Healthy Living Spring 2015

HEALTHYliving spring 2015

Washington DAILY NEWS Published by Washington Newsmedia, LLC

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Ashley Vansant Editorial

ACCELERATED: New linear accelerator puts cancer center on the map

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Vail Stewart Rumley

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Contributors

Anjali Malik, MD Advertising Director

The benefits of 3D mammography

Kathryn Powell Marketing & Sales

German Llodrat Cecilia Prokos Spencer Stanley Amy Whitaker

Patients are becoming engaged with Vidant MyChart

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Distribution

Sylvester Rogers

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Art Direction

Jason Scott

Beware buying medicines online HEALTHYliving P.O. Box 1788 Washington, NC 27889 Advertising inquiries

252-946-2144

Technology aiming to reduce sports-related head injuries

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HEALTHYliving is published four times a year by Washington Newsmedia, LLC. Copyright 2015 Washington Newsmedia, LLC

MEDICAL AND HEALTH DIRECTORY

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Accelerated

New linear accelerator puts cancer center on the map

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY | DAILY NEWS IN THE SIGHTS: Director of Radiation Oncology Dr. Robert McLaurin Jr. displays the laser focusing ability of the new linear accelerator at the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center. The state of the art technology means Washington’s center “has the best linear accelerator east of 95,” according to McLaurin.

By VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

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t looks like something out of sci-fi movie, with its two retractable arms and a looming head, both rotating 360 degrees around the person lying prone on the table. But those arms are actually diagnostic; the head delivers beams of radiation; and combined with computer-generated placement via the movable table, the new linear accelerator at Washington’s Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center is now delivering the fastest and most accurate radiation treatments east of I-95.

“Six months ago, it took 30 to 40 minutes for a single treatment. With this machine, it takes two minutes. It delivers radiation much more precisely

and rapidly,” said Dr. Robert McLaurin Jr., head of radiation oncology at the cancer center. “Faster is better.”

Over the weekend, McLaurin explained the workings of the linear accelerator to Vidant-Beaufort Hospital doctors and staff, breaking down the physics of the machinery into layman’s terms during informal tours.

The linear accelerator is a significant acquisition for a center that started its life in 1989 as East Carolina University’s first oncology outreach clinic.

Prior to seven years ago, doctors didn’t even have the ability to do radiation treatments, but as the center’s reputation has grown, the number of patients has grown with it — cancer patients are choosing

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Six months ago, it took 30 to 40 minutes for a single treatment. With this machine, it takes two minutes. It delivers radiation much more precisely and rapidly.

Faster is better.

— Dr. Robert McLaurin Jr.

to get their treatment in Washington, rather than traveling to Vidant Medical Center, and even Duke University and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill hospitals.

“The center grew to the point where we had to get the new technology,” McLaurin said.

One of the most important aspects of the linear accelerator is the time factor, both for the patient and the center’s radiation therapists. Previously, radiation treatments took much longer be-

VAIL STEWART RUMLEY | DAILY NEWS VOLUNTEER: “Comparing an older machine to this machine is like comparing a 1974 VW Beetle to a 2015 Jaguar,” said Radiation Therapist Carolina Moreno, pictured. “You get from Point A to Point B, but with a lot of different bells and whistles.”

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VAIL STEWART RUMLEY | DAILY NEWS THE GIRLS: Radiation therapists Carolina Morena (on the table), Danielle Midgette (left) and Kristina Howell (right) show visitors what the linear accelerator looks like in action.

Technologically, the cancer center’s linear accelerator is cutting edge and will continue to be for several years, which means treatment in Washington rivals that found at any larger hospital in eastern North Carolina.

cause therapists would constantly have to physically adjust the patient, and exactitude is required when aiming a beam of radiation into a body. The patient would have to hold positions for a much longer period of time, which also can be grueling.

Now, the linear accelerator’s two arms perform a CT scan, spinning around the patient to map out the internal organs in 3-D, then automatically reference prior scans to make sure the patient, and treatment area, is in the exact same position as before.

If it’s off by even a millimeter, it’s the table underneath the patient, and not the patient, that adjusts accordingly.

The distribution of radiation makes the machine even more remarkable: mobile stainless steel plates, called multileaf collimators, shape the radiation beam to fit the treatment area, then

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continue to change the shape as the machine spins around the patient, delivering radiation from every angle.

“We can change the ray to any shape we want and control the intensity of it across that plane,” McLaurin said. “It’s fascinating because there’s so much physics involved.”

Being able to shape the radiation beam means that healthy tissue surrounding a tumor is protected from damage, which can impact quality of life — for the better — after cancer treatment.

Technologically, the cancer center’s linear accelerator is cutting edge and will continue to be for several years, which means treatment in Washington rivals that found at any larger hospital in eastern North Carolina, according to McLaurin.

“We get results that are every bit as good as theirs,” McLaurin said. “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

The Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center is located at 1209 Brown Street in Washington.

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The benefits of 3D mammography

Anjali Malik, MD

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n many aspects of life, more is better, and the same holds true for mammograms and breast cancer detection. Thankfully, breast tomosynthesis, or 3-D mammography, is just that. More.

Mammograms remain the best tool doctors have to screen for breast cancer. However, if you or one of your loved ones are amongst the 10 percent of women who are called back from a screening mammogram, you know that even mammograms have limitations. That is because the current, conventional digital mammography produces images in two dimensions, but the breast is a three dimensional structure. This can lead to overlapping tissue, especially in women with dense breast tissue, often yielding those bright “white spots” in the breast that can mimic the appearance of a breast cancer. While these overlapping areas are often easily cleared with additional imaging and testing, these “false-positive” callbacks cause a great deal of anxiety for women.

Enter breast tomosynthesis, also known as 3-D mammography. This breakthrough in mammography utilizes advanced imaging technology to produce a 3-D image of the breast. Instead of the standard two pictures of each breast with 2-D mammography, a sequence of X-rays is taken at different angles of each breast. This provides a clearer, more accurate view of the breast, eliminating the confusion of overlapping

tissue. Think of it as peeling layers one at a time.

For example, if you were looking at a book without opening it, the book’s cover would obstruct your view of the words. With tomosynthesis, the book can be read one page at a time. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that with this improved view, there was a 15-percent decrease in the number of women called back from screening exams.

That means less anxiety and stress each year for a large number of women, as well as fewer unnecessary tests and biopsies for those areas, which cannot be cleared by standard mammograms and ultrasound.

What’s more, the test has also been shown to improve

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A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that with this improved view, there was a 15-percent decrease in the number of women called back from screening exams. That means less anxiety and stress each year for a large number of women, as well as fewer unnecessary tests and biopsies for those areas ‌

detection of breast cancer, up to 44 percent, especially with the more aggressive and potentially fatal invasive cancers. It also has a greater likelihood of demonstrating multiple, concurrent breast cancers, which can occur in up to 15 percent of breast cancer patients. This can help doctors tailor the specific therapy and plan for women with recently diagnosed breast cancer.

While increased radiation is a consideration for breast tomosynthesis, this might be offset by the decrease in additional imaging needed for those false positive callbacks.

Additionally, even if a woman needs additional testing from her screening

mammogram, the 3-D mammography often gives greater detailed information that will allow many women to proceed directly to ultrasound and be spared additional X-rays for diagnosis.

3-D mammography is likely to be most useful for those women with dense breast tissue, or a greater amount of glandular tissue in their breasts than fat, as these are the tissue patterns that most often cause overlapping tissue and false positive callbacks. Discuss with your doctor what kind of tissue density you have and whether breast tomosynthesis would be a good option for you.

Tomosynthesis is currently offered at

Eastern Radiologists Breast Imaging Center and will be available at Eastern Radiologists Washington in the coming months.

Anjali Malik, MD is a Fellowship Trained Breast Imager at Eastern Radiologists, 2101 W. Arlington Blvd., Suite 100, 252-752-5000, www. easternrad.com.

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Patients are becoming engaged with Vidant MyChart

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etting patients and their families involved in their care is one of the best ways to improve patient outcomes. That’s one reason Vidant Health has introduced Vidant MyChart, a way for patients to manage their care on their smartphone, computer or tablet.

MyChart is a secure online patient portal that allows patients to view their health history, medications, allergies, discharge instructions, lab results and more.

They can schedule appointments, request prescription refills and stay in contact with their provider.

Making information from the electronic health record available to patients and their families helps improve patient outcomes. Informed patients are more likely to comply with their provider’s recommended regimen concerning their medical care. They are also better able to communicate important health information to their providers, which can assist with their diagnosis and care plans.

At the end of March, there were more than 48,000 patients actively using MyChart, indicating that eastern

North Carolina is embracing the new tool.

Throughout eastern North Carolina, MyChart users are reporting helpful results from having managed their health with this online tool. Jennifer Lewis, a registered nurse and Community Health Improvement Coordinator at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, said she was impressed that her messages through MyChart were responded to quickly and directly by her provider at Vidant Family Medicine of Chocowinity.

“We were able to communicate efficiently regarding my lab results and a plan of care. MyChart makes the best use of her valuable time.

“MyChart is a great resource for the working mom,” Lewis said. “Moms are busy and the providers are busy and often when you leave a message, you’re not available when the provider calls back. MyChart allows for quick and convenient communication. I tell fellow employees, friends and family members about the great benefits of MyChart.”

Learn more at VidantMyChart.com. And get your health to go.

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Beware buying medicines online Many websites that sell medicine are perfectly legal and trustworthy.

However, just as many, if not more, websites sell medicine that has not been checked or approved by the FDA.

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he Internet has made it possible for consumers to buy just about anything without ever leaving their homes. Whether looking for a pizza or a car, consumers can find whatever they need with a few clicks of the mouse.

But buying merchandise online always comes with a degree of risk, and that’s especially so when buying medicine over the Internet. Not all websites that sell medicine are trustworthy, and many physicians feel buying medicine online is never a viable option. Recognizing the risk involved in such a transaction, the Food and Drug Administration offers the following advice to consumers consider purchasing medicines over the Internet.

METRO Purchasing prescription medicines over the internet might be convenient, but it also carries substantial

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Learn about medicines before ordering Consumers should learn as much as possible about the medicines they plan to purchase before placing an order. Know what the medicine looks like, including its color, texture, shape and packaging. If the medicine has a particular taste or smell, make note of that before taking any medication purchased over the Internet.

Know what you’re buying Many websites that sell medicine are perfectly legal and trustworthy. However, just as many, if not more, websites sell medicine that has not been checked or approved by the FDA. These drugs might contain the wrong active ingredient or too much or too little of the active ingredient, making them ineffective and possibly even deadly. These faulty sites appear just as credible as their legitimate counterparts, but sell ineffective or dangerous drugs to consumers who don’t know what they’re getting in return.

In an effort to increase awareness among consumers purchasing medicine online, the FDA purchased and analyzed a host of products that were sold online as Tamiflu, which is used to treat some types of influenza infection. The active ingredient in Tamiflu is oseltamivir, but in one package purchased by the FDA online the drug they received as Tamiflu contained none of the active ingredient oseltamivir. Similar problems were reported by consumers who purchased Ambien, Xanax, Lexapro and Ativan over the Internet. Instead of receiving these drugs, consumers received products containing the foreign version of Haldol, a powerful anti-psychotic drug that sent consumers to the emergency room, where they were treated for a host of ailments.

When shopping for medicine online, the FDA notes the following signs of a website that’s trustworthy: * The site is located in the United States. * The website is licensed by the state board of

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pharmacy where the website is operating. * The website offers a licensed pharmacist available to answer any questions. * The website provides accessible contact information that allows consumers to talk to a person if they have any comments or questions. * The website has an accessible and understandable privacy and security policy for its consumers. * The website does not sell consumer information without consent. * The website only sells prescription drugs to consumers with an existing prescription.

More information about prescription medication safety is available at www.fda.gov.

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Technology aiming to reduce sports-related head injuries

METRO It’s important to protect children who play sports from head injuries, to prevent long-term cognitive damage. Technology is making strides in that direction.

A

thletes who play contact and even noncontact sports typically recognize the risk of injury that comes with competing.

Head injuries, particularly, are cause for concern because of the long-term cognitive damage that may result for such injuries. Many times players, parents and coaches are unaware that a serious head injury has occurred until it is too late.

In order be aware of injuries early on and ensure that players can get the prompt care they need,

many different alert systems are currently in research and development, and a few products have already hit the market. For example, the CheckLight is a washable hat created jointly by Reebok and MC10, an electronics company interested in making electronics to conform to the human body.

This beanie-style hat can be worn alone or under a helmet and has an electronics module inside of it.

Should a potential head injury occur, an LED light readout will be triggered. Yellow indicates the blow

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The American Association of Neurological Surgeons says traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of sports-related deaths, adding that sports and recreational activities contribute to roughly 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children and adolescents. was moderate, while red indicates a severe impact.

Other sensors in development include a patch that can be attached to a player. The patch would then send out wireless data when impact injuries have occurred.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons says traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of sports-related deaths, adding that sports and recreational activities contribute to roughly 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children and adolescents.

A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is defined as a jolt or blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.

Mild cases may be not be life-threatening. However, repeated cases or severe jolts may result in serious conditions and even lead to death.

Preventing head injuries in sports is a goal of many parents, coaches and sports administrators.

Sensors that can alert to head injuries or help people be more conscious of head trauma may prove a significant step toward achieving that goal.

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