Overview

Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. There are two main modes of delivering radiation—external radiation therapy, which delivers radiation using a machine outside the body, and internal radiation therapy (also known as brachytherapy), which involves inserting radioactive materials into the body and near cancer cells.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) employs multiple small radiation beams of varying intensities to radiate a tumor with great precision. IMRT uses computed tomography (CT) images and computerized dose calculations to modulate the intensity of the radiation beams so that they conform to the tumor’s three-dimensional shape. Advantages of IMRT include the safe delivery of higher and more effective radiation doses with fewer side effects, as well as reduced toxicity.

Rapid Arc IMRT

Rapid Arc IMRT delivers radiation directly to a tumor two to eight times faster than conventional intensity modulated radiation therapy. RapidArc rotates 360 degrees around the patient to deliver the radiation to the tumor from multiple angles. This precision reduces the chance of tumor movement during treatment and preserves surrounding healthy tissue.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is a highly precise form of radiation therapy that delivers focused beams with an accuracy of within one to two millimeters. SRS was initially developed to treat brain tumors, abnormalities and functional disorders.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) employs the principles of cranial SRS to deliver precise radiation for treatment of malignant or benign small-to-medium size tumors in the body. SBRT is usually prescribed for one to five sessions over the course of one to two weeks and is done on a linear accelerator.

High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy

High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy is an internal radiation therapy that delivers doses of radiation from implants placed inside or very close to the tumor. It allows for delivery of the maximum dose of radiation to the cancerous tissues with minimal exposure to the healthy surrounding tissues. Brachytherapy is a quick, effective therapy used for partial breast, GYN, lung and prostate malignancies.

Prostate Seed Implantation

Prostate Seed Implantation is a low dose form of brachytherapy in which radioactive seeds are implanted directly into the prostate gland. This treatment allows for the prostate gland to receive a high dose, while limiting that dose to surrounding structures and tissue. This treatment is often combined with external radiation for optimum treatment outcomes and disease control.

Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)

Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) uses frequent imaging during radiation therapy to provide real-time positioning and targeting of select tumor(s). This added accuracy allows radiation to be delivered to a tumor based on its exact location in the body.

Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation is a form of brachytherapy used to treat breast cancer after a lumpectomy. Because the treatment works from inside the breast, a higher daily dose of radiation can be used for a shorter period of time (five days) and has fewer side effects than other radiation therapies that are done over the course of several weeks. The procedure involves inserting a small balloon inside the lumpectomy cavity; the balloon is attached to a catheter through which the high dose radiation treatment is delivered. Once treatment is completed, the catheter and balloon are removed and the patient can return to normal daily activities.

CT Simulation with 4-D Gating

CT Simulation with 4-D Gating assists the radiation oncologist with planning for the delivery of radiation to tumors that move when the patient breathes. Using an infrared camera connected to a CT scanner, four-dimensional images are generated in a clear video sequence that shows exactly how the tumor moves during the patient’s normal breathing cycle. Clinicians are then able to determine how to deliver the desired radiation dose to the tumor with the most precision and with minimal risk of damaging healthy surrounding tissue.

Total Body Irradiation (TBI)

Total Body Irradiation (TBI) involves irradiation of the entire body and is used primarily to prepare patients who are undergoing stem cell transplantation for hematologic conditions such as leukemia or lymphoma. TBI suppresses the immune system and kills diseased bone marrow cells, which helps reduce the risk of the patient’s body later rejecting transplanted tissue and increases the likelihood of a successful transplant.

Office Locations

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute
Radiation Oncology – Alpharetta
3400-B Old Milton Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30005
Phone: 770-751-0521
Fax: 678-566-1611

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute
Radiation Oncology – Atlanta
1000 Johnson Ferry Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
Phone: 404-851-8850
Fax: 404-851-6010

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute
Radiation Oncology – Cherokee
460 Northside Cherokee Blvd.
Suite T10
Canton, GA 30115
Phone: 770-721-9000
Fax: 770-721-9001

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute
Radiation Oncology – Forsyth
1100 Northside Forsyth Drive
Suite 140
Cumming, GA 30041
Phone: 770-292-7000
Fax: 770-292-7002

OUR NEWEST LOCATION
Northside Hospital Cancer Institute
Radiation Oncology – Midtown
1110 West Peachtree Street NW
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: 404-575-2050
Fax: 404-575-2051

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