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Define IMRT

IMRT is the abbreviation for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy. It is a form of radiation treatment that has become a popular option for those undergoing radiation therapy. IMRT was first introduced in 1992 as a way to more accurately treat the patient's specific tumor without adding unnecessary radiation to the rest of the body.

  1. Equipment

    • The medical linear accelerator used in IMRT is about 15 feet long and 10 feet high. It generates photons, which are similar to X-rays. While the patient lies on the table, the accelerator delivers multiple radiation beams from various directions. The linear accelerator is programmed to deliver different dose intensities predefined by the treatment plan.

    Explanation

    • IMRT can actually shape the beam of the radiation to the area it is treating much more accurately than traditional radiation. This spares healthy tissues around a tumor from being exposed to radiation. In addition, IMRT allows the radiologist to adjust the dose of radiation as needed, using higher doses at the malignancy site as tolerated by the patient.

    Uses

    • Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy is mostly used to treat cancer. The Radiological Society of North American (RSNA) touts it as working best on cancer of the head and neck, as well as the prostate. It is also being used for malignancies in the lung, thyroid and breast, as well as gynecological and gastrointestinal cancers. According to the International Radiosurgery Association, IMRT is also being used for brain tumors.

    Procedure

    • Before treatment may begin for IMRT, the planning of the area to receive the radiation can take several scans done over a two to three days. During IMRT therapy, radiation may be moved to complete a three-dimensional treatment, with tissue surrounding the tumor receiving less radiation. Once a device has been molded to fit the patient, treatments begin. Treatments last a bit longer than conventional radiation since smaller amounts of the beams are given at a time. Frequency ranges from one to 30 sessions.

    Side Effects

    • The side effects of IMRT are similar to that of other types of radiation. RSNA includes fatigue as one of the most common and includes other symptoms that will depend on the area being treated. For example, digestive problems can occur in those receiving therapy for gastrointestinal tumors; headaches in those with brain treatment; or difficulty swallowing in those receiving neck and head IMRT. Hair loss is also possible in the area receiving radiation.

    Considerations

    • In a story by Cheryl Hall Harris in Health Imagining & IT Magazine, IMRT is explained as a promising treatment that can spare radiation damage to parts of the body that do not have cancerous organs or tissue. The procedure avoids short-term side effects and long-term problems-like infertility and secondary cancer-associated with traditional radiation. Unfortunately, IMRT has not been around long enough for long-term studies to be completed as to whether or not it really does keep patients from radiation effects years after treatment.

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