Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is a treatment that delivers precise radiation doses to a tumor or within specific areas of a tumor.
This technology specifically targets the three-dimensional (3D) shape of the tumor by modulating – or controlling – the intensity of the radiation beam. After reviewing 3D computed tomography (CT) images of the patient, physicians determine the dose intensity that will best conform to the tumor shape. Typically, treatments include a combination of numerous intensity-modulated fields from various beam directions that maximizes tumor dose, while avoiding nearby tissue. IMRT is most used to treat cancers of the prostate, head and neck, and central nervous system.