reasons may compel you to consider replacing your facility’s linear accelerator.  If that’s the case, first consider adding upgrades. Upgrading your existing system can give you the power and capabilities you want, cost-effectively.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

What to Look for When Purchasing a Refurbished Linear Accelerator

A brand-new linear accelerator can cost upwards of four million dollars, which is why many places will choose to purchase a refurbished one to meet their needs.  There is nothing wrong with most refurbished linear accelerators, but as with most things, when you purchase used, you must use an abundance of caution.
Here is what you want to look for when purchasing a refurbished linear accelerator:

Software and Hardware

Each refurbished linear accelerator comes with software and hardware, and it helps if you are familiar with it all before you begin the purchasing process.  You will not want to purchase a refurbished linear accelerator that does not meet your current needs due to the fact that it does not have the software or hardware components that you are looking for.

Know What Has Been Refurbished

There are many parts of linear accelerators that can be refurbished, and you will want to know if those items were mechanical, electrical, or cosmetic.  While all three categories should be checked on the machines, to see if any repairs are needed and that everything is operational, it doesn’t mean that there is always something seriously wrong with them.  Instead, the process can ensure that the linear accelerators are in excellent working order and lists exactly what items need to be repaired or replaced.

See if the Refurbished Linear Accelerator Received Routine Maintenance and Servicing

Records that show that a refurbished linear accelerator was carefully maintained and serviced when it was in use may not guarantee that it will work better than any other refurbished linear accelerator, but it does show that it was well taken care of.  That means that there is a better chance that there will not be any surprise issues right after the purchase.

Accessories that are Included

Certain accessories can ensure that a refurbished linear accelerator works better than those that do not have specific accessories.  A few of the accessories that you should look for include a water chiller, power conditioner, in-room monitoring system, and patient positioning lasers.  If you can find a refurbished linear accelerator that includes these accessories, you can save yourself even more money.

Always Get an Inspection of the Refurbished Linear Accelerator Before Purchasing

Anyone that doesn’t want you to have a professional inspection done on the refurbished linear accelerator that they are selling you is trying to hide something major and that should be your first clue to walk away quickly.  An inspection can show any inadequacies of the linear accelerator as well as any repairs that need to be made before it can be used.

You won’t need to worry about being scammed when purchasing a refurbished linear accelerator as long as you take your time and know what you are looking for as you are going through the purchase process.  If you are unsure of certain things, talk to other professionals as you are going through the process for input and guidance.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

Medical Equipment Disposal

Like any other industry after a period of time the equipment that is used will have to be replaced. Whether that is due to it being worn out, it went beyond its usable lifespan or more advanced model was acquired. Regardless of the reasoning, there will come a time that you will need to dispose of some of your medical equipment, this includes things like Linear Accelerators and even CT Scanners.

In order to preserve the responsibilities of the practice, you need to be sure that you are operating equipment that is running at optimum capability. This means that at some point even large medical equipment like a CT Scanner and Linear Accelerator will need to be repaired or replaced. In the event, a replacement is needed it is important that you plan ahead and take everything into consideration when working with an outside company.

6 Important things to consider when disposing of large medical equipment

Must be removed properly -

Depending on the area that your practice is located you will have to deal with what possibly different types of ordinances. This is especially true if the equipment has to do with any type of hazardous materials. You will need to ensure that you remove any associated

Limit damage to surrounding areas -

When it comes to removing and disposing of large pieces of medical equipment like Linear Accelerators and CT Scanner machines it is extremely important that the removal process you follow does not do any extensive amount of damage to the surrounding areas. This could lead to very expensive repair costs and possibly affect your practice adversely.

Plan for a very complex removal -

Due to the nature of the larger medical equipment you will need to partner with a disposal company that has the experience to deal with the complexity of such a removal process. Depending on the design of the building there could be substantial temporary changes may need to be done to facilitate removal.

 Removal of possible hazardous waste -

Due to the nature of the equipment you will need to concern yourself with adhering to any and all regulations that deal with disturbing of potentially hazardous material. This is another good reason to partner with a well-experienced medical equipment removal and disposal company.

Base frame for large equipment must be removed -

Most larger pieces of medical equipment like the Linear Accelerator or CT Scanner have specially designed bases that could easily be built into the foundation of the building and removing them would require special consideration. It is important to remove any existing framework in order to make room for the new piece of equipment.

 

Plan for after hours to minimize interruption to office operation -

When it comes to removing/replacing large medical equipment you should always make your plans to do the work after hours as not to impact your practice. Most companies that offer this type of service are fully aware of the need to schedule this after normal business hours and will make arrangements.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.

Shrinking Cancerous Cells Using Linear Accelerator Technology

It is very unfortunate when you see your friend or family member get diagnosed with cancer. Watching them go through the pain and suffering, you wish that they wouldn’t have to go through that. You also pray for cancer to never touch you. It is the most painful thing a person can go through. Often when a person is to be treated for cancer, words like ‘chemotherapy’ and ‘radiation’ are thrown around.

What Is Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treatment involves the use of drugs to control the growth of cancer cells. The drugs used in chemotherapy tend to vary. It depends on the age of the person and the type of cancer as well as the cancer stage. When doctors administer chemotherapy drugs, they keep a close eye on the patient. This is because the drugs can have side-effects and may react adversely. These side effects include loss of hair, formation of blood forming cells in the bone marrow, heart, lung or kidney damage, etc.

What Is Radiation Oncology

Also known as radiation therapy, radiation oncology is the use of high-energy waves/radiations to kill cancerous cells. Radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and radiation oncology medical physicists use up-to-date radiation oncology equipment to deliver radiation therapy without any side effects. They try to make it as painless as possible. However, radiation oncology when compared with chemotherapy is very less painful. Studies have shown that around 40% of cancer patients are treated with radiation therapy. Radiation therapy can be used alongside chemotherapy or on its own.
Radiation therapy is, as told, is very effective. With cancer being the leading cause of death around the world, investment in new radiation oncology equipment, methods and treatments has become more crucial than ever. Linear accelerator is one of the most common oncology medical equipment being used for radiation therapy.

What Is a Linear Accelerator

This radiation oncology equipment is the most effective equipment used to kill cancerous cells. It does no harm to the normal tissues. It uses high-beam X-Rays and specifically directs them to the point where cancer cells have accumulated. The treatment using linear accelerators is very painless and it is non-invasive. Linear accelerators also use a combination of IGRT and IMRT. IGRT makes use of imaging. This helps with making the therapy precise and increases the exactness of the therapy procedure. The IMRT uses a combination of high-quality hardware and software. IMRT is used to change the intensity of the radiation if it is used on other parts of the body where cancer cells may be growing.

What Is Special About a Linear Accelerator

This oncology medical equipment literally targets the DNA of the cancer cells. Once the DNA is killed, the cancer cells slowly die. Moreover, normally radiation therapy can damage normal cells too. Linear accelerator, because it uses a combination of IMRT and IGRT, make targeting the damaged cells more precise and perfect. The use of linear accelerators is also a good way to personalise your treatment accordingly. Linear accelerators can be used on any part of the body to treat cancer. It is very effective and accurate.

Acceletronics is an independent service company dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from Linear Accelerators and CT Scanners across all major brands and models. Learn more about Acceletronics and their selection of new and refurbished linear accelerators and CT scanners today at http://www.acceletronics.com.  To contact one of our LINAC experts call 610.524.3300.