First visit

Your oncologist is responsible for directing and planning your treatment, which will be delivered by the ARO team. Our team has been selected, not only for their expertise, but also for their caring approach to patients.

Outlined is information to assist you before, during and after your course of radiation therapy.

Parking

Under most circumstances there is no problem with you driving yourself to and from your radiation therapy appointments.   Your oncologist will advise you if he considers it unwise for you to drive.  Parking is free and should be readily available.  A walkway has been built between the parking building and ARO for easy access or you can be dropped off at the front of the building if this is more convenient.  Please refer to the map for location of the parking building and ARO.

Checking In

Please check in at reception when you arrive.  Your information will be checked and verified and the Planning Team will be notified of your arrival.  If you have any questions, concerns or personal needs at this time, please alert the receptionist and she will find the right person to address your requirements.

Planning Your Treatment

Before any radiation treatment can commence, a planning appointment is necessary to accurately determine the most appropriate way of treating your condition.  The number and type of planning appointments will depend on your condition but generally this can be accomplished in one appointment.

Pre-Treatment

The pre-treatment room contains a treatment table and laser alignment similar to the treatment rooms.  It is used to determine which position you will be lying in for your treatment and marks will be placed on your skin to be used for alignment during CT and treatment.  The pre-treatment room is also used to construct special devices to assist with the planning and treatment process.  You will be informed if this is to be the case.  Devices include casts to assist with immobilisation and shields to protect normal tissue regions from radiation exposure.

CT

CT scans will usually be required in order to plan your treatment.  You may have had CT scans previously and these are very useful in assessing your disease and suitability for radiation treatment.  These scans, however, cannot be used in the planning process.

The CT planning scans will be performed with you lying in the exact position as you will be for treatment.  These scans will be loaded into a special computer, where the radiation oncologist, therapist and medical physicist will develop a treatment plan that best suits your requirements.

There may be special requirements for these scans.  This information will be provided for you at the time of making the appointment.

Radiation Therapy Planning

As previously explained, the radiation oncologist, radiation therapist and medical physicist will take this scan information and develop a treatment plan individually tailored to your needs.  This may take anywhere between one and five days, depending on the complexity required.  Your treatment appointment will be given to you either at the planning visit or by phone call shortly thereafter.

Radiation Therapy - The First Treatment

When you arrive for your first radiation therapy treatment appointment, please ensure you report in at the reception desk.  The treatment therapists will be notified of your arrival.  Most if not all your treatments will be scheduled on the same machine, however changes to your allocated machine may be required in certain situations such as planned maintenance or machine breakdowns.  All machines provide similar treatment so feel assured your treatment remains as planned.

On arrival, you will be escorted to the waiting area, where there may be a short wait whilst the treatment area is prepared for your treatment.  If at any time you wait more than 30 minutes, please enquire at the desk.

You will be provided with a gown to use for the duration of your treatment.  You will be shown where to store and collect your gown for each appointment.  Alternatively, you are welcome to bring in your own gown from home.  Change rooms are available for use; please do not leave any valuables in these change rooms. A bag will be provided for you to keep your personal items with you.

For your treatment you will be escorted into the treatment room and positioned on the treatment table.  Family and close friends are able to come with you, but will be asked to leave the treatment room during the set-up phase.  If this is a problem, and you feel you need the support of family, please discuss this with the treatment team.

The treatment team will use the pen marks or small tattoo dots made during the treatment planning process to align you for treatment.  You will be required to lie in the same position as during the treatment planning process, and we ask that you try to keep as still as possible during the procedures.

Your daily treatment requires specific positioning, so it is best if you relax, breathe normally, and allow the therapists to move you as necessary.  Once the therapists have positioned you correctly, you will be required to keep still until the treatment is completed.  You are able to breathe normally.  The treatment is painless and usually is completed within a few minutes.

In order to commence the treatment, all staff and family must leave the room.  Closed circuit TV systems and microphones are available for visual and voice contact.  Treatment can be stopped at any time if required.

Treatments can involve a number of individual beams.  The machine can be moved from the control area outside the treatment room, so it may not be necessary for the therapists to come into the room until your treatment is completed.  An electronic image is captured regularly from the x-ray beam and assessed for accuracy.  On occasion, adjustments to the bed position will be made before continuing with the treatment.

Whilst you may be in the treatment room for 10-30 minutes, the actual treatment time per beam is very short, often around 30 seconds.  You will not feel or see anything while the machine is on but you will hear it operating.

Radiation Therapy - Subsequent Treatments

The frequency of treatment will vary considerably amongst patients.  Some will require one treatment and others will require many more.  For subsequent appointments the radiation therapists on the treatment machines will do their best to fit in with your needs but naturally other patients and machine availability have to be taken into consideration.  ARO hours are routinely between 8.00am and 4.30pm.  Other times may be considered if the need arises.

We aim to make your treatment as stress free and comfortable as possible.  If you have any special requests, questions or needs, please do not hesitate to ask any of the radiation therapy staff members and we will endeavour to assist you to the best of our abilities.