Receiving rads in prone position

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LM68
LM68 Member Posts: 10
edited March 2015 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I had my 2nd rads tx today. I'm lying in the prone position during the treatments. I've read that this is a good thing. Can someone explain why? Is the radiation more targeted? It thought it was kind of odd that I have tattoos on my back but am getting the radiation to my right breast.

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  • labelle
    labelle Member Posts: 721
    edited March 2015

    I had mine in this position. Prone helps keep the heart and lungs from being exposed to as much radiation. Prone can make a lot of difference exposure wise, especially if you are having the left breast (over the heart) radiated. I don't think it's anymore or less effective, just maybe a bit less potentially harmful. My tattoos are on my back too. I can barely see them even if I try. That''s not so bad IMO. It is also said that prone position tends to have a better cosmetic outcome.

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  • LM68
    LM68 Member Posts: 10
    edited March 2015

    Thank you labelle for the response! I hope the cosmetic outcome is better as I already have quite a size difference after my lumpectomy.

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited March 2015

    wow, that must be an advance, the tattoos on the back. During my staging a group of 5 people from Boston were in the room observing since it it was pretty new

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  • chtease
    chtease Member Posts: 24
    edited March 2015

    I had 25 full-breast treatments in the prone position. My RO said that prone not only minimized exposure to my heart and lungs, but I was less likely to get blisters under my breast. She was right. I was red, itchy and sore for the last 2 weeks and a week afterward, but I didn't blister at all. (And I have no tattoos. It's so stupid, but I really, really didn't want tattoos.)

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