Radiation Therapy

An advanced radiation therapy technique used after breast conserving surgery for early breast cancers.

CyberKnife® is a highly advanced radiation therapy system which uses an intelligent robot to deliver radiation beams from over 200 carefully selected angles to ensure the tumor is precisely targeted and important normal structures and tissues protected. The intelligent part of the robot can track movement as it happens in the body and make the necessary adjustments for even greater precision. You should discuss the role of CyberKnife® with your oncologist. Access and support can be arranged if required.

Electronic brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that delivers localized radiation treatment using a machine that generates low-energy X-rays. It is an alternative to traditional brachytherapy, which involves the insertion of radioactive sources directly into or near the tumor.

EBRT is delivered from outside of the body and aims an accurate X-ray beam from multiple angles directly toward the treatment site. It is typically performed on an outpatient basis, requiring no hospital stay, and is usually done once a day over a few weeks.

Gamma Knife is a type of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and uses tiny beams of gamma radiation to treat tumors, vascular malformations, and other abnormalities of the brain with sub-millimeter precision to avoid damage to healthy brain tissue. It is often used to control secondary brain cancer – where cancer has spread to the brain from a primary cancer – and for tumors that can’t easily be reached with surgery. Gamma Knife is delivered in an outpatient setting, and no anesthesia or overnight hospital stay is needed. Most treatments are delivered in around 45 minutes and only require one to three sessions.

HDR brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that involves the delivery of a highly concentrated dose of radiation to the tumor in a short period of time. This is achieved by temporarily inserting a high-activity radioactive source into or near the tumor, allowing for precise and intense radiation treatment while minimizing the duration of exposure.

IMRT is an advanced external beam radiation therapy technique where the beams of radiation are precisely shaped to exactly match the tumor, which limits radiation exposure to adjacent healthy tissue.

IGRT is a radiation therapy technique that involves the use of imaging technology to guide and adjust the delivery of radiation treatment. IGRT allows for real-time imaging of the tumor and surrounding structures, helping to ensure accurate targeting of the radiation beams and accounting for any changes in the anatomy or tumor position during treatment.

LDR brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that involves the placement of radioactive sources near or within the tumor for an extended period of time, typically several days. The radiation is delivered at a continuous, low-dose rate, allowing for gradual and targeted treatment of the tumor while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

A PET/CT scan is a precise diagnostic imaging technique that combines a PET scan and a CT scan to create detailed 3D images of inside the body to help identify the location of the cancer. We use PET/CT scans for many types of cancer and during different parts of the cancer journey. It is more accurate in diagnosing cancer than a PET scan or CT scan alone.

A PSMA PET scan is an advanced imaging test used to detect prostate cancer. It targets Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA), a protein found in high levels on prostate cancer cells. This highly sensitive scan helps locate cancer in the prostate and other parts of the body, even at very early stages of low PSA levels.

SBRT is a type of radiation therapy that delivers highly focused and precise radiation to tumors located in various parts of the body, including the lungs, liver, spine, and prostate. SBRT utilizes advanced imaging techniques, such as CT scans and MRI, to precisely target the tumor while minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues and typically involves delivering larger doses over radiation over a shorter period of time compared to conventional radiation treatments. 

SRS is an advanced radiation therapy technique that provides non-surgical treatment that delivers a high dose of radiation precisely to a targeted area within the brain or other parts of the body. Despite its name, SRS is not a surgical procedure but rather a highly focused and precise form of radiation therapy that can effectively treat small tumors or lesions while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

SGRT is a non-invasive technique that uses real-time imaging technology to track and monitor the position of the skin surface during radiation therapy, ensuring accurate and precise delivery of radiation to the treatment area. 

TomoTherapy® is a type of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). It combines the technologies of a CT scanner and a linear accelerator machine to provide three dimensional (3D) images that help to accurately target a tumor.

VMAT is an advanced radiation therapy technique that works by delivering a continuous arc of radiation around the body, rather than individual beams typically used by other forms of radiation. As the machine (called a LINAC) moves, it automatically changes the beam shape and treatment dose.