- Enables reaching lesions located in high risk regions or areas that have been previously treated.
- Avoids damage to organs adjacent to the tumor.
- Enables the administration of higher doses, while reducing overall treatment side effects.
Benefits of IGRT
IGRT is an innovative technique utilizing three-dimensional imaging to visualize the volume of the tumor just before each treatment, enabling radiation oncologists to attack the tumor with far greater precision. Until now, radiotherapy treatments worked with images created before treatment, which do not take into consideration the normal movements of critical organs and the tumor itself. IGRT, however, one can observe the tumor in real time and make the necessary adjustments in relation to the movement and size of the tumor.
Another beneficial aspect of image-guided radiotherapy is the control of respiratory movement ("real time position management" - RPM). Respiratory movement can cause tumors to travel up to a maximum of four centimeters. RPM uses an infrared camera and a special marker located on the abdomen / chest of the patient to monitor breathing while taking images in a breathing phase. In this manner, treatment can be planned that significantly reduces exposure of healthy tissues to the radiation beam.