In Dallas, TX, Dr. Rajiv (Raj) Dahiya uses minimally invasive technologies including the Predictive Medical Solutions Cyberknife in his work as a radiation oncologist. Dr. Raj Dahiya holds an MD from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, is a diplomate of the American Board of Radiology, and maintains a membership with the American College of Radiology. The American College of Radiology is a voluntary professional organization for radiologists and other physicians and scientists who practice and advance radiologic care. The nonprofit organization works to advance radiology by supporting these radiological professionals and those who benefit from their efforts.The American College of Radiology often focuses on advocacy work related to public policy matters. It has recently been working to expand access to CT lung cancer screenings for Medicare patients. Data gathered in the National Lung Screening Trial shows that patients who receive these screenings annually experience a 20 percent lower rate of lung cancer mortality. These exams are highly cost effective, but not always covered for Medicare patients. The American College of Radiology has successfully helped many high-risk patients access screenings, but many more remain unable to obtain this preventive service.
An MD for more than 30 years, Dr. Rajiv “Raj” Dahiya serves as a radiation oncologist at Premier Cancer Centers in Dallas, TX. There, Dr. Rajiv “Raj” Dahiya uses innovative treatment technologies to address prostate and other cancers.For patients with prostate cancer, radiation therapy can be an effective first-line treatment as well as an intervention for recurrent or advanced cancers. One option is external beam radiation therapy, or EBRT, which delivers therapeutic radiation to the tumor from outside the body. Most contemporary forms of EBRT involve image-guided radiation delivery that creates the shape of the radiation beam so as to minimize exposure of nearby tissues.EBRT may be an element of a potentially curative treatment plan for patients with early stage cancers, though it is also used as a symptom mitigation measure for patients whose cancer has spread. Another option for treating early-stage prostate cancer is brachytherapy, also known as interstitial or internal radiation therapy. This methodology involves placing inside the prostate a series of small radioactive structures, each the size of a grain of rice. Most such interventions fall into a category known as permanent or low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy, in which the implanted pellets continually emit small doses of radiation and then remain safely in the prostate after treatment is complete. Other patients receive what is known as temporary or high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, which delivers increased levels of radiation through implanted catheters, with the catheters being removed after the therapy is complete.High dose rate brachytherapy is often used in combination with EBRT, particularly for those patients who are at risk of the cancer spreading. Brachytherapy may also be used alone, though this is more common in patients with slow-growing cancers.
As an MD and radiation oncologist with Premier Cancer Centers in Dallas, TX, Dr. Rajiv “Raj” Dahiya offers patients access to innovative treatment technologies. Dr. Raj Dahiya makes use of the innovative TomoTherapy H Series HD, which provides targeted radiation therapy using advanced image guidance.In 2012, Accuray introduced the TomoTherapy H Series radiation treatment technology, which features the advanced TomoHDA system. This system offers the industry's most advanced type of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), with accuracy enhanced through the use of computerized topography (CT) scanning. This combination of technologies allows the system to send radiation to a precise location, thus minimizing the chances of injury to surrounding organs and tissues.Through extremely fast modulation and efficient image guidance, the TomoTherapy H Series allows users to reduce the time that patients spend in treatment. It also facilitates the development of individualized treatment plans, even for particularly complex cases. Advanced software provides guidance at all stages of treatment, including imaging and delivery, while also providing the option for care team members to contribute from remote workstations.The treatment itself features a slice-therapy approach, which addresses tumors layer-by-layer. The system's advanced software provides daily image guidance and enables delivery changes in accordance with patient needs, so that treatment planning be adjusted to the evolving results.
