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IMRT Vs. Standard Radiation

IMRT, or intensity-modulated radiation therapy, is a modern technique that allows doctors to supply precise amounts of radiation to cancerous cells with minimal harm to the body. It differs in several ways from standard radiation therapy.

  1. Standard Radiation

    • Standard external beam radiation uses 2-D calculations of height and width to determine the location of tumors during radiation treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute.

    IMRT

    • IMRT devices use information gathered from various scanning techniques to create a more accurate 3-D calculation of the treatment site, notes the National Cancer Institute. Techniques used for this purpose include magnetic resonance imaging; computed tomography, or CT; and positron emission tomography, or PET, scans.

    Treatment Precision

    • As a rule, the increased accuracy of IMRT provides greater treatment precision than standard radiation. Doses can be restricted to a tumor or to certain areas of a tumor, notes the Radiological Society of North America.

    Variable Intensity

    • Unlike standard radiation therapy, IMRT uses multiple beams of radiation delivered to the treatment site in varying intensities, notes the Radiological Society of North America. Doctors typically determine intensity variations before the start of treatment.

    Benefits

    • IMRT generally lowers the exposure of healthy tissue to radiation, reports the National Cancer Institute. Increased radiation dosages during IMRT may also shorten the overall length of treatment.

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