12.10.2017

What's External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT) like?

  • It's distantly like James Bond in Goldfinger
  • There is a monstrously large machine
  • I'm reclined on a table
  • My legs are spread
  • I'm restrained
  • And a laser is creeping steadily towards my gonads
  • I say, "Do you expect me to talk?"
  • And the radiation tech says: "No, Mr. Peet, I expect you to die!"
  • It's very scary
Scratch that!
  • There is a table
  • There is a monstrously large machine
  • I am reclined (but not restrained)
  • It does target my groin area
  • It's not scary!
Here's how it works:

  • I go daily to the Park Nicollet Frauenshuh Cancer Center in Saint Louis Park
  • There is a special entrance with a small parking lot here
  • I am ⅓ way through 39 treatments
  • The machine is a Varian Truebeam (image below)
  • At my appointed hour ...
  • I am helped onto a horizontal bed by two radiation techs
  • I lower my slacks and undies ... a towel is over my private parts
  • I am carefully positioned via laser that triangulates on three small tattoos
  • The radiation techs exit the room and a very large 18" thick door glides closed
  • The machine does a quick CAT scan to precisely target the radiation
  • A large round irradiator passes over me twice
  • The machine resets
  • The thick door opens and the techs return
  • I'm helped off the bed
  • I dress and am done
Other:
Images:

The Therac-25 - an important object lesson on QA testing


Me with Radiation Tech before Varian Truebeam


My schedule

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