I am having chest wall and node radiation. They did not tell me, and I was surprised that at every session they are taking x rays to determine my correct position. I know I am getting a lot more radiation than an xray but I had never heard of daily xrays. Anyone else having daily xrays for this treatment?
Hi
I wonder if you misheard their explanation. Sorry, I don’t mean to insult you but my experience was that daily radiotherapy was high-powered x-rays and, before every dose, the radiographers spent time measuring and checking my precise position, which was read through their x-ray equipment before commencing the actual radiation. There are potential risks to the heart with left-breast radiotherapy, which they minimise, and to the top of the lung, which is one of the reasons for the very exact positioning of the arm and body, aligned with your tattooes. I should add that not all was high-tech - they used a school ruler for some of the measurements!!
Perhaps this is a question for the nurses? Best of luck. I hope you have an easy ride (as I did) x
Hi AHailey,
I have a similar understanding to Jaybro. Before radiotherapy begins there is a session to work out what precise level and angle of radio to give you and they put the tiny tatoo’s on you so that they can get you in exactly the same position each day of the treatment. The set up usually takes some time as you pretend to be putty being gently nudged by mm’s to get the original alignment.
The radio-beam is very closely directed to target the area where the bc was and as much as possible try to ensure the heart and lungs are either out of the beam or get as low a level of radio as possible. The overall level of radiation is measured in units of grey. Because my radio was on my heart side I asked if I could see the target distribution diagram (not the technical name!), which was interesting, a bit like contours on a map around a hill, with the highest level of radio in the central target area and then increasingly lower levels moving out from that (hope that makes sense).
Perhaps ask the radiographers for clarity about your questions. I found they were really happy to answer questions…they said not many people ask, so I think they were quite pleased someone was showing an interest!
Or as Jaybro says perhaps phone the Breast Cancer Now phone line to discuss your query.
I hope the above helps and hope your treatment goes as well as possible.
X Seabreeze
Hi AHailey,
I’m just completing 20 days of whole breast (left) and axilla radiation and yes, at all of my appointments they have taken “images” followed by the treatment. Whether those “images” are XRays I’m not sure, and it actually hadn’t occurred to me that they *are* additional radiation, until reading your post. From my understanding, they take the images before radiating me to ensure I am positioned properly, etc. They will have already physically positioned me, but I when they leave the room-they take the images prior to giving me treatment, presumably to check that on imaging, everything is as it should be.
Does that help?
xx
Hi AHailey
The ‘scans’ were explained to me just as they were to you, x-ray ‘scans’ are taken initially and at odd occasions throughout (think I had them on 5 of the 16 sessions) to check you’re in a good position internally as stuff can move within our body as well as externally and our innards do settle when and during lying down.
These are standard and required to check they’re zapping the right bits, in exactly the same way as they mark your skin.
Sam