Tomotherapy is a relatively recent addition to the range of radiation therapies available to treat cancer. Its name is derived from tomography, which is a method of cross-sectional imaging. The procedure delivers IMRT (intensity-modulated radiotherapy) in a combination with treatment planning and image-guided patient positioning in one integrated system.

Procedure information
Effective radiation treatment requires precise positioning of the patient. In tomotherapy, the physician uses an image taken by CT scan just prior to each treatment session. This verifies the location of the tumor and the position of the patient. This is important as the patient’s position and the shape of certain types of tumors change day by day. The physician can then be sure of the precision of the radiation’s direction throughout the course of treatment.

Tomotherapy delivers IMRT in a spiral pattern. The photon radiation that is used in the procedure is produced by a linear accelerator that rotates several times around the patient’s body. The accelerator moves in relation to a multi-leaf collimator. This computer-controlled collimator modulates the radiation beam as the patient is moved slowly through the middle of the field – while reclining on the treatment couch.

Recovery time
Most patients will experience fatigue during a course of tomotherapy treatment; this may persist for up to several weeks after the end of the therapy. It’s important for the patient to realize that this fatigue is a normal side effect and is not an indication of progression of the disease.

When the abdomen is radiated, side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Hair loss is another side effect that will occur in the area that has been treated. In addition, when the scalp, mouth, and throat are radiated, the patient may experience a loss of scalp or facial hair. The radiation dose and the size of the radiation field typically determine whether a patient will experience these side effects.