At the Tidwell Cancer Treatment Center, we have two very different planning computers with two different approaches to treatment planning.
The “Phillips/ADAC” 3-D treatment planning system requires the knowledge of our highly experienced physics staff to manipulate the beam and other parameters for an optimum treatment plan for each patient. This could require several plans before the best plan is chosen by the radiation oncologist. Sometimes, there is a back-and-forth process to get the best plan.
The “ERGO”/3-D Line allows us to perform Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) with an optimation program. This approach to planning requires knowledge of dose constraints (dose limits) to not only the target volume but also to surrounding normal tissues as well.
With the optimization program, the computer will go through many computations looking to fine the optimal plan for the patient based on the radiation oncologist's input of dose constraint limits. In the final analysis, the physician will make the decision on which plan best suits the patients’ needs.
