Radiation Therapy

• Noninvasive – There are no incisions or surgery with TrueBeam.
• Fast and Effective Treatment– The ability to deliver higher doses of radiation faster means most treatments can be given in just minutes a day in less treatments.
• Precise Treatment– The tumor is treated in real time and targeting the tumor with pinpoint precision.
• Versatile – Delivers advanced radiotherapy or radiosurgery, giving doctors the flexibility to use whatever protocol is appropriate for your specific cancer.
• Individualized Treatment Plan – Every tumor is different, and TrueBeam can shape the radiation beam to match the size and form of most tumors accurately, regardless of their shape.
• Comfort and Security– A closed-circuit television system enables your radiation therapist to watch you during treatment, and two-way audio lets you talk with the radiation therapist.

Although actual treatment times may vary depending on type of cancer, size of tumor or individualized treatment plan set by you and your physician, typical radiotherapy treatments are delivered once a day for several weeks, with each session only lasting a few minutes. Typical radiosurgery treatments (SRS and SBRT) may be delivered in only one to five treatments.

• IMRT (Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy) – A technique during which doctors vary (or modulate) the amount of radiation that is sent to different parts of your tumor, while shaping the beam to match precisely the shape, size, and position of the tumor.
• IGRT (Image-Guided Radiotherapy) – Uses advanced imaging that allows the clinical team to visualize and verify the exact position of your tumor – both prior to and during your treatment.
• SRS (Stereotactic Radiosurgery) – A faster treatment protocol that uses more powerful beams to treat tumors in the brain over only one to five sessions. The term radiosurgery may be used but SRS is completely noninvasive – no incisions are necessary.
• SBRT (Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy) – A technique similar to SRS, used to treat tumors elsewhere in the body.
• VMAT (Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy), i.e. RapidArc^® – Enables treatments that once took ten to thirty minutes to be delivered in as little as two minutes or less.
• Real-time Position Management™ (RPM) Respiratory Gating– This system facilitates the treatment of the lungs, liver, and pancreas, and helps minimize the dose to the heart in breast treatments. The system provides clean images for planning so that clinicians can more clearly visualize the target with fewer of the image artifacts associated with respiratory motion.

The Saint Clare’s TrueBeam® radiotherapy treatment team, including your radiation oncologist, referring physician and radiation therapist will work together to develop an individualized treatment plan. The development of the plan and implementation include the following steps:

• Tumor Visualization – During this step, detailed 3D images are generated of your tumor, enabling your doctor to know its exact size, shape, and location in your body. With this information, your doctor can best determine the dose of radiation you’ll need and how to deliver it most effectively.
• Treatment Planning – Using the 3D images of the tumor as their guide, your treatment team will develop a detailed treatment plan that specifies the amount of radiation the tumor should receive, from what angles, and a schedule for treatment.
• Treatment Delivery – You’ll enter the treatment room, where the radiation therapist (RT) will help position you on the treatment table. Just prior to treatment, images will be taken so that the RT can verify the tumor’s exact size and location to see if they’ve changed since the first images were created and make any necessary adjustments. The RT then leaves the room and treatment begins.
• Radiation – The radiation is delivered by a machine called a linear accelerator that will rotate around you as it projects the beam. Closed-circuit television and two-way audio enable the therapist to stay in constant contact with you. The process will probably take only a few minutes, although sometimes the first treatment takes a little longer because additional setup is needed.
• Follow Up Care – After your treatment, you’ll see your doctor for follow-up care. During this time, he or she will monitor your progress. This is an opportunity to ask your doctor any questions about your treatments, the status of your health, and discuss any side effects you may be having.