Permanent tattoos and marks have long been used to accurately target cancer radiation treatment, yet most patients would prefer not to have these lasting reminders of their cancer journey. At Stamford Health’s Carl & Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center, we are now offering radiation treatment guided by AlignRT®, a completely contactless technology that tracks your body’s position before and during radiation therapy without the use of permanent tattoos and marks. AlignRT has been shown to increase patient comfort and the accuracy and efficiency of radiation treatment.

Now a standard of care at the Bennett Cancer Center, AlignRT is enhancing the safety of radiation treatment and has transformed the overall patient experience.

What is AlignRT?

AlignRT is a type of surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT) that uses 3D cameras mounted to the ceiling to send real-time tracking information about your body’s position into a software program to ensure you are in the ideal position for treatment. The system can sense movements in six degrees of freedom – up and down, forward and back, side to side, plus all rotations. This ensures that the treatment is delivered to your body exactly as planned.

What are the advantages of AlignRT?

With Align RT, patients no longer need permanent tattoos or marks for their radiation treatment. Using real-time tracking, the system knows exactly where you are at any moment to within a fraction of a millimeter and has a built-in safety monitoring system that can pause the beam if you move out of the desired treatment position. AlignRT also provides improved treatment accuracy with a reduced imaging dose. By streamlining set up for radiation treatment, Align RT facilitates faster and more reproducible positioning compared to traditional radiation treatment.

How has AlignRT improved patient care at the Bennett Cancer Center?

AlignRT supports our patient-centered approach to care by alleviating the physical and psychological burdens associated with traditional cancer radiation treatment. With AlignRT, we can deliver safer and more efficient treatment without the need for tattoos or skin marks, so patients avoid a lasting physical reminder of their treatment. Our patients who had AlignRT radiation therapy report that they are less anxious about permanent marks, staying perfectly still during treatment, and sparing healthy tissue.

How does AlignRT benefit patients with left-sided breast cancer?

Radiation therapy has been shown to be a highly effective treatment for breast cancer, but the left breast is close to the heart, which leaves the heart at risk of radiation exposure. At the Bennett Cancer Center, we provide cardiac sparing radiation treatments with AlignRT for select left-sided breast cancer patients to reduce this risk and offer the extra assurance that we are treating the cancer with precision while protecting the heart and healthy tissue. AlignRT is often used with deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH), a technique that helps protect the heart during treatment.

How can I learn more about AlignRT?

I am thrilled to be able to offer AlignRT to our Bennett Cancer Center patients. If you would like to learn more about AlignRT, we encourage you to reach out to your oncologist.