What happens when a person is treated with IMRT?
IMRT treatment involves three basic steps: diagnosis, treatment planning and delivery. As part of diagnosis, physicians generate three-dimensional diagnostic images (usually CT or MRI) of the patient’s anatomy and uses these to specify the dose of radiation each area will receive. In some cases, treatment planning includes a simulation session to further localize the cancer and finalize the radiation treatment plan. Patients receive the IMRT treatment according to various schedules, usually five days a week for six or seven weeks. Each treatment takes ten to fifteen minutes.
