Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy – I.M.R.T.

IMRT stands for Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy.  This type of radiation therapy is one step beyond traditional three dimensional conformal radiation in that it allows the linear accelerator to adjust fields during a radiation treatment to conform precisely to the tumor and appropriate margins.  This has the effect of sparing normal tissue to a greater degree than has been previously possible.  There is no type of external beam radiation therapy (including proton beam, tomotherapy, rapid-arc™ or cyberknife) that has proved to control the cancer to any greater degree than IMRT. There is also no other form of external beam radiation management that has been shown to have a lower toxicity rate than IMRT.  Therefore, this is the preferred external beam modality used in our offices.  IMRT is suitable for any solid tumor that requires external beam radiation management.