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You have been told that radiation therapy may be part of your cancer treatment. Then you hear another term—Image Guided Radiation Therapy, or IGRT—and suddenly the treatment sounds even more complicated.
The good news is that the basic idea is easier to understand than the name suggests. IGRT uses imaging during the radiation treatment process to help the treatment team position the patient and target the intended area more accurately.
If you are considering Image Guided Radiation Therapy in Ahinsa Khand, understanding what it does and who may benefit from it can make your treatment discussions much clearer.
Image Guided Radiation Therapy combines radiation treatment with imaging.
Before or during treatment, images can help the radiation team check the position of the tumour or treatment area and the patient's anatomy. If there is a small change in positioning, the treatment team can use the information to improve accuracy.
This matters because organs can move, patients can shift slightly, and some tumours can change position with breathing or normal body movement.
Depending on the patient's diagnosis, radiation oncology may involve:
Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
External beam radiation therapy
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
Stereotactic radiation techniques
Radiation for breast cancer
Radiation for lung cancer
Radiation for prostate cancer
Radiation for cervical cancer
Radiation for brain tumours
Radiation for head and neck cancers
Radiation for symptom control
IGRT is not a separate cancer cure. It is a technique that can support more accurate radiation delivery in appropriate patients.
Radiation is designed to damage cancer cells, but healthy tissues can also be affected if they receive unnecessary radiation.
That is why treatment planning focuses on both sides of the equation: delivering enough radiation to the intended target while limiting exposure to nearby normal tissues as much as reasonably possible.
IGRT can provide additional information about the patient's position and anatomy during the treatment process.
Imagine treating an area close to an important organ.
Even a small change in position could affect where the radiation dose lands. Image guidance gives the treatment team an opportunity to verify positioning rather than relying only on the original planning scan.
This can be particularly useful in areas where movement or anatomical changes are expected.
IGRT can be considered in several situations.
When a tumour is near organs that need careful protection, accurate positioning becomes especially important.
The radiation team may use image guidance as part of a strategy to deliver treatment more precisely.
Some tumours can move with breathing or other normal body movements.
Imaging can help the treatment team account for these changes as part of the radiation plan.
Treatments such as SBRT deliver high doses to carefully defined targets in a small number of sessions.
Because the treatment is highly focused, accurate positioning and planning are particularly important.
The body's shape or internal anatomy can change during a treatment course.
Depending on the cancer and treatment plan, image guidance can help the team assess these changes.
Radiotherapy remains an important part of cancer treatment worldwide. A 2024 IAEA publication estimates that approximately 50% of cancer patients may require radiotherapy at some point during their illness.
That figure reflects the broad role of radiation in cancer care. It does not mean every patient needs IGRT or any particular radiation technique.
The right approach depends on the individual treatment plan.
Patients sometimes assume that the most advanced radiation technology is automatically the best option for everyone.
We would challenge that.
Technology should serve the treatment plan—not the other way around. IGRT may be very useful for one patient but unnecessary for another, depending on the tumour, location, treatment technique, movement, and clinical goal.
The better question is: “How will image guidance improve my specific treatment?”
Your radiation oncologist should be able to explain that in straightforward terms.
First, your radiation oncologist develops an individualized treatment plan using your scans and medical information.
You are positioned carefully for each treatment. Imaging may then be performed to verify the treatment area and patient position.
If appropriate, adjustments can be made before radiation is delivered.
The exact imaging method and frequency depend on the treatment plan, cancer type, equipment, and clinical requirements.
Consider a patient receiving radiation near an area that can move with breathing.
The original treatment plan identifies the target and nearby healthy organs. During treatment, image guidance provides additional information about positioning and anatomy.
That information can help the team deliver the planned treatment more accurately.
The point is not that imaging makes radiation risk-free. Rather, it adds another layer of precision to a carefully planned treatment process.
Dr. Sandeep Agarwal is associated with cancer care and radiation oncology, helping patients understand treatment options in practical language. Discussions may include whether image-guided treatment is appropriate, what the technique is intended to achieve, how many sessions may be required, and what side effects patients should realistically expect.
Not automatically. IGRT is a technique used to improve treatment positioning and accuracy in suitable cases. Whether it offers an advantage depends on the patient's cancer and treatment plan.
The imaging and radiation delivery themselves are generally painless. Patients may experience side effects from radiation depending on the treatment area and dose.
There is no standard number. The schedule depends on the cancer, treatment goal, radiation technique, dose, and individual medical plan.
If IGRT has been recommended, ask your specialist what makes it suitable for your case.
You should understand what area is being treated, why image guidance is being used, how the treatment will be planned, how many sessions are expected, and what side effects may occur.
If you have been advised to consider image-guided radiation, consult Dr. Sandeep Agarwal, a qualified specialist for Image Guided Radiation Therapy in Ahinsa Khand, to discuss whether this approach is appropriate for your individual cancer treatment plan.
