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Patient Preparation

Plan to be in the department for at least 45 minutes. The first appointment is most often the longest (up to 1 ½ hours), as preparation time is an important part of the process. Treatment delivery is just a small portion of the appointment time, while set-up procedures are executed in careful detail. Patients will be positioned exactly as they were in the simulation. Therapists refer to the permanent marks made during the simulation appointment to properly set the radiation beams for treatment each day.

Films are always taken prior to the first treatment to verify that everything done in simulation has been reproduced exactly in the treatment room. These films are reviewed by a Shields radiation oncologist before treatment is delivered. If for any reason a change needs to be made, the attending physician will approve it, and then another set of films will be taken and reviewed for approval before treatment is delivered.

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