IMRT Treatment Planning
Cancer: historically, the word was synonymous with suffering and death. However, scientific advances over the last fifty years have given cancer patients hope. Radiation treatment, 3D imaging, and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) are among the more effective methods of treatment; combined with in-depth planning programs, cancer survival has reached more than fifty percent (in the U.S., compared to five years ago).
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Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an even more advanced and in-depth treatment using the 3D imaging approach. After the shape of the tumor is mapped out with digital imaging, the lowest required dose of radiation can then be determined. From there, the most specific areas within the tumor can be treated using radiation beams that penetrate the tumor from various angles. This is also beneficial because the surrounding non-cancerous cells receive less radiation than with previous treatment methods, resulting in less side effects and treatment toxicity.
Despite all the various benefits IMRT offers, it is not necessary for every patient. Often, basic medications and radiation treatments are considered enough. However, IMRT is commonly used for cancers found in the prostate, head and neck, various areas in the lungs, thyroid and lymphatic systems, the breasts, and especially with cases involving the brain. Only medical providers can determine whether IMRT should be used, but once its use has been decided on, a highly trained radiation team works closely with each patient to best utilize the advantages IMRT treatment offers.
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