Radiation mask accident

JohnVon

Hello. During this mornings treatment the radiation techs first struggled to attach my mask. Once attached the automatic table I was laying on moved quickly towards the scanner and my head crashed directly into and under the scanner. Then it moved quickly again and for a second time my head crashed into the scanner. My mask is now all cracked up. Thank god I had that hard mask on otherwise my head slamming into that scanner could have killed me. My experience here at Georgetown University Hospital has just been awful and one mistake after another.

Has a machine malfunction like this ever happened to anyone else?

wbcgaruss

My goodness John that must have been a shock and a terrible experience for you. I have never heard of a situation like this ever before you are the first. Whatever the problem is that caused this it needs to be seriously addressed. If the machine is malfunctioning they need to get it thoroughly evaluated and checked out. The radiation experience is difficult enough for most people without something like this happening. Did the machine malfunction or did the technician make a mistake, whatever happened they need to make sure it doesn't happen again? I am so sorry you are having a bad experience, I feel for you. Are you OK, are you injured at all. Let us know.

Take Care God Bless-Russ

steven59

WOW, That would have me on alert for sure. If that can go wrong what else can? moving to another facility would cost you a month probably as they would do their own treatment plan, but I really would need some answers that make sense.

JohnVon

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1702839#Comment_1702839

Thank you Russ. Apparently the table I was on was extended too long. You’d think the techs would have a check list. I’m okay minus the shock and anxiety of what happened. I feel guilty for being somewhat angry about it. I was most worried that they’d have to create a new mask and delay my treatments

MST

Jeez, it sounds like amateur hour. Sorry this happened to you. Having that mask on is stress enough. I can't imagine what happened to you. I hope your treatment is not delayed.

Sunny5

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/326094/radiation-mask-accident

That's terrible! I did not have to wear a mask at all during my radiation; no one was in the room with me so why? I would ask.

wbcgaruss

Sunny5 what kind of cancer did you have and where was it located? I have never heard of getting radiation treatment for head and neck cancer and not wearing a mask. It is mandatory for applying your treatments to the same areas at exactly the right places every time.

Check the video below and you can see the laser lines on the patient assuring complete accuracy every time.

https://vimeo.com/78791415

Take care, God Bless-Russ

Sunny5

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1703106#Comment_1703106

I'm so sorry! I had breast cancer, so no relation to what you were talking about. I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about a regular surgical mask to prevent Covid. Wishing you all the best!

wbcgaruss

That's OK Sunny, I thought you were talking about something different. Yes with head and neck cancer they form a mask on our head after the material in warm water is pliable then it dries and is formed to our head and during treatments and it is fastened to the radiation table and the radiation is precise every time. Do they not line you up in some way to radiate the proper area each time like marks on your body or something and have you on the table in the same place every time? No matter I hope you are through all your treatments and are cancer free or as we say on here NED (No Evidence Of Disease) or some doctors will say they looked at your recent scan and it is unremarkable. Unremarkable is good.

Wishing You the Best

Take care, God Bless-Russ

Sunny5

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1703130#Comment_1703130

Yes, they marked the places on my body with permanent markers and then lined it up each time. Thanks for your good wishes, and I wish you the same!