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Proton beam therapy (PBT) is a type of radiotherapy. A machine called a cyclotron produces the proton beam, and the proton beam therapy is delivered inside another machine called a gantry.

While you lie on a treatment bed, the gantry can move around you. This means, it is possible to accurately aim the invisible proton beam to the area needing treatment

It doesn’t hurt to have it, the gantry won’t touch you, and you won’t see or feel the treatment.

You will come to UCH for a short visit a few weeks before your treatment starts.

We will help you and your family understand all about PBT and what it means for you.

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Katie, Claire, Rhonda, and Aine - Radiotherapy Services Play Specialist Team

On your first visit, you will meet the paediatric team who will support you through your treatment.

There is a specialist paediatric/TYA radiographer and a team of health play specialists who will support you through your planning and treatment.

There are also the doctors that you will see each week and the radiographers that you will meet when you have your scans and proton beam therapy.

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On your first visits you will meet the doctors and health play specialists in the clinic on B3.

This is where we will get to know you and your family, and talk about your treatment.

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We will also introduce you to the play area on B4.

This has lots of activities and fun things to do when you come and visit for your treatment and scans.

There is also a Teenage & Young Adult (TYA) lounge. This area is only for patients 13 years old and over.

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During your first visit: 

  • We will explain each step of your planning and treatment
  • The team will support you when making your immobilisation device. This is to help you remain in the same position each day for scans and treatment. This could be making a mask, mould or vac-bag.
  • You will have a CT and MRI scan to plan your treatment.
  • We will discuss having permanent marks if this is part of your treatment plan.
  • You may visit the Teenage & Young Adult (TYA ) ward or day unit at UCH.

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The material used to make masks is a hard plastic that becomes soft and flexible once it is warmed up.

When the material is soft, the radiographers can place it over the area that needs proton beam therapy. It feels very warm at first and cools down quickly.

You will also have a neck rest made to support your neck and head.

The play specialist can stay with you when your mask is being made and you can listen to some music too.

Vac-bags are flat bean bags. You lie on them and the air in the vac-bag is removed and this makes the bag fit to the shape of your body.
You may have one or both of these types of immobilisation, depending on your plan.

Your mask can be personalised and painted by an artist.

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Before you can start PBT, we will need to take some images of you in your treatment position. From now on you will wear your immobilisation for all scans and treatment.

You will have a CT scan followed by an MRI. These images will help the doctors to plan your Proton Therapy.

You may need to have some tiny permanent marks made on your body. They will be done only once right after your CT scan.

We will talk to you about them when you visit.

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The CT scan (Computed Tomography) uses X-rays to produce high quality images for the doctors to plan your treatment.

You may need to have contrast for your scans. This is a type of dye given through a cannula during the scan. It will help to produce clearer images for planning your treatment.

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An MRI is a type of scan that uses very strong magnetic forces and radiowaves to create detailed pictures of the human body.

This scan is used to help plan your treatment and it is therefore extremely important that we obtain the best possible images.

Some clothing and makeup may contain small amounts of metal that can interact with the magnet and affect the images and can also create a heating effect during the scan.

Patients may be asked to change into a hospital gown before their scan and to remove any jewellery/ piercings.

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Once you have finished your planning scans we will talk with you and your family all about your proton beam therapy plan.

We will work hard to answer all of your questions before you go home.

You will have a couple of weeks until we see you again. When you come back to start treatment we will be there to support you and your family.

If your doctor wants you to have chemotherapy whilst you are having proton beam therapy, you will have this at UCH on the TYA oncology day care unit or T12North (T12N) TYA oncology ward.

You will have a visit there before you start your treatment so you can meet the team.

You can contact the Radiotherapy/ PBT Play specialists on the email below:


Page last updated: 31 July 2024

Review due: 30 June 2025