Leading-Edge Radiation Technologies in Central Texas
Sarcoma and bone cancer patients in Central Texas have access to leading-edge radiation therapies. The types of therapy listed below provide patients with highly accurate, faster treatment while minimizing side effects and damage to surrounding tissue.
Together with leading-edge treatment planning systems and state-of-the-art radiation technology, Texas Oncology’s orthopaedic oncologist and radiation oncologists provide patients with a full and up-to-date range of radiation treatment options. More importantly, patients throughout the Central Texas area can be treated close to home using the latest technology and advanced treatment planning. Radiation therapies in Central Texas include:
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is an advanced form of noninvasive radiation treatment enabling radiation oncologists to precisely target tumor cells. The addition of image guidance technology allows for accurate localization of the affected area, so that the target is precisely treated with this form of radiation while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues.
- Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) technologies provide image-guidance and verification capabilities during radiation treatment. Examples include External Portal Imaging Device/Computerized Radiography, Varian On-Board Imager® (OBI) with Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), ExacTrac®, and ultrasound.
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) are non-surgical procedures that enable physicians to concentrate radiation doses directly on a tumor with pinpoint precision. Because SRS and SBRT are so accurate, very little radiation reaches surrounding healthy tissue or normal cells during the procedure. SRS is used to treat brain tumors, and SBRT is used to treat tumors in the lung, liver, abdomen, prostate, and head or neck.
- High Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR) uses a radioactive source that is placed inside the body part to be treated. Given either inpatient or outpatient, the treatment’s advanced imaging facilitates exact catheter placement, resulting in a radiation dose with one-millimeter accuracy to significantly spare radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and critical organs.