The main hospital in the Highlands has become the first in Scotland to use a pioneering cancer treatment – where patients hold their breath to protect their heart.
Raigmre Hospital is leading the way with the ground-breaking Deep Inspiration Breath Hold radiotherapy (DIBH) treatment.
Already it has won the support of one of the first patients to undergo DIBH radiotherapy who said it was she was “just delighted, very thankful”.
Local woman Helen Homer said one of the great things about it is that “it returns a little bit of control” to the patient.
After treatment yesterday, she said: “When you are diagnosed with cancer you are on this sort of conveyer belt and you just have to go along with everything.”
But she added that, with DIBH, the patient feels more of a participant because they have to inhale and hold for 20 seconds at exactly the right moment.
A deep breath moves the heart away fromt he area being treated in left side tumours.
Mrs Homer said: “It was rather a surprise to learn I had cancer, and worse to know the treatment might damage my heart.
“I am very thankful to all at Raigmore Hospital who have treated me, but especially the radiotherapy team who have made huge efforts to bring this new technique to Highland, to help people like me.”
NHS Highland’s superintendent radiographer, Vicky Doughty, who led the development said it helps to “reduce the risks.”
She said: “By asking the patients to breathe in during planning and treatment, the heart and other major blood vessels move away from the area being treated, thus offering protection.
“For breast cancer patients that are having their left breast or chest wall treated, there is a small risk of having a heart attack or other coronary event in the long term.”
She added: “It is now best practice to offer DIBH to those patients who are eligible and therefore reduce the risks.”
Then an advanced surface guidance system called AlignRT, currently only used in Scotland by Raigmore, is used for monitoring position during treatment.
Prior to receiving the radiotherapy patients are screened and coached with those able to hold their breath comfortably for the necessary 20 – 25 seconds offered the treatment.
