Greenville, NC — ECU Health has been designated a GammaTile® Center of Excellence Program (COE) by GT Medical Technologies, recognizing the health system’s exceptional expertise and leadership in advancing brain tumor care. The designation honors institutions that demonstrate outstanding clinical skill, patient education and commitment to improving outcomes for patients with operable brain tumors.
“We are proud that ECU Health is leading the way in brain cancer care with GammaTile®, a vision we set in motion back in 2019,” said Dr. Stuart Lee, chief, division of neurosurgery, ECU Health and medical director of The Gamma Knife Center, ECU Health Medical Center. “GammaTile® allows us to deliver radiation therapy safely and effectively during surgery, offering new hope and better outcomes while preserving healthy brain function. It is a privilege to provide this level of care to the people of our region.”
ECU Health began offering GammaTile® therapy in November 2019 and has since completed more than 85 implantations, becoming one of the first centers east of the Mississippi River to adopt this innovative treatment. GammaTile® is an FDA-cleared, bioabsorbable collagen implant embedded with radiation seeds. Placed directly where the brain tumor was removed at the time of tumor removal, GammaTile® delivers immediate, localized radiation when cancer cells are at their lowest levels. This approach eliminates the traditional delay between surgery and radiation therapy, maximizing effectiveness against remaining cancer cells while minimizing exposure to healthy brain tissue. This way, radiation starts working immediately, right at the spot where cancer cells are most likely to come back.
“ECU Health is honored to be designated a GammaTile® Center of Excellence, a recognition that reflects our team’s unwavering dedication to innovation and collaboration,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer, ECU Health. “This achievement ensures that patients across eastern North Carolina can access the most advanced, high‑quality treatment options without leaving their community. We remain committed to bringing cutting‑edge care close to home, where it matters most.”
Multiple ECU Health team members were recognized with Center of Excellent Achievement, including:
- Neurosurgeons: Aaron E. Bond, MD; Richard Dalyai, MD; Jennifer L. Griswold, MD; Regis G. Hoppenot, MD; Hilal A. Kanaan, MD; K. Stuart Lee, MD; Lenwood P. Smith, Jr., MD
- Radiation Oncologists: Andrew W. Ju, MD; M. Sean Peach, MD
- Medical Physicists: Christopher Bentley, DABR; Sean Cavenaugh, MS, DABR; Blane Jernigan; David Rushing, MSPH
- Nuclear Medicine Technologist: Heather Grillo