My Heart Hurts. UPDATE......

Fight for my love said:

Get well soon,dear
Get well soon,dear Jennie.Wish you the best.

smokeyjoe said:

The new technology, called
The new technology, called the Active Breathing Coordinator, or the ABC system, is a breathing apparatus that helps cancer patients keep their lungs inflated for the brief moments during their radiation treatment when the radiation beam is on, which moves the heart away from the area being treated. At Southlake, the ABC system is used in patients being treated for cancer of the left breast, whenever the heart is likely to be in the area being exposed to radiation.

Patients breathe through a mouthpiece, which is attached to the ABC device. The breathing causes a balloon to inflate, which stops the flow of air in and out of the lungs. Since patients are in control of the machine, they can release the balloon at any time should they feel uncomfortable.

According to Scott – who, like all patients undergoing the procedure, participated in an hour-long coaching session on the technology in advance – the ABC system was easy to use, and she viewed it as much more than a tool to keep her lungs inflated. “This really is such a positive in my life right now,” said Scott. “I have enough going on in my body with the radiation, so if I can make sure that my heart isn’t targeted, then why shouldn’t I?

“The team was absolutely amazing,” said Scott. “They walked me through every step of the way. By taking the time to explain, and by going through the breathing exercises with me, they made me feel like I wasn’t alone and we were all in it together.”

Elen Moyo, Manager of Radiation Therapy at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, explains that the hospital’s primary challenge is to deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumour while limiting the radiation dose to the healthy tissues or organs near the tumour. “No tumour ever exists in isolation,” she said.

In addition to the ABC system, Southlake is using another technology that enables the hospital to adapt treatment for cancer patients according to their individual needs. Using a 4D-CT scan, oncologists can determine how a tumour will move during the different phases of a patient’s breathing cycle, as opposed to a regular CT scan, which only provides a snapshot of the tumour at one moment in time.

This technology is particularly helpful with tumours of the lung and upper gastrointestinal tract, where breathing can significantly affect the tumour’s motion, explained Ken Le, Radiation Therapist at the Cancer Centre. “The 4D-CT scan allows us to tailor each patient’s treatment so that we are better able to target the tumor throughout the patient’s breathing cycle,” he said.

“Both the ABC system and 4D-CT are examples of how Southlake is taking the lead in patient care and providing eligible patients with valuable, groundbreaking therapy that is not yet standard practice, but is of great benefit to those we serve,” Le said.