The
simulation and treatment planning appointment is
required to properly plan your radiation
therapy. To be most effective, radiation therapy
must be aimed precisely at the same target each time
treatment is given. The process of measuring your
anatomy and marking your skin to help direct the
beams of radiation safely to the intended locations
is called simulation.
X-rays are taken to determine the precise area to
be treated. We do this with the help of a machine
called an Acuity Simulator, which simulates the treatment
machine, and a CT scanner. Neither the simulator
nor the CT scanner delivers the radiation treatment.
During simulation, your radiation oncologist and therapist place you on the simulation machine in the exact position you will be in during actual treatment.
Images obtained from the simulator and CT are transferred
to a sophisticated treatment-planning computer system
where a virtual three-dimensional image is created and
the treatment delivery plan is developed. The radiation
oncologist works with the dosimetrist and the physicist
to determine the best treatment plan for you so you
get the highest amount of radiation where needed
while sparing your normal organs as much as possible
to decrease the side effects.
When this appointment, which takes about 1 hour, is complete, you will be
given another appointment to begin your course of treatment, usually three
or four days after the simulation.
Because each patient is different, each patient’s treatment plan is
unique. The number or the frequency of your appointments does not imply anything
about the expected results of your treatment.
During Treatment
It is not unusual to feel anxious on the first day of treatment. We are here
to answer your questions. We hope you will share your concerns with us. To
be treated, you will lie down on the treatment table in the same position
as your initial set-up. Once you are positioned correctly, the therapist
will leave the room and go into an adjoining control room. The therapist
monitors you on a television screen while administering the radiation, and
there is a microphone in the treatment room so you can communicate with the
therapist. Radiation therapy is usually given on a structured schedule over
the course of several weeks or months. Most patients receive 4 or 5 treatments
each week for several weeks. Treatments are painless and usually take five
to fifteen minutes. The nurse is available daily to answer your questions.
You will meet once each week with your radiation oncologist for him to assess
your progress and for you to express any concerns.
Your follow-up care
