Radiotherapy treatment
Radiotherapy is the use of high energy x-rays, electrons, or other particles to destroy cancerous cells. The beams are targeted only to the area requiring therapy, but healthy tissue can also be impacted during treatment. Healthy tissue can rejuvenate itself from radiotherapy exposure during and after the radiotherapy treatment.
In order to optimize patients’ treatment results and prevent damage to healthy tissue, precise, in-depth planning and set-up are performed. The objective is to direct the complete radiotherapy dose to the tumor cells, minimize radiation exposure to non-cancerous tissue, and minimize side effects and long-term complications.
Following a detailed individualized patient assessment, exact treatment planning, setup, and simulation are performed by an integrated treatment team—a radiation oncology physician, a radiation physicist, and a radiotherapy technician. The personalized patient program is then reviewed and authorized by a supervising physician, before radiation therapy is performed
Precision and focus
When applicable, the Radiotherapy Institute uses stereotactic radiation therapy – highly targeted, highly accurate, high-dose radiotherapy in a single dose or a few doses, as opposed to routine radiation therapy administered in low daily doses over several weeks. In addition to the convenience of short treatment, stereotactic radiation in large doses may be biologically advantageous and increase the chance of controlling the disease treatment site. This treatment is given in select brain tumors or certain tumors of the spine, lungs, or liver.
The institute also performs brachytherapy, placing the radiation source inside or next to the area requiring treatment, which helps target the tumor and promote recovery.
Progressive linear accelerator treatment technology
The department is positioned on the leading edge of radiotherapy treatment technology, continually improving for the benefit of patients.
The array of linear accelerators that perform the treatment makes therapy available to patients, maintains therapeutic continuity and provides appropriate treatment for each patient without interruption for the duration of treatment.
The sophisticated linear accelerator rotates around the patient delivering continuous and thorough treatment from nearly all angles, which significantly reduces treatment time and targets the tumor. The average treatment takes only about 2 minutes.
Even a patient’s slightest movement can hinder treatment accuracy. The institute uses a system that captures the moment when a patient holds his or her breath, which helps freeze the slightest movement. The result of this “time-freezing” “fourth dimension” treatment is pinpoint precision.
The radiotherapy team
The multi-specialty Radiotherapy Institute staff includes physicians, physicists, radiotherapy technicians, nurses, secretaries, social workers, and psychologists. Patients and their families are welcome to turn to these professionals for treatment assistance.
The multi-specialty Radiotherapy Institute staff includes physicians, physicists, radiotherapy technicians, nurses, secretaries, social workers, and psychologists. Patients and their families are welcome to turn to these professionals for treatment assistance.
The Radiotherapy Institute brings together top minds to fight for every precious life.
