What makes IMRT a more precise method of prostate cancer radiation therapy?
Both 3D-CRT and IMRT use the CT scan to take 3-dimensional pictures rather than the x-rays and fluoroscopy used in EBRT. In the planning stages of IMRT, the CT scan will take 30 to 40 pictures of the prostate gland and the surrounding tissue. The radiation oncologist uses these images to create a model and outlines the structures that are to be irradiated. The radiation oncologists set the dosage for the malignant tissue and dose limits for the healthy tissue. Using these dosages, the software programs an optimal mode of beam delivery. As treatment starts, the software guides the collimator which divides the beam into small precise slices with accuracy to the millimeter and millisecond. The collimator itself has 360 degrees of access around the patient. The mathematical precision of IMRT allows the highest accuracy available in beam radiation therapy. What happens during IMRT? During the planning stages, the patient undergoes a CT scan which takes 30 to 40 pictures of his prostate glan
