Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy (RT)

Treatment that uses high-energy radiation to destroy tumor cells

Radiotherapy

Another term for radiation therapy

Radiation oncology

Medical specialty involving radiation treatment of cancer

Brachytherapy

Radiation treatment using radioactive material placed inside a tumor or body cavity

Interstitial brachytherapy

Placement of radioactive material directly into a tumor

Intracavitary brachytherapy

Placement of radioactive material into a cavity

Electron beams

Low-energy radiation beams used to treat skin or surface tumors

External beam irradiation

Radiation delivered to a tumor from a source outside the body

Teletherapy

Radiation therapy delivered from an external source

Fractionation

Dividing radiation treatment into small, repeated doses

Hyperfractionation

Giving smaller radiation doses more frequently

Hypofractionation

Giving larger radiation doses less frequently

Gray (Gy)

Unit of absorbed radiation dose

Linear accelerator

Device that produces high-energy x-ray or photon beams to treat tumors

Photon therapy

Radiation therapy using x-rays or gamma rays

Proton therapy

Radiation treatment using positively charged protons

Radiation field

Area targeted for radiation treatment from a specific angle

Radiocurable tumor

Tumor that can be completely eradicated by radiation therapy

Radioresistant tumor

Tumor that requires large radiation doses to destroy its cells

Radiosensitive tumor

Tumor whose cells are sensitive to radiation

Radiosensitizers

Drugs that increase tumor sensitivity to x-rays

Simulation

CT or MRI imaging used to map the treatment area before radiotherapy

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)

Precise radiation treatment using three-dimensional guidance

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT)

Radiation delivered directly during surgery

Palliative radiation therapy

Radiation treatment intended to relieve symptoms

Curative radiation therapy

Radiation treatment intended to eliminate the cancer