Radiation treatment uses high energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation damages cancer cells so they cannot grow or divide. Once they are damaged, they can no longer repair themselves, so they die. Normal cells can continue to repair themselves and heal. The treatment does not cause pain or discomfort and does not make you radioactive.
WHAT IS THE RADIATION SIMULATION APPOINTMENT?
The simulation is a treatment planning session which helps prepare you for your treatment and helps the team generate a formal treatment plan. Radiation therapy requires a simulation to ensure the precise and accurate targeting of tumors, allowing for the delivery of personalized radiation treatment to individual patients.
The primary objective of simulation is to ensure that you're in the same position during your radiation therapy sessions every day. To achieve this goal, various immobilization tools may be used, tailored to the specific body region undergoing treatment.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE SIMULATION APPOINTMENT?
Depending on the location being treated, there are different steps to prepare for the radiation treatment. If your disease site is not listed below, you likely do not have any specific preparation steps for your treatment. Please speak to your provider to confirm there are no specific preparation instructions.
Abdomen/Stomach
You may be asked to not eat or drink anything for 3 hours prior to your simulation and treatment
You may be given an anti-nausea medicine to take every day before your treatment
Brain
There are no specific instructions for your simulation
Breast
There are no specific instructions for your simulation
Esophagus
There are no specific instructions for your simulation
Extremity
There are no specific instructions for your simulation
Head & Neck
There are no specific instructions for your simulation
Lung
There are no specific instructions for your simulation
Pelvic Tumors (Gynecologic, Rectal)
You may eat the day of your appointment.
Try to have a bowel movement before your CT scan.
You may be asked to have a full bladder for planning and treatment. This typically means drinking 16 ounces of fluid at least 20 minutes prior to your CT scan. You may urinate after the CT scan is done.
Prostate
You may eat the day of your appointment.
Try to have a bowel movement before your CT scan. You may use a fleet enema if you are having difficulty moving your bowels. You also want to limit the gas in your bowel. You may be started on a gas prevention diet or medication to prevent gas.
At least 20 minutes before your CT scan at least 16 ounces of fluid. You should have a full bladder for planning and treatment. You may urinate after the CT scan is done.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT DURING SIMULATION?
You will undergo a CT scan under the care of a radiation therapist. While your doctor will oversee all of your care, a radiation therapist specifically trained to prepare and treat patients with radiation will position you for simulation and eventually treatment.
During your simulation procedure and subsequent treatments, you should remain completely still. The initial step in the CT simulation process involves ensuring your alignment. Laser guides in the room may be used to achieve the correct alignment. Once you are consistently positioned and properly aligned, a CT scan of the treatment area is performed. After your scan, the radiation therapist may mark your skin with a marker and permanent tattoos. The markers are about the size of a freckle (1 mm in diameter). These tattoos serve to ensure consistent positioning during each treatment session.
After you undergo your simulation scan, you will be given a radiation treatment start date
