How radiation therapy is performed

Radiation treatment is planned based on your scan that was conducted beforehand. The diseased areas that will be radiated are plotted during the scan. The organs that are close to the area receiving treatment are also plotted so that we can avoid treating healthy areas as much as possible. Modern radiation equipment is very precise, which means that we can confidently hit the area that needs to be treated. One cannot give radiation therapy without also hitting healthy tissue. To spare the healthy tissue as much as possible, we spend a lot of time finding the best possible method, based on your case, to give radiation therapy. Your treatment will not begin until the best solution has been found. If we have any problems in finding the best possible method to give you radiation therapy, we’ll speak to you about it before the treatment begins.

You lie on a bed during radiation therapy in the same way as when you had the planning scan done. For each radiation therapy, an x-ray or mini CT scan is taken to ensure that you are lying correctly. During the process of finding your correct lying position, you may experience some pushing and prodding because it's also important that you’re positioned correctly. When you’re in the correct position, we can give you the radiation therapy.

The radiation device will treat you from one or several positions and will buzz softly while it’s working. You can’t feel, see or smell the rays. You may keep your clothes on except for the area being treated and the area with the small tattoo dots that were made during the planning scan, which must be visible. You’re alone in the room when the radiation begins, but we can monitor the treatment on the screen inside the operating room, and we’ll keep an eye on you throughout the treatment. You can always call for help if you need it.

You can bring a relative with you to the treatment, but they’ll have to wait in the waiting room during the treatment. The actual treatment, including the time of being positioned correctly, takes about 15 minutes, while the actual radiation therapy often only takes a few minutes. You can go home immediately afterwards.