Cone Health installs Brainlab system for precise radiation care

Cone Health Cancer Center at Wesley Long Hospital in Greensboro has begun treating patients with a Brainlab ExacTrac Dynamic System, bringing one of the nation’s most advanced radiation platforms to the Triad. The new equipment, which arrived at Cone in October, allows clinicians to focus radiation beams more precisely on tumorous tissue while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.

A patient receiving treatment in the new suite, James Jeffries, wore a custom-molded mask that keeps the head steady so beams can be directed with millimeter accuracy. Monitors in the ExacTrac control room track patient position in real time, automatically adjusting the treatment table and machine to compensate for tiny movements. For tumors that shift with breathing, the system gates the radiation beam so it fires only when the tumor sits in the correct position, reducing radiation to noncancerous tissue.

Radiation oncologist Matthew Manning said the system eradicates tumors more quickly than past treatment options and allows Cone to shorten treatment courses while maintaining outcomes. That means a course of therapy that once stretched over many weeks can now be completed in far fewer sessions, cutting the number of visits patients must make to Greensboro for care and lowering related costs such as travel and time off work.

Cone expects to treat more than 1,000 patients annually on the Brainlab platform. The hospital’s system is one of fewer than 30 Brainlab ExacTrac Dynamic Systems in the United States, the only one in the Triad area and one of three in North Carolina, giving Guilford County and neighboring communities local access to technology previously available only at a handful of centers.

Beyond convenience, the precise targeting reduces the risk of side effects that can come from irradiating healthy organs and tissues. For patients and families balancing work, school and caregiving, fewer treatment sessions can mean less disruption and lower out-of-pocket expenses, particularly for those who travel from rural parts of the county.

As Cone Health integrates the Brainlab system into routine care, clinicians will monitor outcomes and patient experience to ensure shorter courses continue to deliver the same long-term results. For Guilford County residents facing a cancer diagnosis, the new platform offers quicker, more targeted treatment closer to home and the potential for less burden on families during therapy.