Several common forms of modern radiotherapy techniques

  Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) is a radiotherapy technique in which the dose distribution in the three-dimensional direction corresponds exactly to the shape of the lesion (target area).  It requires that the shape of the irradiation field in each irradiation direction must be consistent with the shape of the projection of the lesion (target area), and that the dose within the target area and on the surface must be equal everywhere or unequal according to the requirements, and that the output dose rate at all points within each field is adjusted according to the requirements. The output dose rate of all points in each field is adjusted as required, i.e., the beam current can be adjusted to improve the gain ratio of treatment, increase the irradiation dose in the target area and reduce the irradiation dose to normal tissues, thus improving the local control rate of tumor.  Stereotactic radiation therapy technology (γ-knife) is to make the γ-rays highly focused on the tumor target area through multi-source focusing technology, and the dose distribution is in concentric circles with increasing layers, the dose at the focal point is the largest, and the surrounding dose decreases steeply, which improves the tumor dose without increasing the surrounding normal tissue damage.  VMAT is based on the image guided radiation therapy technology (IGRT), which is a 360-degree multi-arc rotational irradiation in any angle range, with a faster irradiation speed and a larger irradiation range than traditional treatment methods, while adjusting and controlling the intensity of radiation on the tumor, and obtaining 3D computed tomography images for precise treatment positioning. VMAT not only allows the radiation to be weakened and enhanced with the thickness of the tumor, but also gives the most suitable radiation intensity according to the thickness of each part of the tumor volume, avoiding important human organs such as the middle of the tumor or depressions (such as the eye and cremaster), increasing the tumor control rate, reducing the chance of complications in normal tissues, and reducing the side effects after radiation therapy.  Spiral tomographic radiation therapy (TOMO) uses a miniaturized linear gas pedal mounted on a slip ring frame to rotate 360°, while the treatment bed moves in the direction of the frame for spiral tomographic irradiation. The dose distribution formed by the superposition of subfield doses has the advantage of high dose conformality of intensity modulated radiotherapy and the characteristic of fast dose drop outside the target area formed by a large number of small field focused irradiation. At the same time, the real-time imaging and verification system improves the accuracy of radiation therapy, reduces the irradiation range of normal tissues, reduces the side effects of treatment, further increases the irradiation dose of tumors, and thus improves the tumor control rate.