CT Simulator

Additional Details

This ability to localize structures in 3-dimensional space and plan the treatment portals in a virtual environment requires the use of imaging information that can be referenced to the treatment machine for precise alignment of the beams relative to the target. The Department of Radiation Oncology has a dedicated CT-simulator with patient setup indicators that relate the patient's position on the CT to the therapy unit. Our unit, a General Electric CT E Plus, is an advanced 3D spiral scanner. This allows us to acquire a full set of finely detailed images in a very short period of time and proceed to planning the patient's treatment in the absence of the patient. A computer-generated reconstruction of the patient with full anatomic information is used for the planning of optimal beam orientations. 

Depending on the type of treatment the patient will be receiving, body moulds or other immobilization devices are made. They are used during each treatment to ensure that the patient is positioned correctly.