Radiation Therapy Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions 2024-2025
Radiation therapy - Answer-Also known as radiation oncology
Three principal modalities used in the treatment of cancer - Answer-Radiation therapy
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Palliation - Answer-To relieve symptoms or the severity of disease without curing the
disease or pathological process
The Radiation Therapy Team - Answer-Radiation oncologist
Medical Physicist
Medical dosimetrist
Oncology Nurse
Radiation therapist
Radiation oncologist - Answer-Prescribes the quantity of radiation and determines
anatomic region to be treated.
Medical Physicist - Answer-Responsible for calibration and maintenance of radiation-
producing equipment, and gives advice on dosage calculations.
Medical dosimetrist - Answer-Devises a plan for delivering treatments to irradiate tumor
while protecting normal tissue
Oncology Nurse - Answer-Responsible for patient education on radiation side effects
and side effect management.
Radiation therapist - Answer-Responsibilities: Obtaining radiographs or CT scans that
localize the area to be treated
Administering treatments
Keeping accurate records of dose delivered each day
Monitoring the patient's physical and emotional well-being
Radiation Therapy History - Answer-Early days of x-ray
Biological effects of ionizing radiation observed
Epilation - Answer-Loss of hair
Erythema - Answer-Reddening of the skin
, Radiation Therapy History --Jan 29, 1896 - Answer-Dr. Emile Grubbe irradiated a
woman with a carcinoma of the left breast.
Radiation Therapy History --Jan 1902 - Answer-Dr. Clarence Skinner performed the first
reported curative treatment using ionizing radiation on a woman with malignant
fibrosarcoma
Radiation Therapy History --Apr 1909 - Answer-The woman Dr. Skinner treated in 1902
was declared free of her malignant fibrosarcoma.
Two major categories for application of radiation for cancer treatment - Answer-
External-beam
Brachytherapy
External-beam - Answer-Also called teletherapy
The patient lies underneath a machine that emits radiation or generates a beam of x-
rays.
Brachytherapy - Answer-Radioactive material is placed within the patient.
3 Techniques: Mould technique, Intracavitary implant technique, Interstitial implant
technique
Mould technique - Answer-Radioactive source is placed in close proximity to the lesion.
Intracavitary implant technique - Answer-Placement of radioactive source in a body
cavity (i.e., uterine canal or vagina)
Interstitial implant technique - Answer-Radioactive source is placed directly into the
tumor site and adjacent tissue (i.e., prostate carcinoma or sarcoma in a muscle).
Radiation Therapy Equipment - Answer-120-kVp superficial x-ray unit
250-kVp orthovoltage unit
Cobalt-60 gamma ray source
6-35 MV linear accelerator or betatron
120-kVp superficial x-ray unit - Answer-For treatment of superficial lesions.
Low-energy beam (120 kVp or less) deposits all or most of its energy on or near the
surface
250-kVp orthovoltage unit - Answer-For treatment of moderately superficial lesions
Cobalt-60 gamma ray source "work horse" - Answer-Average energy is 1.25 MeV
High energy (1 MeV or greater) is most suitable for tumors deep beneath the body
Replaced orthovoltage units in the early '50s
First skin-sparing machine
Known as the "work horse" because of its reliability and mechanical simplicity
Complete Solutions 2024-2025
Radiation therapy - Answer-Also known as radiation oncology
Three principal modalities used in the treatment of cancer - Answer-Radiation therapy
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Palliation - Answer-To relieve symptoms or the severity of disease without curing the
disease or pathological process
The Radiation Therapy Team - Answer-Radiation oncologist
Medical Physicist
Medical dosimetrist
Oncology Nurse
Radiation therapist
Radiation oncologist - Answer-Prescribes the quantity of radiation and determines
anatomic region to be treated.
Medical Physicist - Answer-Responsible for calibration and maintenance of radiation-
producing equipment, and gives advice on dosage calculations.
Medical dosimetrist - Answer-Devises a plan for delivering treatments to irradiate tumor
while protecting normal tissue
Oncology Nurse - Answer-Responsible for patient education on radiation side effects
and side effect management.
Radiation therapist - Answer-Responsibilities: Obtaining radiographs or CT scans that
localize the area to be treated
Administering treatments
Keeping accurate records of dose delivered each day
Monitoring the patient's physical and emotional well-being
Radiation Therapy History - Answer-Early days of x-ray
Biological effects of ionizing radiation observed
Epilation - Answer-Loss of hair
Erythema - Answer-Reddening of the skin
, Radiation Therapy History --Jan 29, 1896 - Answer-Dr. Emile Grubbe irradiated a
woman with a carcinoma of the left breast.
Radiation Therapy History --Jan 1902 - Answer-Dr. Clarence Skinner performed the first
reported curative treatment using ionizing radiation on a woman with malignant
fibrosarcoma
Radiation Therapy History --Apr 1909 - Answer-The woman Dr. Skinner treated in 1902
was declared free of her malignant fibrosarcoma.
Two major categories for application of radiation for cancer treatment - Answer-
External-beam
Brachytherapy
External-beam - Answer-Also called teletherapy
The patient lies underneath a machine that emits radiation or generates a beam of x-
rays.
Brachytherapy - Answer-Radioactive material is placed within the patient.
3 Techniques: Mould technique, Intracavitary implant technique, Interstitial implant
technique
Mould technique - Answer-Radioactive source is placed in close proximity to the lesion.
Intracavitary implant technique - Answer-Placement of radioactive source in a body
cavity (i.e., uterine canal or vagina)
Interstitial implant technique - Answer-Radioactive source is placed directly into the
tumor site and adjacent tissue (i.e., prostate carcinoma or sarcoma in a muscle).
Radiation Therapy Equipment - Answer-120-kVp superficial x-ray unit
250-kVp orthovoltage unit
Cobalt-60 gamma ray source
6-35 MV linear accelerator or betatron
120-kVp superficial x-ray unit - Answer-For treatment of superficial lesions.
Low-energy beam (120 kVp or less) deposits all or most of its energy on or near the
surface
250-kVp orthovoltage unit - Answer-For treatment of moderately superficial lesions
Cobalt-60 gamma ray source "work horse" - Answer-Average energy is 1.25 MeV
High energy (1 MeV or greater) is most suitable for tumors deep beneath the body
Replaced orthovoltage units in the early '50s
First skin-sparing machine
Known as the "work horse" because of its reliability and mechanical simplicity
