IMRT = intensity modulated radiotherapy
Source: Yahoo Erasmus Medical Center
IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy)
IMRT means "Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in good Dutch intensity modulated radiotherapy. It is a technique that enables irradiation with radiation - radiation to healthy tissue as possible to save and tumor tissue has been extra irradiation. Especially the nerves in the mouth and salivary glands are spared this possible. It's a slightly different technique in which the robot radiation exposure is only focused on tumor tissue and tumor tissue full saves in principle. When IMRT is a radiation beam used varying intensity of the radiation and is thus optimally irradiated tumor, but the surrounding healthy tissue as little as possible. The patient thus has less problems with side effects of the radiation.
Quote from website Erasmus Medical Centre: The varying intensity of the radiation beam is obtained by the multi-leaf collimator of the device during irradiation moving (dynamic mlc).
The tumors in the Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam treated using IMRT are:
- prostate cancer
- tonsil tumors (tongue and throat cancer)
- cervical cancer (Baar moderate neck cancer)
- rectal cancer
- laryngeal tumors (tumors of the throat and esophagus)
- thyroid tumors
Prior to the IMRT radiation are CT images of the area to be irradiated. The radiologist then gives ide on CT scans as the target volume. Then after the data from the computer planning is made a radiologist there. If this treatment plan is completed and approved by the physician is a 'pre treatment' carried out by a physicist. This means that a first radiation dose is given (without patient) to make sure everything matches the plans. If everything goes corect and physicist gives his approval, the treatment for the patient to start.
