On Thursday, January 16, at 6 p.m. McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital will host a Ribbon Cutting to showcase the new MRIdian® MRI-Guided Linear Accelerator. Remarks from Clint Matthews, President and CEO, Tower Health, Erik Rupard, MD, Chief, Section of Hematology and Oncology at Reading Hospital, Adam Smith, MD, PhD, Medical Director, MRIdian, McGlinn Cancer Institute, and ribbon cutting will take place at 6:15 p.m. in the Healing Garden lobby at Reading HealthPlex. At the conclusion of the remarks guests will have the opportunity to tour the McGlinn Cancer Institute's Radiation Oncology suite and view the MRIdian® from the control room. Media is invited to attend the private event.
As announced by Tower Health in July, the McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital is the first in Pennsylvania to install the Linear Accelerator, representing an important advance in using MRI-guided radiation to treat cancer. Installation began in August and patients began receiving treatment in December 2019.
"We are pleased to be the first in Pennsylvania to offer this groundbreaking cancer treatment," said Tower Health President and CEO Clint Matthews. "The acquisition of this life-saving technology would not be possible without the generous donation of the McGlinn family. On behalf of our physicians, care team, and everyone at Reading Hospital, I would like to thank them for their ongoing support of the patients at McGlinn Cancer Institute."
The MRI Linear Accelerator combines two pieces of equipment into one, allowing physicians to conduct a patient's radiation therapy treatment while simultaneously looking at a real-time image of the tumor through MRI. The technology allows physicians to create a radiation field that is more precise and that can move and change in size with the tumor. The system greatly minimizes exposure of healthy tissue when a tumor is in a hard-to-reach location within the body or near critical organs such as the heart, lungs, and upper abdomen.
"This technology is unlike any other radiation option available today, including proton therapy. It allows us to see the tumor while we treat it and deliver a less invasive, and often more precise and accurate radiation treatment," said Michael L. Haas, MD, Chief, Section of Radiation Oncology at Reading Hospital. "If the tumor or a body organ moves beyond the boundary set by the physician, the radiation beam automatically pauses. When the target moves back into the predefined boundaries, treatment automatically resumes. This improves the likelihood of successful radiation treatment and reduces potential side effects by minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy organs and tissue."
A ribbon cutting photo will be available upon request.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.