Our radiation therapy technologies and techniques

Austin Health Radiation Oncology at the Olivia Newton-John Centre (ONJ Centre) is committed to providing a service that embraces new technology, new techniques and new ways of treating each patient so that the best outcome can be achieved.

Radiation Oncology at the ONJ Centre and the Ballarat Austin Radiation Oncology sites combine expert knowledge and technical capabilities to provide you with best possible care.

At the ONJ Centre, we operate three Linear Accelerators (linacs), including an Elekta Versa HD, all with Cone Beam CT and advanced imaging capabilities. Our treatment couch is a Hexapod 6^oof freedom couch top. The Versa HD linac has Exactrac imaging capability, complementing our Stereotactic Radiation Therapy program. This allows for small corrections in treatment angle and position before and during treatment.

For most techniques, our imaging allows us to ensure millimetre, or sub-millimetre, accuracy of radiation therapy delivery.

Therapy types

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is an advanced method of radiation therapy. It uses very precisely shaped and modulated beams of radiation, directed at the target site. The treatment is delivered from many different angles to allow a high dose of radiation to overlap in the centre of tumour, while shaping the radiation away from the normal healthy tissues.

The ONJ Centre and Ballarat-Austin Radiation Oncology use VMAT and IMRT techniques for many sites including the head and neck, prostate and brain.

Our treatment units are equipped with imaging systems, allowing us to perform precise 2D, 3D and 4D image verification. For most techniques, our imaging allows us to ensure millimetre or sub-millimetre accuracy of radiation therapy delivery.

Special markers (called fiducial markers) can help to track the position of the tumour before and during treatment. The markers are particularly helpful for tumours that are difficult to see on normal X-ray imaging, or that may move during treatment as a result of breathing.

The MR-Linac at the ONJ Centre can treat some tumours more accurately than conventional radiation therapy linacs. It combines high-quality magnetic resonance imaging and radiation therapy. This may result in improved tumour control, less side effects and/or fewer treatments. It can take real-time images of the tumour site so that therapy can be tailored to the patient.

The ONJ Centre will be the only public hospital in Victoria with an MR-Linac. It will be the state-wide service provider to Victorian patients.

The service began treating patients in 2021.

Find out more about the MR-Linac.

Brachytherapy is the use of a radioactive source placed within or very near to a tumour to treat from inside the body. At the ONJ Centre, we offer MRI guided high dose rate brachytherapy for patients with gynaecologic cancers, using modern techniques and state of the art equipment.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery or Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy is an extremely precise form of radiation therapy treatment. It is delivered to small, well defined tumours, giving a very high dose in a short number of treatments, or fractions. The high precision of the treatment allows the doses to be delivered to the tumour while limiting the exposure of healthy tissues to radiation. This allows us to compress the treatment into fewer treatment sessions and increase the dose to the tumour safely.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy use advanced stabilisation, positioning and imaging technologies to ensure sub-millimetre accuracy of treatment delivery. Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy are available at ONJ Centre and Ballarat Austin Radiation Oncology Centre for a range of indications.

Currently we have active programs for treating tumours of the lung, liver, brain, bone, kidney, adrenal gland and lymph nodes.

Deep Inspiration Breath Hold is the delivery of radiation treatment to the patient whilst the patient takes in and holds a deep breath. This technique is primarily used for the treatment of left-sided breast cancer to move the heart out of the radiation treatment fields, therefore reducing radiation dose to the heart. Breath hold techniques are delivered using the Elekta Active Breath Control (ABC) device. This assists you to safely hold your breath while the treatment is delivered.

In 2016 we became the first Victorian public centre to deploy on-treatment imaging using 4D cone beam CT. This technology allows us to verify the position of a cancer throughout the entire breathing cycle, and to correct for any changes we see with high precision. We currently use breathing adapted treatments to treat tumours of the breast, lung, liver and abdomen.

Superficial radiotherapy is a non-operative radiation procedure that is typically used for tumours of the skin, such as squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma. It allows patients to avoid surgery, or repeat surgery, that could be disfiguring or dangerous. It is an established treatment with a good safety record. The potential side effects are often limited to minor cosmetic changes in the colour or texture of the skin.

Delivery of radiation therapy to skin malignancies is offered using Superficial and Orthovoltage X-Ray Therapy at the ONJ Centre and Stawell Austin Radiation Oncology Centre.

Research & Clinical Trials

We are actively involved in a number of clinical trials and research. These trials are a very important element of the service at The ONJ Centre and BAROC, as participation ensures our staff and facilities remain world class. The ONJ Centre is proud to support ongoing research at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute. Austin Health radiation oncology is a Facility Alliance Member of the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group.

Find out more about radiation oncology research.

Our radiation therapy technologies and techniques

Austin Health Radiation Oncology at the Olivia Newton-John Centre (ONJ Centre) is committed to providing a service that embraces new technology, new techniques and new ways of treating each patient so that the best outcome can be achieved.

Therapy types

Research & Clinical Trials

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