Tomotherapy
Tomotherapy is a kind of image guided IMRT. A tomotherapy machine is a mix of a CT imaging scanner and an external-beam radiation therapy machine. The portion of the machine that imparts the radiation for treatment and imaging both can rotate around the patient in a manner similar to CT scanner. CT Images of the tumor are captured by the tomotherapy machines just before the treatment sessions to Radiation Therapy Center in India.
Tomotherapy: Tomotherapy is a type of image-guided IMRT. A tomotherapy machine is a hybrid between a CT imaging scanner and an external-beam radiation therapy machine. The part of the tomotherapy machine that delivers radiation for both imaging and treatment can rotate completely around the patient in the same manner as a normal CT scanner. The CT images of the tumor are captured by the tomotherapy machines are captures just before the treatment sessions so that tumor targeting is precise without exposing normal tissues to radiation. Tomotherapy is a better option than 3D-CRT in saving normal tissues form the radiations. Clinical trials for comparison between the two however has not been done.
External-beam radiation therapy
Photon beams such as X-Rays and Gamma Rays are used in external beam radiation therapy. A photon is the basic unit of light and electromagnetic radiation. Photon is a bundle of energy. The energy stored within a photon varies. Photons in gamma rays house the greatest amount of energy followed by X-Rays. A linear accelerator also known as LINAC is a machine used to deliver external beam radiation therapy. Fast moving sub atomic particles are generated with electricity in a LINAC. The high energy radiation created is used in the treatment of cancer. The external beam radiation therapy is given to patients over the course of several weeks in daily treatment sessions. The total radiation dose that is required determines the number of treatment sessions required. 3 Dimensional Conformal radiation therapy (3D- CRT) is one of the most common type of external beam radiation therapy. Sophisticated computer software and highly developed treatment machines are used to send radiation to the target areas.
Other external beam radiation therapies being used in cancer treatment is : –
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