External Beam Radiation

External Beam Radiation (EBRT) can be used in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy, brachytherapy and a variety of other technologies used to treat cancer.

Various techniques can be used to deliver the radiation beams produced by the linear accelerator, including:

• 3-D EBRT
  Uses multiple beams of radiation that are specifically shaped to correspond to the projection of the tumor in each beam. This reduces the amount of normal tissue irradiated by the beams.
• Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
  This type of radiation therapy allows the modulation (increases or decreases) of dose within the tumor and allows the physicians, physicists and dosimetrists to specify dose limits to critical organs and other normal tissue.

Length of Treatment Time 

Daily treatment sessions using EBRT usually only last 10 to 15 minutes; this includes both set-up (patient positioning) and treatment times. Treatments are usually given 5 days a week and last from 4 to 8 weeks.  

See what to expect during your first appointment.