Once your radiation therapists have positioned you for treatment, they will leave the treatment room before the radiation is delivered.

If you have never experienced radiation therapy before, this can understandably leave you wondering where everyone went and what is happening while you are lying there alone.

Your radiation therapists haven't gone far. They have moved to an area directly adjacent to the treatment room called the treatment console, where they operate the treatment machine and remain connected to what is happening inside the room.

Where Do Radiation Therapists Go During Radiation Treatment?

From the treatment console, your radiation therapists can see both you and the treatment machine using cameras inside the room.

There is also a two-way audio system that allows your therapists to communicate with you while they are at the console.

So although your therapists have physically left the treatment room, they are still actively delivering and monitoring your treatment from just outside it.

If knowing exactly where they are would be helpful, you can ask your therapists to show you the treatment console. Depending on the layout of the department, you may even walk directly past it on your way into the treatment room.

What Happens After Your Radiation Therapists Leave the Room?

What happens next will depend on the treatment that has been designed for you.

For some treatments, your therapists may be ready to proceed with radiation delivery. For others, positional imaging will be taken first.

If imaging is part of your treatment, you will remain in the position your therapists established while they acquire and review those images. The purpose is to further fine tune your position before radiation is delivered.

This part of the process may take a different amount of time from day to day because your positioning will not be exactly identical every time.

Once your therapists are satisfied with your position and any necessary adjustments have been made, they can proceed with your radiation treatment.

What If You Need Your Radiation Therapists While They Are Outside the Room?

Because your treatment position is important, your therapists will want you to remain still once they leave the room.

Before treatment begins, you can ask them how they would like you to get their attention if you need something while they are at the console. Having that information ahead of time can help you understand exactly how communication will work during your treatment.

There may only be a few minutes when you are physically alone in the treatment room, but quite a bit can be happening during that time.

Your radiation therapists may be acquiring images, reviewing your position, making small adjustments, operating the treatment machine, and monitoring your treatment from the console area.

Knowing what is happening on the other side of that treatment room door can make those few minutes feel much less mysterious.

If you would like a more detailed explanation of positional imaging, treatment delivery, and what your radiation therapists are doing throughout your appointment, I explore these topics in much greater depth in Let’s Talk Radiation Therapy.