Radiation therapy is one of the key tools in cancer treatment. Thanks to technological advances, significant improvements in the precision and effectiveness of this method have been secured in recent years. One such development is IGRT (Image-Guided Radiation Therapy), or image-guided radiation therapy.
What is IGRT?
IGRT is a type of radiation therapy that uses medical imaging to increase the precision and effectiveness of treatment. Using imaging technologies such as CT (computed tomography), MRI (nuclear magnetic resonance imaging) or ultrasound (ultrasound), doctors can accurately see and track the tumor during each radiation therapy session.
IGRT gives doctors the ability to adjust the treatment plan on the fly, instead of relying on images taken before radiation therapy begins. As a result, they can better target radiation to the tumor while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue.
How does IGRT work?
During an IGRT session, images of the tumor and surrounding tissues are taken before each radiation treatment. Based on these images, doctors can adjust the patient's position and the direction of the radiation to best target the tumor.
In some cases, special markers, called fiducials, may be used to observe the tumor. These markers are surgically implanted near or inside the tumor and can be clearly seen on the images, allowing precise targeting of the tumor.
Benefits of IGRT
The most important benefit of IGRT is the increased precision and effectiveness of radiation therapy. By being able to track a tumor in real time, doctors can better target radiation to it, reducing the risk of damage to healthy tissue.
IGRT also allows treatment to be better tailored to the individual patient. This is because tumors can move and change shape during treatment, for example, as a result of the patient's breathing. With IGRT, doctors can adjust the treatment plan in real time to irradiate the tumor as effectively as possible.
Conclusions
IGRT is a significant advancement in radiotherapy that greatly increases its precision and effectiveness. Although it is a relatively new technology, it is already an integral part of many cancer treatment programs. Like any treatment modality, IGRT is not without risk, so the decision to use it should always be made by a physician, taking into account the individual needs and situation of the patient.
