Treatment Procedure
Generally prostate treatment course may be planed from 6weeks (30fractions) to 8 weeks (40fractions). And it takes 30~40 minutes per day. To see below, you may understand the whole treatment procedure easily.
Proton Therapy
Consultation with Doctor
During your first visit, radiation oncologist will explain the whole treatment course. And doctor will also perform a physical exam to assess the extent of your disease and judge your general physical condition.
Simulation: Imaging
Prostate is a moving organ so we fix it by inserting a rectal balloon. Then you will be fitted in a patient-specific immobilization device for exactly the same treatment position at every fraction. Then, you will undergo CT and MRI scanning to create a 3-D reconstruction of the tumor and the surrounding normal structures for proton therapy planning.
Planning for Proton Therapy
A physicist and a dosimetrist will create a treatment plan for your proton therapy. Then, confirmation of the final plan by the physician and QA for proton therapy by physicists will be followed.
Treatment
Making Aperture and Compensator
For treatment, a proton beam needs to be "shaped" both laterally and in depth. To achieve them, we make apertures and compensators. The aperture which shape the proton beam to specific tumors intercept protons so that a negligible dose is delivered in their shadow. Depth of proton beam is achieved using a so-called compensator(center of the figures). After production, we check up the suitability for plan.
Daily treatment
You will wear a hospital gown for daily treatment. The radiation therapist will position you in your immobilization device and use the markings from your simulation procedure to deliver your prescribed proton therapy dose accurately. After setting the equipment, the proton beams will be delivered to you (5 minutes). Total treatment time required for each fraction will be about 30-40 minutes. Do not move during your treatment.
