Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is using the new Novalis TX radiosurgery to target cancer tumors faster and more precisely, with less damage to normal tissues.  It's a first for cancer patients in Middle Tennessee. 
The technology almost sounds like science fiction.  According to Vanderbilt doctors and reports from around the country, it can guide and bend a narrow beam of radiation directly to a cancer tumor smaller than a millimeter.  Doctors consider it safer than surgery in some cases, especially for brain and spinal cord cancers where surgery may not be possible.  
The equipment takes up an entire room because there are multiple cameras and infrared readers and sensors that are creating 3-D images during the treatment.
Radiation treatment for cancer can take a long time for technicians to target, align, adjust and re-adjust the equipment. With TX radiosurgery, the beam is faster and more accurate, according to Dr. Arnold Malcolm, interim chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology.  He plans to use it on prostate and liver cancer patients where any movement, such as breathing, can be a problem.  According to Medical News Today, the technology can synchronize treatment with a patient's normal breathing pattern and compensate for motion.