When patients are told they need radiation therapy, the first question is often, “When can I start?” Every day of waiting feels heavy. And for their care team, every delay feels personal, because starting sooner means giving patients one less thing to worry about. That is why even the smallest details in a radiation therapy workflow can make a big difference.
The Hidden Delay in CT Simulation
Take CT simulation, for example. Skin markers are placed to establish reference points, but traditional flat markers do not just sit on the skin. They end up being pulled into the automatic body contour on the scan.
That single detail creates a chain of delays. Planners must manually contour the markers out, which adds minutes to every case. Multiply that across every patient, every week, and the wasted time becomes significant.
If the manual contouring is not perfect, dose inaccuracies or plan rework add even more delays. The patient does not see this part of the process, but they feel it in the form of waiting longer to begin treatment.
A Skin Marker Designed to Stay Out of the Way
The RT-SPOT® elevated skin marker was created with this exact challenge in mind.
Unlike flat markers, RT-SPOT has an elevated design that keeps it excluded from the automatic body contour. The benefits are clear: there are no extra manual contouring steps, the risk of dose perturbation and inaccuracies is reduced, and the CT simulation to plan workflow becomes smoother and more efficient.
By removing an inefficiency at the source, RT-SPOT helps departments move patients forward without unnecessary delays.
Why Patients Feel the Difference
For staff, saving minutes per scan translates to hours gained across the department. But for patients, the impact is far more meaningful. It can mean starting treatment sooner, feeling more confident that their plan is accurate, and knowing their care team is focused on them rather than fixing scans.
Every patient comes in with questions, fears, and hopes. What they want most is to move forward. And when the workflow is smoother, they can.
A Small Change, a Meaningful Impact
Radiation oncology is built on precision, but it is delivered with compassion. The RT-SPOT skin marker for CT simulation may seem like a small tool, but by streamlining planning and reducing treatment delays, it helps bridge the two, giving patients the accuracy they need and the timeliness they deserve. Because at the end of the day, it is not just about saving time. It is about giving patients one less thing to wait for.
Megan Sargalski
Marketing Communications Specialist
