External beam radiotherapy

External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is a technique that uses one or more beams to deliver high energy x-rays to a cancerous tumour.

What is external beam radiotherapy?

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is a type of radiotherapy treatment that uses one or more beams to deliver high energy radiation to a tumour or disease within the body.

This is typically achieved using equipment called a Linear Accelerator (or Linac for short), which produces and directs the beams of radiation specifically into the tumour or disease while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue.

EBRT is commonly delivered to the patient while they are laying on a treatment couch and a treatment session will typically take around 15-30 minutes, depending on the type and complexity of the treatment. Each patient will also receive a number of treatment sessions (called a treatment course) that can range from around 10 sessions up to around 30 sessions, with one session typically being delivered per day.

Types of external beam radiation therapy

Volumetric modulated arc therapy

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) allows more difficult tumours, such as ones wrapped around other important structures, to be targeted precisely.

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Image guided radiation therapy

Image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is a form of radiation therapy that is very useful in areas of the body that move a lot, such as the lungs.

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Intensity modulated radiation therapy

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a high precision type of radiation therapy that uses computer controlled linear accelerators to deliver high dose radiation to cancerous tumours.

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Stereotactic radiation therapy

Stereotactic radiation therapy is an advanced technique used to treat small tumours with well-defined edges, commonly located in the brain, spine or lung.

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Superficial radiation therapy

Superficial radiation therapy (SxRT) is a type of external beam radiation therapy that utilises lower energy radiation and is used almost exclusively for the treatment of tumours or disease that are either on the patients skin or up to a few millimetres in depth.

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