Main algorithms for prescribing and delivering radiotherapy
When considering the dose of radiotherapy take into account the patient status (age, health etc), the goal (e.g. is it curative, neoadjunctive etc), the nature of the cancer, and the practical restrains of delivering radiotherapy.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an accepted method for radiation treatment to provide a prescribed and uniform dose to the target volume and minimum dose to normal tissues.
Treatment is planned with CT or MRI to computerize the dose based on the tumor shape and structure. IMRT allows higher doses to be delivered to the cancer without the additional damage of healthy cells. IMRT is most extensively used to treat prostate, head and neck, CNS, breast, thyroid, lung, GI and other malignancies.