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When it comes to planning and delivering radiotherapy for pelvic tumours (eg prostate, colorectal and gynaecological tumours), the size of the patient’s bladder is vitally important.
At the Radiotherapy planning stage, a patient undergoes a CT planning scan which the Consultant Oncologist and Radiotherapy Planning Team use to produce the Radiotherapy Treatment Plan. If the bladder is too full or too empty during the CT scan, it can prevent clinicians from producing an accurate radiotherapy plan and delivering accurate radiotherapy.
Accurate/precision radiotherapy ensures the tumour receives the optimal dose of radiation each time, but also minimises impact on surrounding healthy tissues. The bladder must be exactly the same size for every treatment, which could be daily for up to six weeks, depending on the tumour type. Radiotherapy departments use strict bladder and bowel protocols daily to ensure all internal anatomy is in the same position as at the CT planning scan.
Without a bladder scan beforehand, any issues with the bladder position may not be identified until the Consultant Oncologist views the CT scans to outline the tumour volume for treatment planning, which can happen a day or two later. This could lead to the patient returning to hospital for a repeat CT scan which would cause additional radiation exposure, inconvenience, and delays to the start of treatment. Checking the size of the bladder before the CT planning scan is important as it helps to facilitate accurate radiotherapy planning.
As a result of the generous support from the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust, Beatson Cancer Charity was able to award a £15,878 grant for two additional bladder scanners which will help to meet rising demand at the Glasgow Beatson and Lanarkshire Beatson. This medical equipment will also help to increase the efficiency, accuracy, and safety of radiotherapy.
For more information about this project, Email: funding@beatsoncancercharity.org
For further enquiries call our funding team on 0141 212 0505.
