Visit two: planning: This appointment, sometimes called a planning session or simulation, prepares you for your radiation treatment. At one to two hours, the planning session is the longest appointment you will have during the course of your treatment.

In order to direct treatment to the cancer site and minimize damage to surrounding cells, your radiation oncologist will use a CT scanner/simulator to locate the area of your body to be treated. A radiation therapist will use a marking pen and protective stickers to indicate the area to be treated and aid in daily setup. If the marks come off before your radiation treatment begins, do not put the marks back on yourself; we will refresh the marks when you come in for your treatment.

We will take photographs of your face, the area to be treated, and the position in which you will be placed for every treatment. Your medical team will use these pictures to identify you before each treatment and to verify your treatment area and position. Most patients do not receive a radiation treatment during the planning session. At the end of the session, we will set up your next appointment.

Using the information gained from the planning session, your radiation oncologist and other members of your care team will plan your treatment. This process will generally take several days, and sometimes more than a week.

On to Visit three: Pretreatment Check

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