Radiation oncology teams consist of radiation oncologists and their clinical staff, who develop a treatment plan when radiation is determined to be an appropriate therapy. The purpose of radiation therapy is to damage or destroy cancerous cells by preventing them from growing or dividing while minimizing adverse effects on nearby healthy organs and tissues.
At Texas Oncology, patients receive today's most precise radiation applications due to our advanced cancer treatment planning systems and radiation oncology technology. Your cancer treatment plans may include one or more of the following technologies:
Virtual CT Simulator
Virtual CT Simulator enhances radiation oncology treatment planning by generating three-dimensional images for achieving utmost accuracy in targeting and mapping specific treatment areas. With Virtual CT Simulation, oncologists can deliver high doses of radiation to a tumor while minimizing the amount of radiation to normal, surrounding tissues.
Cancer treatment planning is enhanced with the use of a three-dimensional treatment planning computer. Using the information and images provided by the Virtual CT Simulator, the computer generates a treatment plan tailored to the patient’s cancer care needs. Guided by three-dimensional models, the radiation oncologist, physicist and dosimetrist can accurately determine the optimal dose of radiation to be delivered during treatment.
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an advanced form of noninvasive radiation treatment enabling radiation oncologists to precisely target tumor cells. IMRT uses computer generated images and treatment planning to deliver high doses of radiation to a tumor while minimizing the amount of radiation to normal, surrounding tissues. Computed tomography (CT) and other imaging studies to build 3D diagnostic images and treatment plans to deliver tightly focused radiation beams of varying intensity to cancerous tumors without needles, tubes, or catheters. The higher dose to the tumor can result in a higher possibility of a cure, and with the addition of ultrasound technology to IMRT, radiation oncologists can localize treatment to the affected area, minimizing damage to surrounding tissues.
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR)
High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR) uses a radioactive source that is placed inside the body part to be treated. Then, a high dose of radiation is projected upon a limited area of the body, sparing the surrounding normal tissue. Given either inpatient or outpatient, the treatment’s advanced imaging facilitates exact catheter placement, resulting in a radiation dose with one-millimeter accuracy to significantly spare radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and critical organs. HDR brachytherapy lasts only a few minutes in an outpatient setting. The procedure causes little discomfort and fewer complications while resulting in a more rapid recovery time.
Low Dose Rate (LDR) Brachytherapy Radioactive Seed Implants
Low Dose Rate (LDR) Brachytherapy Radioactive Seed Implants are often used for prostate cancer. This treatment involves surgically implanting radioactive “seeds” into the tumor, which deliver a high dose of radiation with minimal or no effects to surrounding tissues. The seeds are permanently in place, but become inactive after a period of weeks or months.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is ideal for treating brain tumors and lesions that cannot be treated by traditional surgical methods. SRS uses a computer-guided radiation therapy system to aim highly-focused beams of radiation directly into brain tumors and other brain abnormalities; very little radiation reaches normal brain cells or tissue during the procedure. The procedure is typically performed in a one-day session on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. Patients usually return home shortly after the procedure.
Respiratory Gating
Respiratory Gating greatly enhances radiation treatment planning. This advanced technology analyzes and characterizes the respiration-induced motion of anatomy. With Respiratory Gating, radiation oncologists gain clinically relevant information about the precise location of tumors throughout the patient's normal range of breathing motions, resulting in more accurate cancer treatments.
Imaging Fusion
Imaging Fusion technology enhances radiation treatment planning by enabling radiation oncologists to more precisely and confidently locate and define tumors. With Imaging Fusion, radiation oncologists can scale, rotate and translate target body parts or tissues into 3D images for a more accurate perspective of their size and shape.
IMPAC
IMPAC, a liner accelerator that is integrally linked to our patient management system, is the device most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer. This technology enables recording and verifying of patients’ specialized treatment plans. All information in the patient’s chart is stored in this system and is available at every workstation, saving time and ensuring quality control for each individual’s specific treatment.
AccuBoost
AccuBoost uses real-time image guidance to precisely target the post-chemotherapy boost dose of radiation for breast cancer treatment, making it more accurate for each treatment. This precision allows little or no exposure to surrounding healthy tissue, ensuring a better cosmetic outcome, and eliminating the variability radiation oncologists face for similar treatments.
For more information on cancer treatment and what to expect from radiation therapy, please visit these other Texas Oncology pages & press releases:
Texas Oncology Radiation Oncology Cancer Treatment Centers: