| Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is a term known to | | | | composite dose distribution. 'IMRT' treatment is |
| cancer sufferers. It is one of the three techniques to | | | | superior to the previous technique, in terms of |
| cure different types of cancers in the world today. | | | | sparing of normal tissues and organs. This enables |
| With this being said, the other two are surgery and | | | | higher doses to be delivered to the cancerous cells |
| chemotherapy. On the other hand, chemotherapy is | | | | without increasing side effects. This means better |
| more associated with the cancer word and is more | | | | cancer cure in many cases. |
| popular. | | | | 'Stereotactic' radio surgery or 'SRS' is a 'non' surgical |
| There are four types of radiation therapies. They are | | | | procedure that uses highly focused radiation beams |
| the conventional and conformal, intensity modulated | | | | to treat certain types of tumours, inoperable lesions |
| radiation, 'stereotactic' radio surgery ('SRS') and image | | | | and as a post operative treatment to eliminate any |
| guide radiation therapy ('IGRT'). | | | | leftover tumour tissues or to obliterate (destroy) |
| For conventional and conformal therapy, it is a | | | | abnormal blood vessels in congenital 'arteriovenous' |
| technique that applies to basic and simple cases. It | | | | malformations. This procedure relies on detailed |
| uses one or two beam directions to irradiate the | | | | imaging, computerized treatment planning and precise |
| target (cancer tissues or cells) without complex | | | | treatment setup with extreme accuracy. It is only |
| shielding (for example, the whole brain, spine | | | | delivered once or several times, depending on the |
| 'methastases', etc.) It applies multiple beams | | | | dose prescribed by the oncologist. |
| directions to conform as closely as possible to the | | | | Lastly, 'IGRT' or Image Guided Radiation Therapy |
| target volume to deliver adequate dose to the | | | | would be an option. It has the advantage of |
| tumour and at the same time minimizing dose to | | | | accuracy during delivery of the treatment. The |
| normal tissues nearby. Both conventional and | | | | human body is unique in a way that is always moving. |
| conformal techniques are based on 3D anatomic | | | | And this movement reflects the behaviour of the |
| information to gather close distributions. | | | | organs. As organs move, the tumour can also move |
| Next, we have the 'IMRT' or Intensity Modulated | | | | between treatments due to differences in organ |
| Radiation Therapy. It is the most advanced | | | | filling or movements while breathing. 'IGRT' is an |
| treatment technology type we have, which enables | | | | imaging method on a real time basis where an image |
| 'non' uniform radiation to be delivered to the patient | | | | of the patient is taken and compared to the planning |
| from any given position of beam, to optimize the | | | | image, prior to the treatment. |