Radiotherapy
Biophysics
Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to treat diseases, especially cancers, since cancer cells divide faster than regular cells. It can be used to treat many kinds of cancer in almost any part of the body. It destroys the cancer cells by damaging their DNA in the area which has been treated, causing a little damage to normal cells. Cancer cells whose DNA is damaged beyond repair stop dividing or die. When the damaged cells die, they are broken down and eliminated by the body’s natural processes. Due to the advances of technology, Systemic radiation therapy, External radiotherapy and internal radiotherapy are the three ways involve in Radiotherapy. Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as radioactive iodine, which is swallowed or injected into the body and travels through the blood, killing cancer cells. External radiotherapy is given from outside the body using high-energy x-rays. Whereas, internal radiotherapy is given from a radioactive material placed within the body. The patient will have external radiotherapy or internal radiotherapy or both depending on the type of cancer and where it is in the body.
This paper covers on how radiotherapy works, different types of radiotherapy treatment; external & internal and the machines which are involved in both types of radiotherapy treatment. Other than that, it also includes the benefits and the side effects of the external and internal radiotherapy treatments.
In systemic radiation therapy, a patient swallows or receives an injection of a radioactive substance, such as radioactive iodine bound to a monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibody binds to only one substance and it is used to treat some types of cancer. Radioacti...
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Relative Contribution:
Joscelyn Kirthana
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Apart of becoming a new patient at a dental office is taking an x-ray and some may have question along with taking an x-ray, like “will I be affected by the x-ray?” or “will I get cancer?”, “how long will it take” “are x-ray’s safe?”, the list goes on and on. So in this paper we will talk about different types of radiation affects such as affects on children and pregnant women as well as some things that may help reduce some of the radiation that may harm the human body.
...e level for the high dose radiotherapy protocol. Also, the observations shows that patients that survive the treatments should be watched over a longer follow-up time [5].
Targeted radionuclide is among the important technological developments in the field of radiotherapy. It can be used as a solo procedure over the external radiation exposure and chemotherapy, though they can be used in combination if this assures optimal results. This procedure is highly advantageous over the conventional methods and should be considered as the choice procedure, especially in bone metastatic tumors. Among its main applications is its use in control of thyroid cancer, which shows a huge decreases in thyroid cancer rate and improve patient’s life style. Radionuclide therapy also shows its effect in pain palliative of bone metastasis. Both applications have proven to be easy to administer, safe, and effective.
Johns Hopkins University. (n.d.). Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy. In Treatments. Retrieved from http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/radiation_oncology/treatments/stereotactic_radiosurgery_body_radiation_therapy.html
Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply out of control and gradually build a mass of tissue called a tumor. There has been a large amount of research dedicated to the treatment and cure of cancer. Several types of treatments have been developed. The following are just some of the major examples of cancer therapy: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy, biorhythms, unconventional treatments, and hyperthermia. Each type of treatment is discussed in detail below.
According to the American Cancer Society, many side effects to radiation therapy occur because normal, healthy cells near the treatment area may become damaged. Temporary side effects may include fatigue, skin changes, hair loss, low blood counts, and eating problems. Longer-term disadvantages to radiation therapy consist of potential damage to the tissue, glands and organs near the vicinity of the tumor, the incapacity to destroy tumor cells that remain undetected on imaging scans, the inability to destroy all cancerous cells in the tumor, infertility, scar tissue growth and more. Unfortunately, when radiation therapy is solely used on particular types of cancers, it may not be entirely successful. This rings true especially for specific cancers that have
Radiology is one of the few so-called “physical-science”-based fields of medicine, making it a challenging and rewarding application of an academic interest in science. It combines advanced knowledge of human physiology with principles of atomic physics and nuclear decay, electricity and magnetism, and both organic and inorg...
Radiation therapy is a complex treatment plan to treat cancer in patients. Its treatment can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is delivered by a team of individuals who specialize in the treatment of cancer. There are several ways in which the radiation can be delivered to the patient with specialized equipment. Radiation therapy is an exciting field of study that can be beneficial to patients who are affected by cancer.
Computed tomography (CT) and Radionuclide imaging (RNI) are both a form of diagnostic imaging. Since they have been first introduced in medical imaging they both suffered a huge development over the years in terms of image acquisition and also patient radiation protection. The following essay it is going to focus on just a few important things that make CT and RNI similar and different in the same time. However this subject can be discussed in much depth, the focus is going to be on the similarities and differences of the physics imaging methods and also a small awareness of biological effects and radiation protection.
The Therac-25 was released to market in 1983 and is still in use today (ComputingCases). “Between June 1985 and January 1987, six patients were seriously injured or killed by unsafe administration of radiation from the Therac-25 medical linear accelerator” (Death and Denial).
There are numerous reasons as to why I want to pursue my dream of becoming a radiation therapist. The most important reason is because I love to help other people overcome any problem they are facing. However saving a patient’s life through radiation would be even more amazing. Not to mention, after obtaining the proper education, the salary I receive will be fairly high. Cancer has recently become a part of many families, including my own. I see what a few of my family members are going through and having to struggle with every single day in order to live to see another day, The struggles that they go through have opened my mind in many ways, I wish I was the one that they could come to for a chance of survival, but I can’t, so in order for me to help cancer patients fight for their lives, I will obtain the proper education, licenses, and possess the numerous skills needed by a radiation therapist..
Another treatment that is used to help a cancer patients overcome the disease is radiation therapy. Although very affective and used commonly, thi...
How is radiation therapy being improved some might ask,"Doctors and other scientists are conducting research studies called clinical trials to learn how to use radiation therapy to treat cancer
Nuclear Medicine is the use of radioisotopes for diagnosis, treatment, and research. Radioactive chemical tracers emit gamma rays which provides diagnostic information about a person's anatomy and the functioning of specific organs. Radioisotopes are also utilizes in treatments of diseases such as cancer. It is estimated that approximately one in two people in Western countries are likely to experience the benefits of nuclear medicine in their lifetime.
A radioisotope is an isotope that emits radiation as it has nuclear instability(Prostate Cancer; Fusion imaging helps target greater doses of radiation).Those who are not too familiar with radioisotopes may think their use is for harmful radiation, nuclear weapons, and the possibility of turning into a giant, raging, green monster. However, there are much more positive uses for radioisotopes. There have been many medical advances thanks to the benefit and practice of radioisotopes in nuclear medicine. These advances have been able to diagnose and treat a variety of diseases.