What is Simulation?
Simulation is part of the radiation therapy planning phase that takes place in a separate appointment before any radiation treatment begins. The patient is asked to lie very still on a table for up to an hour, and may need to wear a specially fitted mask, frame or board to immobilize the part of the body that is being mapped for treatment. While the patient lies still, a radiation therapist (a specially trained technologist) under the supervision of the radiation oncologist uses a special x-ray machine to pinpoint the treatment area, sometimes called the treatment portal or field. This is the exact place in the body where the radiation will be aimed. Ink lines are usually drawn on the skin to mark the area to be treated. Tattoos (tiny permanent skin markings the size of freckles) may also be placed at the time of simulation.
