Monday, January 19, 2026 – Closed
In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
As of the afternoon of January 23, 2025, our phones are operational. Thank you for your patience as our phone provider experienced a national outage that impacted our phone services on the afternoon of January 22 and the morning of January 23.
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays that target specific cancer sites. Radiation may be used to destroy cancer cells, relieve symptoms associated with cancer and/or prevent the cancer from returning. Your treatment is custom-tailored and unique to your diagnosis, tumor size, location and involvement. Your radiation oncologist (a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with radiation) will review all available treatment options and recommend a personalized plan for you based on national guidelines, which guide all cancer treatments. Radiation therapy is used either alone or in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy, hyperthermia and surgery.
Different types of radiation – such as 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D CRT), Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) – are used to treat specific types of cancers.
Radiation can be delivered either from outside the body with a machine called a linear accelerator (external beam radiation) or from a radiation source implanted permanently or temporarily in the body (brachytherapy).
Intensity modulated radiation therapy is a state of the art cancer treatment method that delivers high doses of radiation directly to the cancer cells in a very targeted way, much more precisely than is possible with conventional radiotherapy. IMRT involves varying the intensity of the radiation dose through a unique beam shaping device called a multileaf collimator (MLC). The MLC’s are dynamic (in-motion) allowing modulation of the dose fluence targeted at the cancerous tumor.
Image guided radiation therapy refers to the use of sophisticated imaging technologies to guide the delivery of precise forms of radiation therapy. Varian’s On-Board Imager® (OBI) imaging system offers three different imaging modalities to locate the targeted tumor every day prior to treatment. The imaging modes include:
The OBI imaging system is mounted on a pair of robotic arms. It then rotates around the body while the patient lays on the treatment table and takes low dose high resolution X-ray images prior to treatment. These new images are overlaid on top of the existing images in order to determine if the tumor has moved since the last treatment. Because tissue and organs can settle around bones differently each time the patient lies down on the treatment table, tumors can end up in a different position from one treatment session to another. In addition, tumors can move several centimeters due to a patient’s normal respiratory cycle. Once the tumor location has been determined, the table remotely moves and makes the adjustment to the targeted position.
Intensity modulated radiation therapy is a state of the art cancer treatment method that delivers high doses of radiation directly to the cancer cells in a very targeted way, much more precisely than is possible with conventional radiotherapy. IMRT involves varying the intensity of the radiation dose through a unique beam shaping device called a multileaf collimator (MLC). The MLC’s are dynamic (in-motion) allowing modulation of the dose fluence targeted at the cancerous tumor.
3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT) uses advanced imaging technology to shape radiation beams precisely to the contours of a tumor. This approach allows high doses of radiation to be delivered directly to the cancer while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. Using CT, MRI, or PET scans, 3D-CRT creates a three-dimensional map of the tumor, enabling customized treatment for each patient.
Benefits of 3D-CRT:
Targets tumors accurately, minimizing exposure to nearby healthy tissues
Allows higher doses to the tumor compared to conventional radiation therapy
Effective for treating tumors in sensitive areas such as the brain, lungs, and prostate
Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) is an advanced form of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) that delivers radiation in a continuous arc around the patient. By adjusting the radiation dose, speed of the machine, and shape of the beam simultaneously, VMAT treats tumors more efficiently and precisely. Treatments with VMAT are often shorter than other forms of radiation therapy, enhancing patient comfort.
Benefits of VMAT:
Highly precise targeting of tumors with minimized impact on healthy tissue
Faster treatment times compared to conventional IMRT
Capable of treating complex tumor shapes and locations
Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) is a technique that helps protect the heart and lungs during radiation therapy, particularly for breast cancer patients. By asking patients to hold their breath during treatment, the chest cavity expands, increasing the distance between the heart and the radiation field. This reduces the radiation dose to the heart and surrounding healthy tissues while maintaining effective tumor targeting.
Benefits of DIBH:
Reduces radiation exposure to the heart and lungs
Especially beneficial for left-sided breast cancer treatments
Enhances long-term heart health without compromising cancer care