TrueBeamTM and TrueBeamTM STx

The TrueBeam system is an advanced technology providing enhanced imaging capabilities and many forms of external beam radiation therapy used to treat various types of cancerous and noncancerous tumors in the head, neck and throughout the body. These include image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). With similar features and capabilities as TrueBeam, the TrueBeam STx also offers stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), a specialized type of treatment in which high-dose radiation is delivered to targeted locations in a patient’s body in five or fewer treatments.

Both technologies have advanced imaging features that allow physicians to pinpoint a patient’s tumor and shape the system’ radiation beams to match the size and shape of the tumor. This precision and accuracy allows physicians to tailor treatments to each patient’s particular cancer and may result in fewer overall side effects.

By delivering high-dose radiation beams that match the shape of the tumor being treated, TrueBeam also significantly reduces treatment time. A typical session takes about 15 minutes, reducing potential errors that can occur in longer-lasting procedures.

Most patients go home right after treatment and immediately resume normal activities. There may be side effects, such as fatigue, but these are usually minor and temporary.

Why Choose TrueBeam?

TrueBeam provides noninvasive treatment of malignant and benign tumors and lesions located in the head and neck and throughout the body. It offers an important treatment option, especially for patients with inoperable or surgically complex tumors, or those who seek an alternative to conventional surgery or radiation therapy.

The precision of the TrueBeam radiotherapy and radiosurgery systems is measured in increments of less than a millimeter. This accuracy is made possible by the system’s sophisticated control system, which choreographs imaging, patient positioning, motion management, beam shaping and dose delivery, performing accuracy checks every ten milliseconds throughout the entire treatment. This allows our physicians to “see” the tumor they are about to treat and apply very accurate and precise beams of radiation to it while compensating for your movement.


Key advantages of TrueBeam:

  • Treatment is an outpatient procedure, painless and noninvasive
  • Extreme precision minimizes radiation damage to normal tissue
  • Beam shaping offers highly accurate and uniform treatment
  • Short treatment times – about 15 minutes – eliminate errors from minor patient movements during longer treatments
  • Patients return immediately to normal routines with minimal side effects
  • No overnight hospital stay required

How Does TrueBeam Work?

During TrueBeam treatment sessions, you lie on a treatment table while the machine rotates around you, delivering targeted radiation from various angles. TrueBeam has the ability to “shape” the radiation beams it delivers to match the shape of the tumor. The radiation beam is sculpted to match the three-dimensional shape of the tumor, helping protect nearby healthy tissue and critical organs.

The cumulative dose of radiation delivered kills tumor cells while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. The number of treatments varies depending on the tumor size, location and shape. IMRT and IGRT treatments are typically delivered daily over the course of several weeks. SRS and SBRT treatments are typically delivered in one to five treatments over the course of one to two weeks. Regardless of the type of radiation therapy being administered, the approximate time for each treatment is about 15-20 minutes.

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