After radiation therapy is chosen as the way to treat a patient’s cancer, treatment
planning begins. Treatment planning means the radiation therapy team determines
technique, type of therapy, dosage, frequency and duration of treatments. The
key component to treatment planning is through a process called simulation – the
design of the actual treatment technique, including patient positioning and immobilization
devices.
The first step in simulation is to physically position the patient with the equipment
as though they would be treated. The tumor region is located and the treatment
area is marked. Once the immobilization device is created, the patient will have a special treatment planning computed tomography (CT) scan and in some cases, special magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a position emission tomography (PET) scan for further tumor localization. The treatment planning team then reviews all the information provided to design the best treatment plan.
The particular type of radiation therapy is determined and a treatment plan is
developed to provide the safest and most effective treatment. The radiation oncologist,
along with the patient’s oncologist and primary care physician, outline the course
of treatment for the patient.
Department of Radiation Oncology
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
Virginia Piper Cancer Institute
800 East 28th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-863-4060
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After radiation therapy is chosen as the way to treat a patient’s cancer, treatment
planning begins. Treatment planning means the radiation therapy team determines
technique, type of therapy, dosage, frequency and duration of treatments. The
key component to treatment planning is through a process called simulation – the
design of the actual treatment technique, including patient positioning and immobilization
devices. 