Radiation Oncology

Department of Radiation Oncology

With the introduction of a state-of-the-art Radiation Oncology department at the Action Cancer Hospital, we established ourselves among the few medical institutes with world- class infrastructure and facilities in North India. This highly advanced unit functions in an interdisciplinary setting where radiation therapy is the key component of a treatment plan and is given in combination with other oncology methods. It is managed by an experienced and dedicated team of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, technologists, and trained nurses to ensure accurate delivery of radiation therapy.

Radiation oncology is the latest and most accurate innovation in the field of oncology. In this method of treatment high energy radiation is used to destroy cancerous cells in the body and different medical equipment and energy levels are used based on the location of tumour and the affected body organs of the body. Oncologists decide upon an appropriate method for giving radiation to patients after carefully going through the initial reports, investigations and locating cancer growth. With the latest medical technology, our radiation oncologists can target cancerous cells with millimetre precision with minimal effect on the normal cells. The accuracy and success rate of treatment at the facility have been quite encouraging for us as well as our patients.

The department is equipped with simulators, linear accelerators, and brachytherapy equipment and is well-supported by the in-house medical imaging technologies such as CT, MRI, and PET scans. Our linear accelerator and computer-controlled image guidance systems are fully integrated via modern networking system for a seamless functioning.

Simulator

With the simulators, which are CT scanners and X-ray fluoroscopy units, our radiation oncologists can locate cancer precisely down to millimetres. These are used to set the teletherapy fields to the exact location of cancer and the positioning of the patient in which radiation needs to be given.

IMRT

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy restricts radiation exposure to the surrounding normal cells, while destroying cancerous cells irrespective of their locations, sizes and shapes. Its fully computerized imaging system ensures radiation beams reaches targeted tumour, sparing the normal cells in the area. IMRT is specifically helpful when the cancerous growth is located at a difficult-to-reach area inside the body or close to vital body organs.

Rapid Arc

The department is equipped with a fully computer-controlled dual energy Rapid Arc Linear Accelerator that operates in different modes, giving oncologists the freedom to choose the most appropriate energy level individually.

IGRT

Image Guided Radiation Therapy makes use of cone-beam CT scans to target tumours more accurately. It helps oncologists to direct radiation more precisely.

Image Guided Radiation Therapy is a step ahead of IMRT where frequent imaging using cone-beam CT scans helps our oncologists to improve further the precision and accuracy of the delivery of treatment.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy

In this mode of treatment multiple radiation beams are targeted towards the tumour from different angles and planes, which depend upon the size and shape of the tumour. Stereotactic radiology is usually used to treat small-sized tumours. A 3-dimensional imaging technique is used to calculate the exact angles and planes from which the radiation is made to fall on the tumour.

Adaptive Radiotherapy

The adaptive radiation therapy improves the accuracy of radiotherapy by systematic monitoring of variations which occur in the tumour during the course of treatment. Oncologists, then, incorporates these changes in the treatment plan for better results. The field margin and dose of radiation is routinely customised throughout the treatment.

3D CRT

In the 3D conformal radiation therapy radiation is matched with the shape and size of the tumour.

PET based Planning

PET based treatment planning in radiotherapy makes use of molecular imaging methods such as PET to target tumours.

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy reduces the radiation exposure in the surrounding healthy tissues, ensuring no radioactive seeds are left in the body after the treatment. Radioactive seeds or sources are placed in or near the tumour itself, giving a high radiation dose to the tumour while reducing the radiation exposure in the surrounding healthy cells. It is most commonly used in gynecological malignancies.

Doctors