RapidArc® radiotherapy

Advocate Health Care is one of the first healthcare providers in the nation to offer the latest advancement in radiation cancer treatment – RapidArc® radiotherapy. A fast, accurate cancer treatment, RapidArc maximizes radiation to the tumor, while significantly reducing the radiation to nearby organs and healthy tissue. Our radiation oncologists use this innovative technology to treat a wide range of cancers, including prostate, lung, bone, brain and spine, head and neck and more.

How it works

RapidArc is a new form of image-guided, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Image guidance allows our physicians to better target tumors, and IMRT shapes the radiation dose so it conforms to the exact size and shape of the tumor.

Treatment involves three basic steps:

• Diagnosis: Our cancer care team generates three-dimensional diagnostic images of the patient's anatomy to determine the dose of radiation needed to treat the tumor.
• Treatment planning: In some cases, this includes a simulation session to zero in on the location of the cancer and finalize the radiation treatment plan.
• Delivery: Patients receive RapidArc treatments on a tailored schedule based on their diagnosis. A typical treatment schedule is five days a week for six or seven weeks.

Benefits of RapidArc

• Precision: RapidArc rotates 360 degrees around your body, enabling very small beams with varying intensity to be aimed at the tumor from multiple angles, all while sparing healthy tissue. If the cancer has moved due to physical changes, treatment can be adjusted so you receive a precise treatment.
• Speed: A treatment can be delivered in less than 10 minutes.
• Comfort: Faster treatment means less stress and quicker return to your daily activities and lifestyle.
• Accuracy: Since you spend less time holding still, it’s easier to avoid movements that can affect the precision of the radiation.