Ct/Planning scan

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1

Hiya,
Is the rad planning scan the same as a CT scan please? Ive been waiting for a date for my planning scan - and have now had a appt for a CT scan. No one has mentioned any extra scans -so am I to presume this IS the planning scan for my rads treatment?
Its so easy to get confused and then get stressed that something extra is going on, isnt it?
thanks
kaj
xxx

2

Hi
The ct is the planning. They need to locate exactly where your heart etc is. It’s all very quick and painless. You will find that the staff will tell you exactly what they are doing. My planning session took about 15 minutes. Hope this helps
X Sarah

3

yes kaj, its your rads planning. they do it on the ct scan machine from about the waist up. mine took about an hour and involved lots of black marker pen! nothing to worry about. alex xx

4

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. You were right - it was my planning scan. took a while but I have now been scanned, tattooed and measured up ready for treatment. Just so glad to have a date to get it all done now.

thanks again
kaj
xxx

5

hi everybody,

I don’t know when I’ll start radiotherapy as I haven’t had my results yet - next wednesday - but I’m claustrophobic and am getting in a right state at the thought of the planning scan. Is it in one of the tunnel types or like the one at the nuclear medicine for the sentinel node biopsy? I’ll be ok if it is like that but not sure what I’ll do if it’s a tunnel one.

6

In southampton the machine was fairly open and rotated around the chest area, not a tunnel.

7

Jackie I just had mine yesterday… The CT is more like a donut than a tunnel… It’s not close to your face and is open behing your head… However I’m not sure if everywhere does CT rads planning… When I had rads before it was done on a simulator which is similar to the rads machine and not enclosed at all.

8

Thanks - I feel better knowing that whatever they’re not too close to my head - it’s silly the things I worry about but I can feel panic attacks coming on at the thought of the claustrophobia not because of the cancer and all the treatments and, of course, all my friends keep telling me it’ll all be ok when they’re aren’t any guarantees.

I think I could be on here a lot over the next weeks and months - it’s great to read all the comments and not feel so alone and daft for all the thoughts that go through your head.

Thanks everybody
jx