Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

IGRT and IMRT are the most technologically advanced treatments available in external beam radiation therapy. These enable the Maddock Center to control the dose distribution to increase the radiation delivered to the tumor while lowering the amount of radiation to adjacent radiosensitive tissues.

There are essentially three components of a successful IMRT treatment plan:

1. Tighter Margins (as compared with either conventional or 3-dimensional treatment planning). Because IMRT uses more fields and many field segments (beams) to shape the radiation to the exact contours of the tumor, we can shrink the margin of normal tissue affected by the radiation. This means that nearby normal tissues receive a lower dose of radiation, which in turn means fewer side effects.
2. Dose Escalation. Because the margins of IMRT are so tightly controlled, we can actually increase the dose delivered to the tumor itself, thereby reducing the risk of local recurrence.
3. Tumor localization. Accurate daily set ups are particularly important when treating cancer of the prostate. We use CT cone-beam imaging and/or real-time ultrasound localization to ensure the highest degree of accuracy during treatment.

For more information on IMRT and the technology and techniques that make this advance in care feasible, please see Dr. Maddock’s recent article on IMRT in Medicine and Health, a publication of the Rhode Island Medical Society.

Different field arrangements as defined by
the Multi Leaf Coordinator, a critical component
of IMRT therapy.

• Radiation Therapy—What it is and how it works

Therapies & Technologies at the Maddock Center:

• Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
• Ultrasound-Guided Target Localization
• Mammosite^® Implants
• HDR Brachytherapy (site-delivered radiation treatment)
• Customized Treatment for Skin Cancer
• Instrumentation and Software