Used to treat lung, breast, prostate, head and neck cancers, 3-D treatment has many advantages over 2-D approaches. Foremost, it lessens the side effects often associated with radiation treatment and may improve coverage and control of tumors.

The way 3-D treatment does this is by maximizing the delivery of radiation to malignant tumors, while minimizing radiation to surrounding normal tissue. In other words, it targets only the precise area needing treatment.

In certain situations, this is best accomplished with the use of three-dimensional (3-D) treatment planning.  Three-dimensional treatment planning is a CT-based system that assists the physician in tumor visualization, normal tissue localization and in optimizing the delivery of radiation to the tumor.

Wake Radiology Oncology Services has a state-of-the-art 3-D treatment planning system and two physicians with 10 to 15 years of experience using this technology. Dr. Andrew Kennedy and Dr. Scott Sailer have both had papers about 3-D treatment published in top medical journals.

This information is provided by Wake Radiology Oncology's Doctors, Nurses, and Technologists.  It was added to this site on November 12, 2003 and last updated on March 13, 2006.