External beam radiation is the type of radiation therapy most often used to treat sarcomas. Unlike surgery and brachytherapy, which involve inserting implants or making incisions, EBRT delivers radiation from a machine located outside the body.
The machine used for EBRT is called a linear accelerator or Linac. This complex machine generates high-energy beams of radiation, typically X-rays or electrons. Advanced technology allows these beams to be carefully shaped and sculpted to match the three-dimensional shape of the tumor.
This precise targeting minimizes the amount of radiation exposure to healthy tissues surrounding the tumor. This technique is known as conformal radiation therapy.
The shaped radiation beam is then precisely directed toward the tumor site using the Linac machine. This targeting is based on imaging studies like CT scans performed before treatment.
Overall, EBRT offers a precise and non-invasive approach to delivering radiation therapy for sarcoma treatment.