Advantages of Purchasing Refurbished Radiation Oncology Equipment

Purchasing refurbished medical equipment is never a bad idea. Despite the allure of buying new radiation oncology equipment, purchasing a refurbished linear accelerator for your practice might be a better choice. There is a lot to consider when you’re getting ready to purchase radiation oncology equipment for your practice like space, budget, and personnel impacts. Before you purchase all-new equipment consider just a few of the advantages of buying refurbished medical equipment below:

Costs

The biggest advantage when buying refurbished linear accelerator equipment is the cost. Buying new can really blow your entire budget, but used ones can actually make your budget stretch more, allowing you to do other things for your practice. By going for the cheaper option, you still get a quality piece of equipment at a fraction of the cost of what you would pay for a new model.

Buy More Equipment

If you’d like to offer more services to your patients, you can easily buy two or more pieces of radiation oncology equipment for your practice instead of just buying one new linear accelerator. This allows you to treat more patients for the price of what you would have spent if you only bought one machine. This way your practice can offer more appointments, getting more patients on the books and increasing your ROI.

Use That Money Elsewhere

For the price you’ll buy for a refurbished linear accelerator, you can use that extra money to do other things that will benefit your practice. You can use that money to redesign the patient waiting room area or hire more staff for better customer service. If buying a used machine is just as good as a new one and will get the job done, why not use that extra money for good somewhere else? This way you’ll be able to grow your practice and expand its success.

New Equipment For Half The Price

Refurbished pieces have been fixed by professionals to function like new, so you’ll get a practically brand-new linear accelerator affordably! Every refurbished piece is seen by a skilled medical technician before getting discharged back into service, so everything that needed fixing was fixed and you get something practically new without the new price tag.

As with any piece of medical equipment new or refurbished, there are times when equipment fails or needs maintenance. For these instances there are professionals offering service and parts to repair and maintain linear accelerators. Companies such as Radparts offer a huge selection of linear accelerator parts and innovative replacement and repair solutions that in many cases can save you up to 50% or more on your linear accelerator parts costs.

Learn more about Radparts and the variety of services and parts they offer to repair medical equipment including: linear accelerators parts, CT scanners parts, linac parts, and radiation oncology equipment at www.radparts.com. To contact one of our medical equipment repair specialists for parts or service call toll free 877.704.3838 for 24/7/365 support.

Discover Why You Need Scheduled Repairs to LINAC Systems Prevent Unnecessary Downtime

To ensure that medical equipment such as LINAC systems and CT Scanners are fully functional and effective at all times, while preventing unnecessary downtime, scheduled maintenance is recommended. Scheduled repairs allow for treatment to be scheduled around replacing worn parts and preventative maintenance. Medical equipment of all varieties, including linear accelerators, is costly and expensive to replace. Facilities should not wait until they are damaged or dysfunctional to create a plan of action. There is a significance cost savings in scheduled repairs and pre-planning for replacement.

What Is Scheduled Maintenance?

Scheduled maintenance is the planned component of repair or replacement that is also referred to as preventative maintenance whereby the system is thoroughly inspected to ensure that all parts are functioning properly. Linear accelerator parts are replaced that are known to wear out when historically known to wear out.

Why Are Scheduled Repairs to LINAC Systems Important?

LINAC systems are incredibly sensitive in terms of handling and maintenance. They need to be kept functional and unnecessary downtime needs to be avoided especially because on-time treatment is imperative. If maintenance is not completed and needed maintenance is avoided damage to some key parts of the LINACS or alter the value of your equipment. Linear accelerators and radiation oncology equipment that is being used in hospitals need to be kept in perfect working order for them to deliver accurate and timely results that guide doctors in the treatment of their patients.

Where to Find Linear Accelerator Parts

A LINAC system is prone to faults, as is all medical equipment, and may require occasional repairs. To ensure that the system stays functional and is effective, you need to find a service company that offers genuine and functional linear accelerator parts and repair services. Working with a company that has a record of offering professional repair services, when they are needed with access to LINAC parts is crucial. Working with highly skilled engineers guarantees you of a highly effective LINAC system.

What’s the Cost for Scheduled LINAC Systems Repairs?

The cost of scheduled linear accelerators repairs will depend on the company that you hire to perform service. Look for a LINAC service company that goes out of their way to ensure timely service, repairs, monitoring, and replacement parts for reasonable. Seek a company with a proven track record that you can rely on.

Repairing LINACS With OEM Replacement Parts

LINAC system is the common name for linear accelerators. Their parts are very complicated, and they are intricately built machines. A direct linear accelerator is a gadget that utilizations high radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic waves to quicken charged particles for generating high energies in a straight way, inside a tube-like structure called the direct linear accelerator.

The resonating frequency of the medical LINAC is about 3 billion Hertz cycles per second. This is the most widely recognized gadget to treat the tumor with outside pillar radiation. To sum up, the linear accelerating agent is fundamentally a mechanical assembly to accelerate charged subatomic particles, utilized as a part of radiotherapy, and the creation of radionuclides.

What to do when the machine gets broken?

Frequently, the parts for repairing linear accelerator agents, LINAC, are expensive to the point that they come just in case of the genuine sum for purchasing another LINAC. This influences numerous individuals to think about whether it is smarter to simply purchase another machine by and large since alternate parts of the LINAC may separate soon enough and should be supplanted too. Along these lines, as we would like to think, settling radiation machines and LINACs is the better alternative.

Repairing LINACS with OEM replacement parts

Parts for repairing linear accelerator agents may be very costly, however, that is whether you purchase new parts. Rather, you can select the sensible alternative, which is revamping or repairing the broken parts. There are various firms in the market that offer revamping of parts for radiation hardware. The restored parts are frequently returned rapidly, and this productive procedure spares you a large portion of the cash you would spend on another part. Accordingly, it is best to locate a decent overhauling organization for your LINACs.

Linear accelerators are complicated devices. Each one has thousands of parts that work together to send subatomic particles hurtling at incredible speeds toward a target. They can be used in radiation therapy to fight cancer, academic research and more.

It only takes one failing part of the linear accelerator to stop the entire machine. Those broken parts are not just tossed in the trash. Instead, OEM replacement parts often refurbish and repair the parts for future use with the same level of quality as a new part.

In fact, OEM replacement parts repair several hundred LINAC systems a year for clients all over the world and are best to use for replacement parts.

When a client sends any of the OEM manufacturer or service provider a damaged part, they can often get them a replacement within one day. Similarly, they can then take the damaged part and hand it over to the trained technicians to repair for resale. So, don’t wait and use them with confidence for repairing the linear accelerators parts.

Maintaining LINAC Systems with OEM Replacement Parts

Any electrical equipment that is repeatedly used will break down due to several reasons such as improper maintenance or lack thereof. They can also malfunction owing to poor electrical connections, overrunning the machine’s capability, having an untrained individual operate the equipment, including not replacing worn out parts when needed.

The Importance Of LINAC Parts

A linear accelerator (LINAC) is a very complex medical device that delivers high-energy X-rays to treat patients with cancer. Each component within a LINAC system is important, and all of them need to continually undergo rigorous, cleaning, testing, and maintenance to ensure optimal performance.

Linear accelerators Parts are very costly, and most LINAC owners often consider the option of buying a brand-new unit instead of paying for outrageously high repair parts costs, including maintenance and upkeep fees. Even though all LINAC parts have separate but vital functions, they are linked to each other and therefore, need to work in cohesion. Any breakdown of one of the parts can lead to a ripple effect that may render the whole system useless.

Cooling the LINAC Parts

The linear accelerator works by producing high energy particle beams, thus making the cooling system inclined to overheat. Depending on the model, most LINACs use a water cooling system that provides thermal stability to the system and allows the gantry and drive stand to operate at a constant temperature.

Today there are technologically advanced air-cooled chillers for LINAC cooling systems that are would probably cost more to replace a broken system. There are several independent oncology equipment refurbishing companies that have original equipment manufacturer (OEM) LINAC replacement parts, which even though they are also costly, however, once these LINAC parts are replaced, the system can continue to work like new.

The only concern when using such a complex and volatile piece of equipment is to maximize its uptime and minimizing on the overall total cost of ownership. Having said that, LINAC parts are available through the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) online or through a local dealer. The catch-22 is, do you go the economical way, such as scouring the local neighborhood depot to find the cheapest option that will work anyway, or do you stick with the original manufacturer’s LINAC parts?

Purchasing Replacement Parts

While the LINAC parts you find locally will probably serve you for a while until you can afford an OEM, but when it comes to quality, the materials will not be the same as the original. You can end up with a new replacement LINAC part that does not match up in the case of complicated parts and assemblies.

Maintaining LINAC systems with the original equipment manufacturer replacement parts also guarantee warranty coverage on each piece of equipment and in case the system fails, you can file a warranty claim provided the replacement parts that have been used match the manufacturer specifications. Using OEM LINAC parts also ensures the related components are compatible with the system, they are durable, and most importantly, they are reliable.

The Average Lifespan of Linear Accelerator Parts

A linear accelerator, often referred to as a LINAC, is a type of particle accelerator that customizes electrons or high energy x-rays to conform to the shape of a tumor to destroy cancer cells while sparing the life of normal surrounding tissue. It has a variety of built-in features that are designed to ensure a patient receives only the prescribed dose as directed by a physician. However, linear accelerators are made up parts components that could age over time. What is the average lifespan of these parts?

Lifespan Of A Linear Accelerator

Two major determinants of the lifespan of a linear accelerator and indeed any equipment, are usage and maintenance. Although it is reasonable to expect a usage of between 5 to 10 years, maintenance of the accelerator will be critical to just how much you enjoy the equipment. Here we look at the parts of a linear accelerator and their average lifespan depending on usage.

Parts such as Magnetron and iView detector last for about two years with high use, and between 4-6 years with low and moderate use. An x-ray tube lasts for about 18 months upon high use, 3 years when the system is moderately used, and above 4 years when the usage is low. An XVI detector lasts for about 5 years upon high usage, about 7 years when used moderately, and over 10 years when the accelerator usage is low. On the other hand, a Thryratron tube can last up to 3 years when the usage is high and 5 years and above upon low to moderate usage of the accelerator.

Age Vs. Usage

Basically, the average lifespan of each linear accelerator part largely depends on the part and amount of usage. Other parts such as the electron gun would need a replacement after one year on high use, while it can last even above 6 years upon low usage. Environmental factors can also affect the ion chamber of a linear accelerator, high humidity can cause a reduced lifespan. While an average ion chamber will only need a replacement after four years, one in an environment with high humidity will need a replacement after a year.

Replacing Aging Parts

Changing aging parts over time is ideal to avoid causing the equipment any damages. Some companies tend to consider the price of the equipment and the costs involved in changing the parts over time. However, this is never a good yardstick to even maximize profits in the long run as a breakdown of significant parts of the system may be disastrous for the equipment.

First cryomodule for ultrapowerful X-ray laser arrives

Earlier this week, scientists and engineers at the US Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois loaded one of the most advanced superconducting radio-frequency cryomodules ever created onto a truck and sent it heading west.

Today, that cryomodule arrived at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California, where it will become the first of 37 powering a 3-mile-long machine that will revolutionize atomic X-ray imaging. The modules are the product of many years of innovation in accelerator technology, and the first cryomodule Fermilab developed for this project set a world record in energy efficiency.

These modules, when lined up end to end, will make up the bulk of the accelerator that will power a massive upgrade to the capabilities of the Linac Coherent Light Source at SLAC, a unique X-ray microscope that will use the brightest X-ray pulses ever made to provide unprecedented details of the atomic world. Fermilab will provide 22 of the cryomodules, with the rest built and tested at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Virginia.

The quality factor achieved in these components is unprecedented for superconducting radio-frequency cryomodules. The higher the quality factor, the lower the cryogenic load, and the more efficiently the cavity imparts energy to the particle beam. Fermilab’s record-setting cryomodule doubled the quality factor compared to the previous state-of-the-art.

“LCLS-II represents an important technological step which demonstrates that we can build more efficient and more powerful accelerators,” says Fermilab Director Nigel Lockyer. “This is a major milestone for our accelerator program, for our productive collaboration with SLAC and Jefferson Lab and for the worldwide accelerator community.”

Today’s arrival is merely the first. From now into 2019, the teams at Fermilab and Jefferson Lab will build the remaining cryomodules, including spares, and scrutinize them from top to bottom, sending them to SLAC only after they pass the rigorous review.

“It’s safe to say that this is the most advanced machine of its type,” says Elvin Harms, a Fermilab accelerator physicist working on the project. “This upgrade will boost the power of LCLS, allowing it to deliver X-ray laser beams that are 10,000 times brighter than it can give us right now.”

With short, ultrabright pulses that will arrive up to a million times per second, LCLS-II will further sharpen our view of how nature works at the smallest scales and help advance transformative technologies of the future, including novel electronics, life-saving drugs and innovative energy solutions. Hundreds of scientists use LCLS each year to catch a glimpse of nature’s fundamental processes.

To meet the machine’s standards, each Fermilab-built cryomodule must be tested in nearly identical conditions as in the actual accelerator. Each large metal cylinder—up to 40 feet in length and 4 feet in diameter—contains accelerating cavities through which electrons zip at nearly the speed of light. But the cavities, made of superconducting metal, must be kept at a temperature of 2 Kelvin (minus 456 degrees Fahrenheit).

To achieve this, ultracold liquid helium flows through pipes in the cryomodule, and keeping that temperature steady is part of the testing process.

“The difference between room temperature and a few Kelvin creates a problem, one that manifests as vibrations in the cryomodule,” says Genfa Wu, a Fermilab scientist working on LCLS-II. “And vibrations are bad for linear accelerator operation.”

In initial tests of the prototype cryomodule, scientists found vibration levels that were higher than specification. To diagnose the problem, they used geophones—the same kind of equipment that can detect earthquakes—to rule out external vibration sources. They determined that the cause was inside the cryomodule and made a number of changes, including adjusting the path of the flow of liquid helium. The changes worked, substantially reducing vibration levels to a 10th of what they were originally, and have been successfully applied to subsequent cryomodules.

Fermilab scientists and engineers are also ensuring that unwanted magnetic fields in the cryomodule are kept to a minimum, since excessive magnetic fields reduce the operating efficiency.

“At Fermilab, we are building this machine from head to toe,” Lockyer says. “From nanoengineering the cavity surface to the integration of thousands of complex components, we have come a long way to the successful delivery of LCLS-II’s first cryomodule.”

Fermilab has tested seven cryomodules, plus one built and previously tested at Jefferson Lab, with great success. Each of those, along with the modules yet to be built and tested, will get its own cross-country trip in the months and years to come.

Original Source: https://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/first-cryomodule-for-ultrapowerful-x-ray-laser-arrives

Original Author:

Fix or Forget It: Should you Repair That LINAC System or Buy New?

LINAC systems, the common name for linear accelerators, are very complicated and intricately built machines. They are formed by joining together several very small different parts, making it a highly fickle machine. Despite their extreme sensitivity, LINACs are very useful and powerful machines. They are a main component of many essential machines, such as the CT scanner.

Much like the CT scanner, linear accelerators can be used in several other machines related to the health industry. They are thus an integral part in fighting cancer with radiation therapy, while also being used in a large amount of research. However, because of their unbalanced structure, they are highly prone to many mechanical faults. Here is a look at the faults they may face and dealing with them.

Problems LINAC Systems Face

Used to hurl very small radiation particles at very high speeds at designated targets, linear accelerators are built by joining numerous small parts. Each part has its own function in the grand scheme of things and is often linked to adjacent parts. This makes the LINAC a very fickle machine since any faulty part can lead to the entire machine going out of order. Hence, the LINAC is an unsustainable machine that can require very intricate maintenance.

Everyone has heard about radiation equipment and how much intricate and complex it is. LINACs are a major component in radiation equipment. Parts for repairing radiation equipment are always very expensive, and this makes repairing LINACs a huge financial hassle, while also being exhausting. Therefore, the debate about whether to install spare parts or to change the machine entirely holds a lot of weight and is something that many professionals in the health industry constantly talk about.

Fix it or forget it?

Often the parts for repairing linear accelerators (LINAC) are so expensive that they come just in short of the actual amount for buying a new LINAC. This makes many people wonder if it is better to just buy a new machine altogether since the other parts of the LINAC might break down soon enough and need to be replaced as well. Although there is no definite answer to this query since it has do a lot with the personal beliefs of people, it is always better to use something to the maximum. Therefore, in our opinion, fixing radiation machines and LINACs is the better option.

Refurbishing/ Repairing

Parts for repairing linear accelerators might be highly expensive, but that is if you buy new parts. Instead, you can opt for the sensible option, which is refurbishing or repairing the broken parts. There are a number of firms in the market that offer refurbishing of parts for radiation equipment. The refurbished parts are often returned very quickly, and this efficient process saves you half the money you would spend on a new part. Therefore, it is best to find a good servicing company for your LINACs.

February Specials 2018

Advances in radiation therapy offer more effective cancer treatment

Since its inception at the start of the 20th century, radiation therapy has evolved to become one of the most common — and potent— forms of treatment for all types of cancer, with approximately 67 percent of patients receiving it — either alone or in combination with other treatments. Dr. Henry J. Lee, MD, PhD, Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville and an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Columbia University Medical Center, discusses radiation therapy and the latest advances, which have raised the bar for more successful patient outcomes.

Q: What is radiation therapy?

A: Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is the use of various forms of radiant waves of energy to safely and effectively treat cancer and other diseases. It can be used to cure cancer, control its growth or relieve painful symptoms. Radiation therapy works by damaging cells; normal cells are able to repair themselves, whereas cancer cells cannot.

Q: How is it different from other forms of cancer treatment?

A: Radiation therapy complements the other major forms of cancer therapy — such as chemotherapy and surgery. It is similar to surgery, since both target the tumor, but radiation therapy does not require an incision, operation, or anesthesia. It’s also similar to drug therapy in that it usually requires multiple sessions as an outpatient. The difference is that radiation therapy does not travel throughout the body.

Q: When is radiation therapy used?

A: Most times, it is given with a curative intent, such as eliminating the tumor or preventing recurrence, or to reduce the suffering caused by the cancer symptoms.

Q: What are some of the latest advances in radiation therapy?

A: Technology has greatly improved over the last few years, making the dosage and delivery of radiation much more precise. New techniques also allow doctors to better target the radiation to protect healthy cells. This has given radiation an even bigger role in cancer care. Patients are often surprised with the ease of the radiation therapy experience. In the current era of ‘personalized’ or ‘precision’ medicine, radiation therapy technology is moving beyond simply treating the tumor and toward developing novel ways to harness the cancer-killing powers of an individual’s body. Radiation therapy is an extremely potent enhancer of the body’s immune response toward killing cancer cells. When used in tandem with other therapies that also enhance the immune response, these new combinations of therapies can dramatically shrink some cancers that were not responsive to older therapies.

Q: Are there different types of radiation therapy?

A: There are different types that work in different ways, but by far the most common form, used for 90 percent of cancer patients, is LINAC (linear accelerator-based) radiation therapy. This works by customizing high energy x-rays to conform to a tumor’s shape and destroy cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal tissue. During a typical 30-minute visit, the experience is similar to getting a CT scan. The patient lies on a table, and the staff prepares them for treatment (no IVs are required). The LINAC silently delivers the treatment, typically over two-to-three minutes. Afterward, the patient leaves feeling much the same as they did when they arrived.

Q: What do you think the future of radiation therapy will hold for patients?

A: Each day, research is finding better, more effective ways to identify biomarkers and gene signatures to develop treatment strategies tailored to the individual patient. The challenge ahead is to make such responses cure more cancers — and through continued research and technological advancements, we’re already seeing results as we combine radiation therapy with the new immunotherapies. After all, radiation therapy is one of the most potent agents known to stimulate the immune system, and thus help the body heal itself from cancer.

State-of-the-art treatments at the Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence

The Cancer Center is an academic-community partner with the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, one of only three National Cancer Institute Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in New York State. This identifies centers where the highest quality of treatment, innovative research, and resources for cancer care are available. The multidisciplinary cancer team is located on-site, with a complete array of services including radiation, medical and surgical oncology, as well as supportive oncology services that address the needs of patients from cancer screening, diagnosis and into survivorship.

Original Source: https://www.lohud.com/story/sponsor-story/newyork-presbyterian-hospital/2018/01/22/advances-radiation-therapy-offer-more-effective-cancer-treatment-newyork-presbyterian/1013163001/

Original Author: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Published 8:45 a.m. ET Jan. 22, 2018

Finding Linear Accelerator Replacement Parts

Whether you have a Varian, Elekta, Philips, Siemens LINAC, you can always find replacement parts, accessories and various linear accelerator components that met OEM specification to get your radiation device working like new.

A linear accelerator is a medical device used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer through a uniform dose of high-speed electrons and high-energy x-rays that are directed to the affected area of the patients’ tumor to destroy the cancer cells without damaging any healthy tissue.

Importance Of Safety

Patient safety, in this case, is very important and the last thing a radiation oncologist needs is a system malfunction or downtime that will impede a treatment session or cause an overdose of the prescribed treatment volume and dosage.

While modern radiation machines have inbuilt checking systems to provide additional safety and there are measures in place to ensure that the linear accelerator is on point and won’t deliver a higher dose than the radiation oncologist prescribed before the start of every treatment session, through no fault of the radiation oncologist, mechanical mishaps do occur.

Services Offered

Along with the aftercare services, upgrades, and repair parts required to keep a linear accelerator working in top condition, professional LINAC engineers offers the most cost-efficient radiation oncology equipment solutions. They include delivery, installation, acceptance testing, commissioning services, warranty, continuing service, and most importantly, linear accelerator components and accessories that are available in stock for immediate delivery.

In addition to equipment testing, quality assurance assistance and data collection, linear accelerator service providers also offer the following services and linear accelerator components:

Inspection of equipment to recommend a suitable level of refurbishment options (cosmetic, minor or major)
In-house refurbishing and live testing
MLC and table upgrades
Conventional and CT simulator installations
Shielded testing vault
Vault construction and project management
Patient positioning laser devices
Water chillers
Power conditioners
Air compressors
Equipment rigging
Equipment transport and storage
Specific patient couch
Spare parts kit
A set of operational and technical manuals
Dual Independent Jaws
IEC Scale Readouts and much more
Latch accessory mounts

Disposal of Equipment

Oncology clinics can now benefit from replacement parts for some of the top linear accelerator brand names, and the best part of this whole process is that when the life of a linear accelerator comes to an end, there are disposal services that conform to regulatory requirements. The equipment is professionally removed from the clinic using specialized cranes without damaging its structural integrity. The removal specialists ensure that any disposal of radioactive and hazardous materials from the LINAC is carried out through a licensed disposal company.

Upon request, an oncologist can receive an equipment evaluation and appraisal in the event they want to sell their LINAC or replace it with a newer model. Whatever your radiology need is, they can be met in a timely, professional manner at a competitive fee. Do you need any linear accelerator components, replacement parts, accessories, and repair solutions?