Pencil-beam scanning
Pencil-beam Scanning
Pencil-beam scanning (pronunciation: pen-sil-beem skan-ing) is a type of proton therapy used in the treatment of cancer. It is a more precise form of radiation therapy that uses a narrow, focused beam of protons to deliver radiation to a tumor.
Etymology
The term "pencil-beam scanning" is derived from the technique's use of a narrow, focused beam of protons, which can be likened to the point of a pencil. The term "scanning" refers to the method by which the beam is moved across the tumor to deliver the radiation dose.
Description
In pencil-beam scanning, the proton beam is magnetically steered to treat the tumor layer by layer. The beam's intensity can be modulated to deliver a variable dose to different parts of the tumor. This allows for a high degree of precision and control, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Related Terms
- Proton Therapy: A type of radiation therapy that uses protons to treat cancer.
- Radiation Therapy: The use of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
- Cancer: A group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
- Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue that results when cells divide more than they should or do not die when they should.
See Also
- Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
- Image-Guided Radiation Therapy
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pencil-beam scanning
- Wikipedia's article - Pencil-beam scanning
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