Nuclear Oncology

Posts Tagged ‘Stereotactic radiosurgery’

Do you use this equipment

A linear accelerator (LINAC) is the device most commonly used to give external beam radiation therapy to cancer patients. The linear accelerator can also be used to treat all parts / organs. Provides high-energy X-rays to the tumor region of the patient. These X-ray treatments can be designed to destroy cancer cells without affecting surrounding normal tissue. The LINAC is used to treat all parts of the body using conventional therapies, intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) guided radiotherapy (IGRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

How does this team

The linear accelerator uses microwave technology (similar to that used for radar) to accelerate electrons in the accelerator called a “waveguide” and then allows these electrons to collide against a target of heavy metal. As a result of collisions, high energy X-rays are produced from the target. These high-energy X-rays are shaped as they leave the machine to form a beam that resembles the shape of the patient’s tumor, and this beam is directed to personalized patient’s tumor. The beam can be formed either by blocks placed at the head of the machine or multi-leaf collimator built into the machine head. The patient lies on a movable treatment couch and lasers are used to ensure that the patient is in the proper position. The treatment couch can be moved in various directions such as up, down, right, left, inward and outward. The beam leaves the accelerator called a gantry part, which can be rotated around the patient. Radiation can be delivered to the tumor from any angle by rotating the gantry and moving the treatment couch. Read the rest of this entry »

Stereotactic radiosurgery, also called stereotactic radiotherapy is a highly accurate form of radiation therapy used primarily to treat tumors and other abnormalities of the brain. Today radiosurgery is also being used to treat cancer in other parts of the body in a procedure called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Despite its name, stereotactic radiosurgery is a non-surgical procedure that delivers highly focused radiation doses far higher than traditional radiation therapy while avoiding healthy tissue organs nearby.

Stereotactic radiosurgery depends on several technologies:

* Three-dimensional images that determine the exact coordinates of the target within the body
* Systems to immobilize and position the patient carefully
* Beams of gamma rays or X rays converge is highly focused on a tumor or abnormal radiation on a
* In some cases, image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) which uses medical imaging to confirm the location of a tumor immediately before or during the administration of radiation to further improve the precision and accuracy of treatment

The three-dimensional imaging such as CT, MRI and PET / CT is used to locate the tumor or abnormality within the body and define its exact size and shape. These images guide treatment planning, where radiation beams are designed to converge on the target area from different angles and planes, as well as the careful positioning of the patient for therapy sessions. Read the rest of this entry »