Teletherapy

Teletherapy is a form of radiation therapy where the radiation source is at a distance from the body. It is also known as distance therapy. Teletherapy is primarily used in the treatment of cancer, where it is effective in destroying cancer cells and shrinking tumors.

History

The concept of teletherapy has been around since the early 20th century, with the development of radium therapy. However, it was not until the 1950s that teletherapy began to be widely used, with the introduction of cobalt-60 therapy machines.

Types of Teletherapy

There are several types of teletherapy, including:

• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT): This is the most common type of teletherapy. It uses a machine outside the body to direct a beam of radiation at the cancer.
• Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT): This type of teletherapy uses computers to create a 3D image of the tumor, which allows the radiation to be shaped to match the tumor.
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT): This is a type of 3D-CRT that uses multiple small beams of varying intensities to deliver a precise dose of radiation to the tumor.

Procedure

In a typical teletherapy procedure, the patient lies on a treatment table and the teletherapy machine is positioned to direct the radiation at the cancer. The machine may move around the patient to deliver the radiation from different angles. The treatment is usually painless and takes only a few minutes.

Side Effects

Like all forms of radiation therapy, teletherapy can cause side effects. These can include fatigue, skin changes in the area being treated, and other symptoms depending on the part of the body being treated.

See Also

• Radiation therapy
• Cancer treatment
• Radiation oncology

Teletherapy Resources
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