Department of Radiation Medicine

Department of Radiation Medicine

Patient Information

We care about you and your family

Being diagnosed with cancer can bring on a flood of feelings and concerns. Learning as much as possible about the disease and treatment options can seem overwhelming and confusing. However, as you make decisions and prepare for treatment, it will help to learn as much as possible about what you may experience.

Radiation, alone or in combination with other cancer treatments, can be used to successfully treat many different types of cancer. Modern technology allows radiation oncologists to treat tumors more powerfully and precisely while sparing much of the healthy tissue that surrounds the tumor.

Radiation Therapy: What to Expect, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)

Thank you for your interest in making an appointment with the Department of Radiation Medicine. Registration is an important step to becoming an OHSU patient.

The first step to scheduling an appointment with us is to have your OHSU clinic card handy. If you don't have a clinic card, you can get one by calling one of the phone numbers shown to the right, under OHSU Registration.

Once you are registered, you are ready to make an appointment with Radiation Medicine. 

If you are already a patient with the Department of Radiation Medicine, you may log in to MyChart for more appointment options.

      OHSU Registration

      Radiation Medicine

      OHSU RadMed Tour
      This virtual tour was developed by the students of the Radiation Therapy Program as a 2020 Senior Capstone project related to patient education.

      OHSU is the hospital that Oregonians choose first for state-of-the-art medical care.

      Your health insurance may pay for all or part of the cost of your care.

      Call your insurance plan administrator or medical network to ensure there are no limitations to your access to OHSU care.

      Self Pay Information

      If you are not covered by your insurance company for your visit, please register as "Self-Pay" prior to your appointment. Registration will make note to ensure that any charges will get billed correctly.

      Any payment or co-payment are made at the time of service and will require a physician's referral.

      Visit OHSU Billing and Insurance to learn more about billing.

      Silhouette of acute care RN at computer

      If you are considering radiation therapy with us, you must first schedule a visit with a radiation oncologist.

      Radiation therapy, sometimes referred to as radiotherapy, is the use of various forms of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer and other diseases. Doctors use radiation therapy to help cure cancer, to control cancer growth or to relieve symptoms, such as pain.

      Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA within cancer cells and destroying the ability of the cancer cells to reproduce. When these damaged cells die, the body naturally eliminates them. Normal cells are also affected by radiation, but they are able to repair themselves in a way that cancer cells cannot.

      While you undergo radiation therapy, a team of highly trained medical professionals will be working together to make sure you receive the best care possible.

      Some of the common types of cancers treated by radiation therapy:

      Find answers to your questions about treatment with radiation therapy.

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      Today, an increasing number of patients have their cancers treated successfully, with few side effects and preservation of normal tissue, using radiation therapy. Radiation procedures are the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancers.

      A radiation oncologist may use radiation generated by a machine outside a patient's body or with radioactive sources that are put inside the body. Learn about the machines used during treatment.

          Most Common Procedures

          Newest Procedures