Cancer patients know about long recoveries, but new technology using artificial intelligence could cut down treatment time. Imagine a few days of radiation therapy instead of a month. CTV's Carissa Nashkite has the details of a system soon available on the East Coast. So this is one of our treatment units here at the Q2 Cancer Centre. After a year of testing, the Ethos radiotherapy system will be ready for patients starting in the new year.
Designed by Varian Medical Systems in California, it will be the first of its kind cancer treatment tech on the East Coast, with a similar device in BC. We're seeing things that we could never see before on the daily treatment images that we would get. Much like an MRI, patients will lay down here and will be scanned in just a matter of six seconds.
With the help of AI technology, the images produced are clearer and more precise and will help identify tumors more quickly. If we can see what we want to treat and we can see it better, then you can start to zero in on exactly where the tumor is and start to spare the healthy tissues around tumors a little bit better. Health experts say because of this, treatment plans will be shorter, from previous weeks to just days. I never thought I would have to really deal with cancer in my lifetime.
Bill Ross was diagnosed with prostate cancer last summer. They've come a long way with figuring out the best way to do stuff. Obviously this Ethos machine is something new. Nova Scotia helped raise $8 million for this machine with reduced wait time for cancer treatment being a huge selling point.
If we bring the best technology here, we attract the best physicians, the best clinicians and folks to work here and that ultimately helps us all. As of last year, Atlantic Canada still leads the country with the highest rates of cancer with more than 5,000 patients. positive diagnoses for every 100,000 people. The Nova Scotia government has also spent an additional $20 million for two more Ethos machines to be installed in the spring, meaning less wait times for cancer patients.
Mirella. Positive news.