Procedures

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is an enhanced radiation therapy technique that enables high radiation doses to be precisely delivered to primary tumors and metastases.  It can be used to treat early-stage lung cancer and localized cancers with three lesions or less that has metastasized to the brain, spine, lung, liver, kidney, and prostate.
 
Conventional radiation therapy treats the tumor along with healthy tissue surrounding it.  Sometimes a large amount of healthy tissue is affected by radiation and the number of treatment sessions can range from 30-40, typically five days per week for several weeks.
 
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy focuses radiation beams to a well-defined tumor with maximum precision, accuracy and safety.  The treatment consists of one to five sessions over one to two weeks.
 
Stereotactic Radiation offers patients a number of benefits including a non-invasive approach to cancer care, reduced number of radiation treatments sessions, a comprehensive on-demand treatment team, including the radiation oncologist and physicist uses SBRT the most advanced radiation technology available with optimal precision, accuracy, convenience, and comfort.
 
Gamma Knife Radiation Therapy, also referred to as “radiosurgery for the brain”, is similar to Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy.   

What to Expect
 
Before you begin your treatments, the Stereotactic Radiation team will plan the details of the treatment.  In order for the treatment planning to be efficient and precise, you will undergo a Pre-CT Simulation and CT Simulation.  The pre-CT simulation appointment may be scheduled after initial consult with the radiation oncologist, once the consent for treatment has been signed.  Sometimes Pre-CT and CT Simulation may be combined into one appointment.
 
Pre-CT Simulation is a process used to map out treatment fields using a special X-ray machine called a “Simulator”.  Several staff members may be in the room with you during your simulation.  Important information critical to your treatment is exchanged, verified and documented by the staff at this time. The entire process may take one to two hours as great care must be taken during this process.  The radiation therapists work under the supervision and direction of a radiation oncologist.
 
The radiation therapist along with the radiation treatment aide will take utmost care in making your position on treatment table as comfortable as possible.  During simulation, a special mold will be custom-made for your Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy treatment set-up. Body molds are created to ensure immobilization during treatment.  An abdominal belt may be used too.  For Stereotactic Radiosurgery, a mold for the face will be made.  This allows for head immobilization for radiation to the brain.  Precise measurements of the position will be noted; pin-point reference tattoos using permanent ink will be administered and photographs of the position will be taken to ensure that the position set-up during the simulation be replicated for each of the treatments. 
 
The radiation therapist will then schedule your CT Simulation at the RAS Radiation Oncology Center in Sacramento or Roseville for additional planning.  During CT Simulation, a 4D CT scan is used and your breathing patterns are noted using a breathing belt. This helps the treatment planning team to measure how much the tumor moves during breathing.  For brain tumors, an MRI will be scheduled at RAS imaging centers.  A referral will be made for fiducials to be placed in the organ for liver and kidney tumors.
 
Once the CT Simulation is complete, the Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy team, which includes the radiation oncologist, physicists and the dosimetrists, start working on your computer generated treatment plan. It takes 10-12 working days for a customized plan to be calculated, developed, run through a quality assurance process and approved. Your treatment appointments will be scheduled once you have been through the simulation process. 
 
Possible Side Effects
 
You may experience few or none of the following side effects while undergoing Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, as discussed during your consult with the Radiation Oncologist.
 
Possible Short-term Side Effects

• Fatigue
• Skin erythema / irritation
• Shortness of Breath
• Cough
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Fever

Possible Long-term Side Effects 

• Rib fractures
• Chest-wall pain
• Narrowing of the esophagus
• Inflammation or damage to the heart
• Inflammation or damage to the lung
• Collapse of the lung
• Coughing up blood
• Damage to nerves or spinal cord

After a physical exam and review of your medical history, the radiation oncologist may determine that SBRT is an appropriate treatment for you.  If you elect to undergo Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, your radiation oncologist will work closely with your other doctors and healthcare professionals to accurately prescribe the amount of treatment that is right for you. 

The Public File" with Kat Maudru Featuring Dr. Garrick Chang on Prostate Cancer - MP3 File
 
More Information
For more information about Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy contact our Nurse Coordinator, Sheetal Vaghela, RN, BSN at vaghelash@radiological.com or by phone at (916) 537-5470. Click khere to use our contact form.

Learn more about SBRT for Prostate Cancer  
Learn more about the Stereotactic Radiation Team