Saint Joseph's Hospital CyberKnife Center
Saint Paul, MinnesotaSt. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, is proud to be the first hospital in the Upper Midwest to have a regional center for Stereotactic Radiosurgery. This treatment has been used for over 30 years to deliver high doses of concentrated radiation to brain tumors and vascular malformations. Traditional methods relied on a metal frame bolted to the skull in order to target the treatment. The Cyberknife Center uses X-ray image cameras and computer technology to locate tumors and deliver concentrated radiation without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. The Cyberknife Center is located in renovated space in the lower level of St Joseph's Hospital. The existing 7,255-square-foot space had been left untouched since the early 1970s. St. Joseph's asked HGA to create a calming "spa like" environment for treatment spaces and family member areas. HGA's research revealed that cancer patients wanted "reminders of life," "variety" and "hospitals that don't look like hospitals." With this in mind, the design team developed a kaleidoscope concept for the ceiling of the Cyberknife room. The team decided to project images of nature on the ceiling to distract patients having arduous treatments ranging from one to five hours per visit.