Electron therapy
| Electron therapy | |
|---|---|
| Intervention | |
| ICD-9: | 92.25 |
Electron therapy or Electron Beam Therapy (EBT) is a kind of external beam radiotherapy where electrons are directed to a tumor site.
Contents |
[edit] Equipment
Electron beam therapy is performed using a medical linear accelerator. This device can also be used to produce high energy photon beams. When electrons are required, the x-ray target is retracted out of the beam and the electron beam is collimated with a piece of apparatus known as an applicator or an additional collimating insert, constructed from a low melting point alloy.
[edit] Properties
Electron beams have a finite range, after which the dose falls off rapidly. Therefore they spare deeper healthy tissue. The depth of the treatment is selected by the appropriate energy.
[edit] Indications
Electron beam therapy is used in the treatment of superficial tumors like cancer of skin regions, or total skin (e.g. mycosis_fungoides), diseases of the limbs (e.g. melanoma and lymphoma), nodal irradiation, and it may also be used to boost the radiation dose to the surgical bed after mastectomy or lumpectomy. For deeper regions Intraoperative electron radiation therapy might be applied.
[edit] References
Eric E. Klein: Electron-Beam Therapy: Dosimetry, Planning, and Techniques in: Edward C. Halperin, Carlos A. Perez, Luther W. Brady (ed.): Perez and Brady's Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology, 5th. edition, 2008
[edit] See also
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
