What to Expect
One of the purposes of the simulation appointment is to position you on the table in a precise manner that can be reproduced each day. In order to accomplish this it may be necessary to create some form of custom immobilization that will help you to be positioned accurately on the treatment table each day. If your physician requests a special device it will be constructed prior to the start of your simulation. You will be asked to lie still for this process but you will not experience any discomfort. This part of the procedure will take approximately 15 minutes.
The next step will be to localize the area that needs to be treated. The department has a conventional simulator as well as a dedicated CT simulator and your physician will decide which type of simulation is most appropriate for you. If this is done on the CT simulator you may be given intravenous contrast to highlight the areas of interest. It is also possible that you may need to be given other forms of contrast and this will have been explained to you at the time of consultation along with any specific dietary instructions that you may need to follow prior to simulation. The actual CT scan will only take about fifteen minutes. If you are to be simulated on the conventional simulator it will probably take a minimum of one hour. It is not uncommon to have a second simulation a few days later to finalize your treatment plan before the actual treatment starts.
The therapist may put marks on your skin with a felt tip marker and you will be asked not to wash these marks off. It is also quite possible that you will be given some permanent, very small marks to ensure that the therapists are able treat you accurately each day.
On completion of your simulation you will be given an appointment for your first treatment.
On completion of your simulation you will be given an appointment for your first treatment.
