What Is Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy? (IMRT)

Anaheim Radiation Therapy

Multiple brain tumors can be treated in a single pass. In addition, it is able to treat malignancies stereotactically in other parts of the body including the prostate, liver, pancreas, and certain colon lesions. Some tumors of the head and neck can be treated while sparing the parotid glands. Now, lesions near the spinal cord can be treated safely as well. The hallmark of IMRT is its accurate dosage delivery for both single and multiple faction treatments using an average of 10,000 individual converging beams of photons (x-rays) per session. Its pinpoint precision ensures that the therapeutic dose of radiation conforms to the shape of the lesion while sparing the surrounding healthy tissues.

IMRT: The New Gold Standard in Radiation Therapy

State-of-the-art radiation therapy that varies the dose of radiation within the tissue such that one or multiple targets receiving the same or different doses can be treated accurately. The PEACOCK is an integrated system involving the patient, treatment software, and electromechanical devices a MIMiC (multivane intensity modulation compensator) which delivers a non-uniform radiation beam on a slice-by slice basis to create a uniform dose distribution at the target site; at the same time a much lower dose goes to the adjacent tissues.

The MIMiC is attached to the linear accelerator head; it modifies the fluence of the radiation beam as the head of the linear accelerator rotates around the patient. For every 5° rotation, the 40 individually controlled beams, covering an area of 2.0 centimeter by 20.0 centimeters, are constantly updated according to the computer prescription. Each update selects among 1020 possibilities. The 40 beams can be individually controlled during the 270° rotation. Compressed air drives the vanes according to the treatment plan as the accelerator is rotating around the patient. Position sensors that monitor the accelerator position and vane movement keep track of the dose, the intensity, and the number of treatment, so that only what has been prescribed can be delivered.

Computerized Optimization Unlike other systems in which the clinician and physicist make the best educated guess on how to treat the patient, we now have the technology to deliver an optimum treatment plan. The computer selects among 5,000 different possible scenarios in order to best fulfill the therapy prescription.

This therapy is provided by a well-trained team of clinicians from Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology and Medical Physics. After performing over 12,000 procedures, our team at Beverly Oncology & Imaging continues to maintain a leadership role in this field by having installed the first PEACOCK system in Los Angeles County; the fourth in the state. We since have upgraded our software to CORVUS 4.

Special Advantages of the CORVUS 4 System

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy brings radiation therapy to new heights. Up to three brain lesions can be treated in one pass. In addition, certain head and neck tumors can be treated in such a way that the salivary glands are spared. This can prevent xerostomia, which is a bothersome side effect of radiation therapy. In addition, prostate tumors can be treated non-invasively in very high doses, with only a 3% incidence of rectal complications, far superior to standard forms of radiation therapy.

What Is a Typical Patient Procedure?

The oncologists at Beverly Oncology & Imaging prioritize patient safety as they seek the most effective methods for your cancer treatments. We are leaders in the the field of innovative radiation therapy, offering proven and trusted technologies that are not always available or affordable at regular hospitals.