Types of external radiotherapy

Conformal radiotherapy shapes the radiation beams to closely fit the area of the cancer. It is also called 3D conformal radiotherapy or 3DCRT. It is a very common type of radiotherapy.

Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is a type of conformal radiotherapy. It delivers different amounts of radiation to different parts of the treatment area.

Image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) uses scans and x-rays to make sure that you are in the correct position for your radiotherapy treatment.

Stereotactic radiotherapy is a way of giving radiotherapy to a tumour from different directions. This makes it easier to avoid healthy tissue.

Proton beam therapy is a type of radiotherapy treatment. It uses high energy or low energy proton beams to treat cancer.

Superficial radiotherapy is a type of external radiotherapy. It treats cancer on or close to the skin surface.