Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy
One of the greatest difficulties within the field of oncology is achieving the highest probability of cure with the lowest morbidity as possible. Treatment planning and delivery technology have changed significantly since the introduction of 3D treatment planning in the 1980s (Meyer, 2011). The latest and greatest method of radiation therapy is known as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a newer, modern technique that uses advanced technology to manipulate beams of radiation to conform to the shape of a tumor target. IMRT uses various small photon or proton beams of different intensities and angles to accurately irradiate a tumor. Unlike other types …show more content…
Compensator is the beam-modifying device, which equalizes the skin surface contours, while retaining the skin-sparing effect (Kári, Karlinger, Légrády, Bérczi, & Czifrus, 2011). Linear accelerators or proton therapy utilize this type of IMRT. Conventional MLCs also use linear accelerators and include “step and shoot” static IMRT using multiple MLC shapes per field, dynamic IMRT, and intensity-modulated arc therapy using a full field MLC (Kári, Karlinger, Légrády, Bérczi, & Czifrus, 2011). Binary MLC is a special type of intensity modulated arc therapy that can be used for tomotherapy and helical tomotherapy. The robot-controlled accelerator uses the cyberknife system, and rotates the robot arm with 6 axes that produce 6MV X-ray radiation. The race-track microtron (RTM) is an accelerator with beam recirculation which best suits applications with relatively high beam energy and low current (Kári, Karlinger, Légrády, Bérczi, & Czifrus, 2011). A type of external beam radiotherapy that uses ionizing radiation, proton therapy, is also used in scanned beam IMRT. Proton therapy focuses on the tumor shape and delivers only low-dose side effects to the surrounding tissue. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is most commonly used to treat difficult-to-reach tumors. Most commonly, IMRT treats tumors located in the breast, head and neck, prostate, cervical, bladder, lung, gastrointestinal, endometrial, gynecologic and central nervous
One of the greatest difficulties within the field of oncology is achieving the highest probability of cure with the lowest morbidity as possible. Treatment planning and delivery technology have changed significantly since the introduction of 3D treatment planning in the 1980s (Meyer, 2011). The latest and greatest method of radiation therapy is known as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is a newer, modern technique that uses advanced technology to manipulate beams of radiation to conform to the shape of a tumor target. IMRT uses various small photon or proton beams of different intensities and angles to accurately irradiate a tumor. Unlike other types …show more content…
Compensator is the beam-modifying device, which equalizes the skin surface contours, while retaining the skin-sparing effect (Kári, Karlinger, Légrády, Bérczi, & Czifrus, 2011). Linear accelerators or proton therapy utilize this type of IMRT. Conventional MLCs also use linear accelerators and include “step and shoot” static IMRT using multiple MLC shapes per field, dynamic IMRT, and intensity-modulated arc therapy using a full field MLC (Kári, Karlinger, Légrády, Bérczi, & Czifrus, 2011). Binary MLC is a special type of intensity modulated arc therapy that can be used for tomotherapy and helical tomotherapy. The robot-controlled accelerator uses the cyberknife system, and rotates the robot arm with 6 axes that produce 6MV X-ray radiation. The race-track microtron (RTM) is an accelerator with beam recirculation which best suits applications with relatively high beam energy and low current (Kári, Karlinger, Légrády, Bérczi, & Czifrus, 2011). A type of external beam radiotherapy that uses ionizing radiation, proton therapy, is also used in scanned beam IMRT. Proton therapy focuses on the tumor shape and delivers only low-dose side effects to the surrounding tissue. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy is most commonly used to treat difficult-to-reach tumors. Most commonly, IMRT treats tumors located in the breast, head and neck, prostate, cervical, bladder, lung, gastrointestinal, endometrial, gynecologic and central nervous