Radiation Therapies

A program of:

• Virginia Piper Cancer Institute

External Beam Therapy

This form of radiation uses treatment machines called linear accelerators. These machines produce ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells externally to a defined target area surrounding the tumor.

Brachytherapy

This treatment applies radiation internally directly on the tumor location. Brachytherapy delivers a higher dose of radiation to help destroy the main mass of tumor cells in a more concentrated fashion. Abbott Northwestern offers both high dose brachytherapy (HDR) and traditional seed implant brachytherapy (prostate treatments.)

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

This is a one-time, noninvasive procedure that administers precise, high doses of radiation to cranial abnormalities. Stereotactic radiosurgery uses computer imaging to precisely locate the lesions in three dimensions.

Fractionated Stereotactic Radiosurgery

This treatment method delivers radiation to cranial tumors over a number of days, reducing radiation exposure of nearby structures. The procedure is important for treating lesions near radiosensitive tissues.

Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy

This treatment method delivers radiation to isolated tumors in the body over a shorter course of treatment, reducing radiation exposure to nearby structures. The treatment course is shorter in duration. Ask your radiation oncologist if this type of treatment is suitable for your diagnosis.

3D Conformal Radiation Therapy

This external treatment has the ability to identify in three-dimensions the tumor and surrounding normal tissues and customize the radiation beams.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy

In this form of external treatment, the radiation beam intensity is altered to ‘paint’ with radiation doses for the desired concentration.

Image Guided Radiation Therapy

This type of imaging occurs prior to daily treatment and matches structures in the body exactly with the CT images that were taken for treatment planning and sets the radiation therapy target at each treatment.

Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT)

Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT), uses microspheres (SIR® - Spheres) to carry yttrium-90, a radioactive element, through the bloodstream directly to tumors in the liver.

Learn more about Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT).

Rapid Arc Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

Some tumors can be treated with Rapid Arc treatment delivery where IMRT treatment is delivered in single or multiple arc rotations of the machine around the patient.

Respiratory Gating

Respiratory gating is a treatment delivery method where the breathing cycle is manipulated in order to spare critical organ structures from the treatment beam. Patients are given an audio CD to coach them on the correct method of breathing (breath hold) for treatment. Not all patients are candidates for this treatment delivery, as not all patients organs move during a breathing cycle.