Radiation Oncology
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Treatment Delivery
Many patients feel apprehension when beginning radiation therapy, but the process is really quite painless.
The therapy itself is delivered using a linear accelerator, a high-powered machine capable of producing enough energy to penetrate deep into tissue and reduce the amount of radiation absorbed within the skin. These devices produce the radiation energy, machine angles and field shapes needed to match the treatment plan.
The radiation field coming out of each linear accelerator is shaped using a multi-leaf collimator. Our multi-leaf collimator contains 120 individual "leafs," the most available. Each leaf is controlled independently, allowing us to block radiation to critical structures while delivering it to areas of concern. Multi-leaf collimators enable us to offer 3DCRT and IMRT when appropriate.
Whichever type of external radiation therapy you receive, two radiation therapists will assist you during your treatments. They will position you and outline the treatment area with a semipermanent marker. They will then prepare the equipment to deliver the radiation according to the treatment plan.
You may need to change into a hospital gown or robe before treatments begin. Your radiation therapist will let you know.
The treatment itself will be much like the simulation. You will be positioned in the same way, the lights will be turned down, and a laser light will be projected onto your skin. Although you will be left alone in the treatment room for the actual treatment delivery, the therapists will monitor you from outside the room to make sure everything is ok. It is important to relax and lie still on the treatment table.
Portal Images
During your treatment, the radiation therapists will take special x-rays called port films to verify that the area being treated correctly matches the treatment plan. We use an electronic portal imaging device that attaches directly to the linear accelerator and displays the x-ray images electronically at the control desk or in the radiation oncologist's office. These electronic images are retained in the patient's record. Images are available for viewing instantly, so physicians can make adjustment to your treatment position prior to actual delivery.