Procedures

Total Body Irradiation, or TBI, is a form of radiation that is given to the entire body prior to bone marrow transplantation. At University Hospital, TBI is provided for approximately 25% of patients who undergo Bone Marrow Transplantation for a variety of malignant diseases.

The radiation is delivered from a linear accelerator in eight sessions over the course of four days (two treatments each day). The radiation treatment destroys the tumor cells and suppresses the function of the stem cells in preparation for the transplant.

Custom-made shielding devices are individually designed for each patient in order to protect the lungs therefore decreasing the toxicity of the treatment.