South Brisbane QLD 4101
Your treatment journey in 3 steps
Your treatment journey in 3 steps
Radiation Therapy Planning
To prepare you for your radiation therapy treatment, your radiation oncologist will ask you to attend a radiation therapy planning appointment. At this appointment, your radiation oncologist and our radiation therapists will plan you for your radiation therapy treatment. This includes taking a CT scan and taking measurements. You will also be booked in for a nurse consultation. You will be given information about the side effects and may receive a referral to allied health services. Finally, our administration team will give you information about your appointments.
Preparing for your Planning Appointment
To help us help you, please bring your:
Medicare card
Department of Veteran’s Affairs card (DVA)
Private health care cards
Concession cards
Our administration staff will confirm your details in our systems.
In order for our radiation therapists to properly administer your treatment, it’s important that they have easy access to the specific area that requires attention. To ensure this, we recommend wearing loose-fitting clothing for your comfort and convenience during the appointment.
Additionally, your doctor may have provided you with specific instructions to prepare for your radiation therapy treatment, which can vary based on the type and location of the treatment. Our radiation therapists will be available to assist you and answer any questions you may have during your planning appointment.
CT Scan
We will conduct your radiation therapy planning CT scan in our designated planning room, which is equipped with a CT scanner and other necessary equipment for the procedure.
For the scan, our radiation therapists will kindly ask you to remove any clothing or jewelry that may interfere with the area being scanned. To ensure accurate and effective treatment, they will use specialized equipment to keep you stable and still throughout the scan.
During the scan, our radiation therapists may need to take measurements or conduct additional scans, similar to any other standard CT scan you may have had. You may hear a whirring noise and notice the bed moving back and forth, but it’s important that you remain still and follow the breathing instructions provided. This will help ensure the quality of the scan and the safety of the procedure.
While you are undergoing the scan, you will be in the room by yourself, but our radiation therapists will closely monitor you through a window and speaker system. They will be able to communicate with you during the scan and will enter the room if necessary.
The CT scan itself usually only takes a few minutes to complete, but please allow up to one hour for the entire appointment.
As part of the preparation for your radiation therapy treatment, small tattoos may be given to mark the specific area that requires attention. These tattoos will serve as reference points for our radiation therapists and will be used during your treatment.
Nurse Consultation
Our radiation oncology nurse will work closely with you to ensure that you are fully prepared for your treatment and equipped to manage any potential side-effects that may arise. As part of this process, your nurse will request that you complete a questionnaire, which will provide valuable information about your needs and concerns.
Based on the information you provide, our team will be able to provide tailored support and referrals to our allied health team, which includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, dietitians, and social workers. These specialists are available to help you manage any challenges related to your diagnosis or treatment, and to ensure that you receive the best possible care throughout your journey.
Designing & Checking your Radiation Therapy Plan
The CT scan you undergo will serve as a crucial component in the development of your radiation therapy plan. Your radiation oncologist will prescribe the precise location and amount of radiation required for your treatment, and our radiation therapists will work in collaboration with them to develop a comprehensive plan.
To ensure that your plan is both safe and effective, it undergoes a rigorous quality assurance process that involves multiple checks and reviews by radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and radiation therapists.
We take great care to ensure that your plan is both accurate and tailored to your specific needs. This process is usually completed in time for your first appointment, so you can feel confident that you are receiving the highest quality care from the outset.
Your treatment journey in 3 steps
Your treatment journey in 3 steps
Frequently asked questions
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After your planning appointment, you will speak with our scheduler. They will give you your start time and date. They will discuss your treatment times and transport options.
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You will meet our administration, nursing and radiation therapy teams.
You may also meet your radiation oncologist or a member of their team.
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For your planning appointment, bring any scans, referral letters and healthcare cards. Learn more.
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To make sure that you are prepared for your treatment, your planning appointment can take up to a few hours.