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The radiation therapy team cares for patients having radiation treatments.
The radiation oncologist is the doctor who leads the radiation therapy treatment team.
Patients meet the radiation oncologist at the first radiation therapy visit. They will continue to see him or her throughout treatment. The radiation oncologist works closely with the rest of the patient’s radiation therapy team.
Radiation therapists give the daily radiation treatments. They work under the radiation oncologist’s supervision. Therapists operate all the equipment in the radiation oncology department.
Nurses are part of the treatment team that care for patients receiving radiation therapy. They help evaluate the patient before treatment begins and talk to the patient and their family about the treatment, its potential side effects, and how to manage them.
Child life specialists help patients prepare for radiation therapy by explaining what will happen in child-friendly terms and allow patients to experience it hands-on through medical play.
Patients must remain still during radiation treatments. It can be difficult for some patients, especially very young children. In some cases, patients may be sedated. The anesthesia team will handle this process.
The dosimetrist works directly with the radiation oncologist to develop treatment plans. Dosimetrists calculate the proper dose of radiation.
Physicists oversee the work of the dosimetrist to make sure treatments are tailored to each patient. Medical physicists develop and direct quality control programs for equipment and procedures. They make sure the equipment works correctly.
Patients usually don’t meet the medical physicist or dosimetrist, but both are an important part of patient care.
Reviewed: June 2018