Breath Hold Technique for Radiation Therapy_draft under review

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Breath Hold Technique

Why is the breath hold technique useful?

Holding your breath stops your chest from moving and helps to keep you still. Many organs move when you breathe. When you hold your breath, these organs move less while you have the radiation treatment. Breath hold can help ensure the treatment is stays focused on the cancer and not on other areas.

What is the breath hold technique?

The breath hold technique means you need to hold your breath during your CT scan and treatment. You must be able to hold your breath for at least 20 seconds. This breath hold maybe be done when you inhale or exhale. Your radiation therapy team will give you instructions.

How do I do the breath hold technique?

You will need to take a breath in or out and hold for at least 20 seconds during the CT scan and the treatment. You will need to do this many times. When asked by the radiation therapists to hold your breath, it is important to hold your breath in or out as comfortably as you can. Practice is required before you come in for your CT scan and treatment to make sure you can perform the technique. The radiation therapists will also review this with you when you come in for your appointment.

For inspiration(inhale) breath hold patients:

When practicing, lie flat on your back (do not arch) with both arms above your head.
Using either the mouth or nose whichever is easiest for you, take a breath in and hold.
The goal is to take slow, comfortable, even breaths in each time.
Hold your breath for 20-25 seconds without letting any air in or out.
Use a watch or timer to keep track of how long you can hold your breath. You may only be able to hold your breath in for a short time, but don’t give up. Keep trying! Keep practicing holding your breath for as long as you can and it will get easier.
Continue to practice 15-20 times in a row with a few normal breaths in between, for a minimum of 2 times a day.

For expiration (exhale) breath hold patients:

When practicing, lie flat on your back (do not arch) with both arms above your head.
Using either the mouth or nose whichever is easiest for you, take a breath in, blow it out and hold.
The goal is to take slow, comfortable, even breaths out each time.
Hold your breath out for 20-25 seconds without letting any air in or out.
Use a watch or timer to keep track of how long you can hold your breath. You may only be able to hold your breath out for a short time, but don’t give up. Keep trying! Keep practicing holding your breath for as long as you can and it will get easier.
Continue to practice 15-20 times in a row with a few normal breaths in between, for a minimum of 2 times a day.

Video Display

To help you see how big a breath you need to hold, the radiation therapists can instruct you to look at a video display during your CT scan and treatment. This video display will show your breathing. You will be able to see if you are taking enough air into or out of your lungs.

The pictures below show what you will see on the monitor. A white bar shows your breathing. This bar will move up and down as you breathe in and out.

When you hold in your breath, the white bar will move from the blue area, into the green area. When the bar moves into the green area, the radiation therapist will tell you when to hold your breath and the treatment will start. The radiation therapist will let you know when to release your breath and can breathe normally.

Treatment

The radiation therapists will help you onto the treatment table. They will use the marks given during the planning CT scan to position you for treatment. A special camera and equipment will monitor your breathing with the help of a small plastic block taped to your abdomen (stomach area).

The radiation therapists will show you the video display and will help you practice your breath hold several times.

When you are ready, the radiation therapists will leave the room. They will use a camera and intercom system to monitor you. They will give you instructions on when to take a breath in or out and when to breathe normally.

This will continue until your treatment is finished. The breath hold is required to be done several times to complete your treatment.