Oncology dept goes high tech

Christchurch Hospital will soon be offering the most high-tech cancer treatment in the country.

A new $2.8 million CT simulator was installed a week ago and a $3.5m linear accelerator to deliver radiation therapy is on its way to replace a 15-year-old machine.

The new CT simulator not only pinpoints cancer tumours more accurately, it also helps speed up treatment by electronically calculating each patient's radiotherapy needs, saving hours of manual assessment.

About half of all cancer patients need radiotherapy.

Radiation oncology clinical director Chris Wynne said the department, which had been plagued by understaffing, would be fully staffed by the end of the year.

- NZPA