Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to combat cancer. Radiation can help destroy the structure of a cancer cell before the cell grows and divides. Radiation therapy near your eye can also help preserve the structure of your eye, though the risks of the treatment include possible eye loss.
External Radiotherapy
Before your procedure, you'll undergo a simulation. Your radiation specialist will ask you to lie still on a table while an X-ray machine pinpoints the spot where the radiation beams will target your cancer. A mold might be made of your head so that you will lie in the exact same position for your real treatment. Marks might be made with permanent marker on your face before your real procedure. Don't wash these marks off. Your physician will determine how much radiation you'll receive for your treatment.
External radiotherapy uses proton beams aimed at the site of your cancer. A proton is the positive aspect of an atom. Protons are used because they cause little damage to surrounding tissues. Receiving external radiation is like getting an X-ray. However, your treatment will span several weeks.
Gamma Knife
The precision of gamma knife radiation is so uniform that it can target the tumor and cut through it as if you had just had surgery to remove it. Before the procedure, your head is immobilized in a wire frame. Before undergoing the gamma knife, an MRI is done to pinpoint the tumor. According to the American Cancer Society, once the tumor has been located, a beam is aimed at it while radiation is focused at the site. High doses of radiation penetrate your tumor.
Linear Accelerator
A linear accelerator is a machine that uses high doses of radiation aimed at your tumor. You'll be placed onto a table and strapped in. According to the American Cancer Society, a linear accelerator has an arm that extends over the table. You'll wear shields to protect your internal organs. Because the machine makes loud noises, if at any point during the procedure you need to speak with the specialist because you feel uncomfortable, you can speak with him over an intercom. It is important to lie still during the procedure.
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a form of radiation that uses radioactive material placed near or into your tumor. Brachytherapy can be temporary or permanent. According to RadiologyInfo.org, if your brachytherapy is permanent, your physician will place seeds directly into or near your tumor. Eventually the radioactivity within the seeds will disintegrate, while the seeds remain in your body. Temporary brachytherapy uses low or high doses of radiation for a shorter time, with the radioactive material withdrawn after treatment.
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