World-Class Radiation Treatment
The Beacon Hospital Radiotherapy Department provides patients with timely access to world-class radiation treatment delivered by an expert multidisciplinary team of doctors, physicists, radiation therapists, and nurses.
Evidence-based, Precision Radiotherapy
Beacon Hospital continually invests in cutting-edge technologies to offer evidence-based, precision radiotherapy tailored to each patient’s cancer type and stage. The department’s advanced equipment includes:
- A Siemens GoSim CT scanner for high-definition imaging and motion tracking.
- Varian Edge and Varian True Beam HyperSight linear accelerators, enabling highly accurate external beam and stereotactic treatments.
- AlignRT surface guidance technology, the first of its kind in Ireland, allowing tattoo-free radiotherapy.
- The SENSUS SRT-100 unit for superficial radiotherapy of non-melanoma skin cancers and keloid scars.
A Dedicated Radiotherapy Research Clinical Trials Unit
The department is also home to a dedicated Radiotherapy Research Clinical Trials Unit, led by Dr. Alina Mihai, Radiation Oncology Research Lead. The unit includes a Research Radiation Therapist, supported by a Medical Physicist and Clerical Administrative Staff, and is committed to advancing patient care through participation in high-quality clinical trials.
Annual SRS and SBRT Symposium
Dr. Mihai leads the annual SS and SBRT symposium which has grown to an international event, with world-renowned speakers from Europe, USA and Canada. These expert speakers are at the forefront of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy.
Comprehensive, Patient-Centred Care
Radiation Oncology at Beacon Hospital treats all adult cancers and works closely within multidisciplinary cancer teams to coordinate comprehensive, patient-centred care.
Meet some of the IRROG members based at Beacon Hospital
Professor Alina Mihai
Professor Alina Mihai is the Site Lead for IRROG at Beacon Hospital, where she brings international research expertise and a commitment to personalised cancer care. Dr Alina Mihai is a key contributor to IRROG, bringing deep clinical and academic expertise in radiotherapy trials. She is a member of the Executive Committee of Cancer Trials Ireland and serves as national Principal Investigator on multiple international Phase III studies, including NRG 005 and COMET-3. Her site was a top global recruiter for both trials, reflecting her leadership in patient access and trial delivery.
With a team comprising clinicians, a research radiation therapist, and an administrator, Dr Mihai has led or participated in 19 national and international radiotherapy trials. Her academic focus includes stereotactic ablative radiotherapy and technical innovations in lung cancer, with publications in high-impact journals. She plays a vital role in strengthening academic-industry partnerships and expanding access to cutting-edge trials for Irish patients.
Professor John Armstrong
Professor John Armstrong
Professor John Armstrong is the IRROG Site Lead at St. Luke’s Hospital Rathgar and has been a major force in advancing radiotherapy research and innovation in Ireland for more than two decades. A former Director of Research at the St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON), he has overseen some of the most impactful clinical developments in Irish radiotherapy.
Professor Armstrong trained at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where he directed the Lung Cancer Radiation Research Programme—bringing back with him extensive expertise in advanced radiotherapy techniques and trial methodology. Under his leadership, SLRON was one of the first Irish centres to implement Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), now standard in the treatment of complex cancers.
Over his career, Professor Armstrong has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, lectured extensively, and mentored emerging clinicians and researchers. He has been instrumental in the enrolment of over 2,080 patients into clinical trials at SLRON—a significant national milestone. He currently leads the 18-33 Source Trial, a pioneering investigator-initiated study focused on advanced radiation techniques, which IRROG is supporting for national rollout.
Professor Armstrong remains a driving force for innovation, standardisation, and equitable access to radiotherapy research across Ireland.