Radiotherapy is the employment of radiation by means of deep radiographs, or radium (or gamma rays) to treat certain diseases. A sufficient dose is given to kill abnormal tissue cells without damaging healthy ones. Radiotherapy is mostly used in treating malignant conditions, but can also be used in other diseases.
Deep radiographs are used in low voltage to treat superficial lesions such a skin cancers. By means of modern linear accelerators, high-voltage beams can be directed on to more deep-seated tumours such as those of the bladder, or lung.
Radium emits gamma rays and can be enclosed in thin hollow needles or specially shaped applicators. In this form, radiotherapy is used for cancers of the tongue, skin, or palate. Another way of using radium is by drawing off the gas, called radon, into thin glass tubes known as radon seeds which are placed in the tissues at operation.
Certain substances such as iodine, phosphorus and gold can be made radioactive in an atomic pile. These can be used diagnostically by introducing them into the body and measuring their uptake by certain organs, for example the thyroid gland will take up radioactive iodine. They are also used to locate the position of some tumours using a Geiger counter, for example in the brain and liver.
In blood diseases, they are used to ascertain the survival time of red cells; radioactive phosphorus may be used on the bone marrow in the treatment of polycythaemia and thrombocytopenia.
Unless enclosed in lead lined containers, any radioactive substance can affect anyone coming in contact with it. Precautions must be taken.
If you have a loved one in hospital in a strange city undergoing radiotherapy, it can be stressful just getting there to visit them. Having a GPS in your car, like the Garmin Nuvi 255w will reduce that stress by getting you there fast, and avoiding all the traffic hassles.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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