Photo of a man lying down, surrounded by radiation therapy team
Previous Next 1 of 6 Immobilizing your body

Before you begin radiation treatment, your radiation therapy team carefully plans your treatment in a process called radiation simulation. Treatment planning usually involves positioning your body, making marks on your skin and taking imaging scans.

Your radiation therapy team determines whether you'll lie on your back, stomach or side during treatment. It's crucial to find a position that optimizes your treatment, but is comfortable enough to hold for 15 to 45 minutes.

A variety of immobilizers may be used to ensure you'll be in the same position for each radiation therapy treatment. Here, a special cushionlike device that holds its shape is used.

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See more Multimedia Jan. 01, 2020