Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
The Newest Technology in the Fight Against Cancer
Intensity modulated radiation therapy, or IMRT, is a state-of-the-art technology that
delivers radiation with extraordinary accuracy. Different from most forms of radiation
therapy, IMRT is a dynamic and highly automated process for delivering
individualized radiation treatment. With a computer-controlled delivery system, the
radiation is shaped to the exact contours of the targeted area. The computer manages
the precise amount and intensity of radiation delivered. Rather than a wide radiation
beam, IMRT delivers thousands of extremely thin focused beams of radiation entering
the body from many angles, with precision.
IMRT offers the opportunity for safer, more effective treatment with reduced
complications. Because of its precision, it gives physicians the ability to target tumors
with a higher dose of radiation. This unique delivery also protects healthy tissue and
any surrounding organs, which means less damage, and therefore fewer side effects
and a higher probability to cure some tumors.
IMRT has been used to treat a wide range of cancers. For some patients, IMRT
replaces other types of radiation therapy; for others, it may be most effectively used in
conjunction with or after another treatment. IMRT can be particularly effective in
treating tumors in areas where adjacent organs and tissue are especially sensitive to
damage by radiation. IMRT is well suited for hard-to-reach tumors located very close
to delicate organs such as the eye or spinal cord.