Radiation can be defined as the energy travelling through space which comes from a source and may be able to penetrate various materials. There are two types of radiation and they are the non-ionizing and ionizing radiation. Non-ionizing radiation consists of light, radio and microwaves. Whereby ionizing radiation can produce charged particles in matter, and ionizing radiation is produced by unstable atoms. The difference between unstable atoms and stable atoms is that unstable atoms have an excess of energy or mass or both. When the atoms have unstable nuclei, they are said to be radioactive. The atoms have to give off, or emit, the excess energy or mass in order to reach stability. These emissions are called radiation. The radiation has …show more content…
During simulation, detailed imaging scans show the location of a patient’s tumor and the normal areas around it. These scans are usually computed tomography (CT) scans, but they can also include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound scans. After simulation, the radiation oncologist then determines the exact area that will be treated, the total radiation dose that will be delivered to the tumor, how much dose will be allowed for the normal tissues around the tumor, and the safest angles (paths) for radiation delivery. Radiation can come from a machine outside the body which is called as external-beam radiation therapy or from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells which known as internal radiation therapy. Radiation therapy can cause both acute and chronic side effects. Acute side effects occur during treatment, while chronic side effects occur months or even years after treatment ends. The side effects that develop depend on the area of the body being treated, the dose given per day, the total dose given, the patient’s general medical condition, and other treatments given at the same