The Initial Visit

The first visit is a consultation, to develop a plan, discuss proposed treatment and its possible side effects, and answer any questions the patient and family might have. A Radiation Oncology nurse participates in the patient assessment and education and serves as a resource to the patient and family throughout the treatment course.

The second visit is a simulation, where mapping and planning the treatment takes place. The radiation oncologist and a team of radiation therapists, dosimetrists, and physicists place the patient in the treatment position, utilize diagnostic scans and x-rays to accurately delineate the tumor and the surrounding normal tissue, and map out the treatment area. Measurements, x-rays and scans are taken which enable physicists and dosimetrists to accurately optimize a radiation plan which precisely focuses the radiation on the tumor and minimizes the dose to normal tissue.

Powerful, sophisticated treatment planning computers are used to construct detailed three dimensional plans between the time the patient is simulated and their first treatment.

The patient is scheduled for their first treatment a few days following their simulation. Each treatment takes approximately fifteen minutes with the exception of the first day which can take just a few minutes longer than normal. The treatments are painless and are localized to the area being treated. Many patients are able to continue their normal activities during the weeks of treatment.