UPMC Hillman Cancer Center is part of the UPMC family.

What is the Halcyon™ Radiation Therapy System?

The Halcyon™ radiation therapy system is designed to deliver precise image-guided, volumetric, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) up to four times faster than standard technology.

How Does the Halcyon Radiation Therapy System Work?

The Halcyon Radiation Therapy System delivers image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) up to four times faster than standard technology.

The system captures either two dimensional or cone-beam CT images for guidance in less than 15 seconds.

It also delivers varying —or modulating — intensities of radiation (in this case, high-energy x-rays) for cancer treatments that last about two minutes per session.

Halcyon Radiotherapy Treatment: What to Expect

If your radiation oncologist decides that Halcyon therapy is right for you, the team of radiation oncologists at Mary Hillman Jennings Oncology Center at UPMC Shadyside will:

  • Use computer-generated images to custom-design your treatment plan
  • Deliver a precise, tightly focused radiation dose that conforms to the shape of your tumor while minimizing impact on surrounding healthy tissue

The major benefit of Halcyon is its efficiency. Images can be acquired in less than 15 seconds, and treatment can be administered in about two minutes, minimizing your time on the table and optimizing the delivery of your treatment plan.

Halcyon also offers enhanced features for patient comfort, including:

  • A wide bore
  • Ambient lighting with the patient’s choice of color
  • Brushless motors for nearly silent movements
  • An enclosed gantry, so all rotation takes place within the machine itself, rather than externally around the patient

Where Can I Receive Halcyon Treatment?

Halcyon treatment is available at Mary Hillman Jennings Radiation Oncology Center at UPMC Shadyside and UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

Halycon™ is a trademark of Varian Medical Systems.

Contact Us About Radiation Oncology at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

To learn more about radiation treatments or to make an appointment you can: