Patrick Higgins

"For years we've used three-dimensional imagery to determine the best methods and approaches for treating tumors," explains Patrick Higgins, Ph.D., associate professor of Therapeutic Radiology at the University of Minnesota."We can now tie that 3-D imagery to the amount of radiation delivered through computer-controlled planning in which the computer optimizes the doses between normal and tumor tissues.This allows us to safely increase radiation levels for the thickest parts of the tumor, and treat more complicated cases, such as tumors surrounding the spinal cord."

With IMRT, physicians can now indicate dose and toleration levels for various organs, and the computer can then work backward from this desired result to build a method for delivering that plan to the patient.

IMRT may be appropriate for patients with head and neck tumors, base of skull tumors, prostate cancer and eventually may be used for most types of cancers.