Image Guided Radiation Therapy

The latest radiation therapy techniques, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), are based on sparing as much healthy tissue as possible from inadvertent irradiation. In order for this to be accomplished, treatment margins around the tumor are minimized, thus precision and accuracy of targeting are critical to success.

However, delivering the planned treatment accurately to the target is a significant challenge. This can result in a geographical miss of the target organ, or over-treatment of critical structures.

Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) provides radiation oncologists with the tools to see the tumor better, track its movement and stay on target. TomoTherapy, as the next generation of IMRT treatment, which incorporates advance sparing of normal structures, with image based targeting, has virtually replaced standard IMRT at City of Hope.