The impact of radiology treatments is profound on one’s body as it’s one of the most common cancer treatments. Radiation therapy is used to destroy cancer cells by utilizing high-energy radiation that shrinks tumors and prevents cancer from spreading to the rest of the body.

In an effort to help you understand your options, here are the various types of radiology treatments, as well as the impacts of radiation therapy when fighting cancer.

Types of Radiation Treatment

First, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the various types of radiation therapy and the options available to you. There are three main ways that radiation can be given. The type of radiation therapy you need depends on the kind of cancer you have and where it’s located in your body. It’s not uncommon to need a mixture of radiology treatments.

  • Internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) happens when a radioactive source is put inside the body via additional machinery and an internal device to safely deliver the radiation into or near the tumor. This treatment uses a high dosage of radiation with minimal impact on the surrounding healthy tissues.
  • Systemic radiation therapy uses radioactive substances that are swallowed or given through a vein. These drugs travel through the blood to kill cancer cells.
  • External radiation (external beam radiation) uses a machine that directs high-energy rays from outside the body into the tumor. This radiation therapy is given over several weeks.

At Mid Florida Cancer Centers, all radiation therapy is treated by Gary R. Graham, M.D., our Board-Certified Radiation Oncologist. Dr. Graham is known for his compassion and dedication to his patients.

Advanced Radiologic Technology Options

Our radiotherapy is provided to patients through only the most innovative and precise technological advancements.

RapidArc Technology from Varian Medical Systems delivers radiation in the most efficient, timely manner. RapidArc Radio Therapy uses just one single rotation of the linear accelerator—the large machine that generates X-rays, or radiation around the patient. This reduces not only the patient’s treatment time, but also the dose to the surrounding organs. The treatment lasts less than two minutes and eliminates the risk of damage to healthy tissue surrounding the tumor.

Another advanced form of radiologic technology provided by Mid Florida Cancer Centers is called Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). IMRT controls the beams of radiation to conform to the exact shape of the patient’s cancerous or noncancerous tumor. This treatment helps reduce the exposure of radiation to healthy tissue, resulting in fewer side effects for the patient.

Our radiology department also includes three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). These technological advancements in radiotherapy help reduce the patient’s treatment time, make them feel more comfortable, and get them back on their feet so they’re able to resume their daily routines.

Making a Positive Impact

At Mid Florida Cancer Centers, we provide the upmost care and effective treatments possible for our patients. We have state of the art technology available with provincial convenience. Learn more about how we can help you realize and preserve a comfortable, healthy life after diagnosis by calling us at (866) 977-6322.