Radiation therapy is a vital part of cancer treatment.
Cancer cells can be resilient. However, radiation therapy is used to treat cancer by killing the cancer cells with excessive radiation. Radiation therapists help perform this procedure. The radiation therapist is a member of the radiation oncology team and works directly with the patient in explaining treatment plans and procedures.
Formulate a Treatment Plan
A radiation therapist starts by formulating a plan for treatment. He may use an X-ray machine or a tomography scan to find the tumor. This is vital, as he will focus the majority of the radiation on the tumor or tumor area. The radiation therapist will work in conjunction with the oncologist and radiation physicist to find the correct treatment method. The oncologist is the doctor who specializes in radiation therapy while the radiation physicist will be the person to actually operate the radiation treatment machine. After he has found the most effective plan, the therapist will position the patient before treatment begins. He takes notes of the details of the treatment, so it will be done the same way in subsequent procedures. The details include the position of the patient and the positioning of the radiation therapy machine. The last part of the planning duties involve explaining the treatment plan to the patient and answering any questions.
Treatment
After treatment has been set up, the therapist moves behind the radiation-proof room, followed by the oncologist and radiation physicist. The treatment takes about 10 to 30 minutes. The treatment room has a microphone and a camera trained on the patient, so the therapist can monitor the physical and mental condition of the patient. During treatment, a patient may react poorly. She may get sick, faint or become upset. The physical strength of cancer patients varies, depending on the severity of the cancer. Also, a patient who has already undergone radiation treatments may be physically weaker. A patient undergoing cancer treatment also can be emotionally strained. The radiation therapist must stay compassionate and upbeat before, during and after treatment.
Record Keeping
After the therapy is over and the patient has left the office, the radiation therapist must make records of the treatment. The records are taken after every treatment. It includes the radiation dosage of the treatment, the radiation used with all treatments combined, the part of the body treated and the patient's physical and emotional response to the treatment. These records are used by the oncologists and dosimetrists to determine how the treatment plan is working. Dosimetrists are technicians who decide the radiation dosage. They measure effectiveness of the plan and that the radiation the patient is exposed to is as minimal as possible. Radiation technicians may also help the dosimetrists with proper radiation dosage by making suggestions based on personal observations.
Tags: radiation therapist, radiation dosage, radiation physicist, cancer treatment, explaining treatment