CION Ameerpet
Radiation Therapy · Your Care Team
Who's Who in the Radiation Team — Oncologist, Physicist, Technologist
Medically reviewed by Dr. Venkata Sushma P, Radiation Oncologist, MBBS · MD (Radiation Oncology) · Last reviewed August 2026
Radiation therapy is never delivered by one person. A radiation oncologist prescribes it, a dosimetrist builds the plan, a medical physicist checks it, and radiation therapists deliver it to you each day. This page maps who does what, so you always know exactly who to ask.
- Five roles, one plan — an oncologist prescribes, a physicist verifies, therapists deliver; nobody works alone on your treatment.
- A big team is standard, not a warning sign — the same roles are involved for a small early tumour and for advanced disease alike.
- You always know who to ask — a clear question-to-person map, so side effects, costs and scan reports each reach the right person fast.
- Coordinated end to end — your radiotherapy is delivered at an NABH-accredited partner centre; CION coordinates the plan, the team and your care.
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The short answer
Who is in a radiation therapy team, and what does each person do?
A radiation therapy team is usually five roles. A radiation oncologist decides on and prescribes the treatment. A dosimetrist builds the dose plan. A medical physicist checks that plan and the machine. Radiation therapists position you and run each daily session. An oncology nurse manages side effects and day-to-day concerns.
Most patients meet only two of these five. You will see your radiation oncologist at the first consultation and at weekly reviews, and you will see the radiation therapists every single day. The dosimetrist and the physicist work on your plan in a planning room you never walk into. That is normal, and it is why so many people finish treatment saying nobody explained who was actually in charge of what.
Your radiotherapy is delivered at an NABH-accredited partner centre; CION Cancer Clinics coordinates your treatment plan, your oncology team and your care throughout. That means one point of contact for you, even though the roles below sit across a consultation room, a planning room and a treatment bunker.
The sections below take each of your three questions in turn: who plans it, who operates the machine, and who to ask what.
Did you know?
Radiation safety guidance from ASTRO and from medical-physics bodies treats an independent check of your treatment plan by a medical physicist as a standard step before the very first session, current as of 2026. It is one of the reasons a radiation course takes several days to start — the delay is verification, not disorganisation.
One plan, six pairs of hands
The six people involved in your radiation treatment
Titles vary a little between centres. The responsibilities below do not.
Radiation Oncologist
Decides and prescribes your treatment
The doctor who leads your radiation care. Prescribes the dose and session count, outlines the target on your planning scan, and reviews you weekly during treatment.
Medical Physicist
Verifies the plan and the machine
Calibrates the treatment machine and independently checks your plan before your first session, so the dose delivered matches the dose prescribed. You may never meet them.
Dosimetrist
Builds the dose calculation
Works from your oncologist's outline to design how the beams enter, at what angles and intensity, so the target gets the dose while nearby organs are spared.
Radiation Therapist · Technologist
Runs your session, every day
The person you see daily. Positions you on the couch, matches you to the planning scan, takes verification images, then delivers the beam from the console.
Oncology Nurse
Manages side effects and daily concerns
Your first call for skin reactions, soreness, fatigue or anything that changes mid-course. Escalates to the radiation oncologist when something needs a doctor.
CION Care Coordinator
Keeps the logistics off your plate
Handles appointments across CION and the partner centre, cost estimates, ArogyaSri and insurance paperwork, and follow-up scheduling once your course finishes.
Your first question
Who plans my radiation?
Your radiation oncologist plans it. They prescribe the dose and the number of sessions, and they personally outline on your planning CT scan which area is treated and which healthy organs must be protected. A dosimetrist then converts that outline into a beam plan, and a medical physicist verifies it before anything is delivered.
The outlining step is the one patients underestimate. Drawing the target and the organs at risk on every slice of a planning scan is slow, careful work, and it is why the gap between your planning scan and your first session is usually several days rather than same-day.
If you want to understand your own plan, ask your radiation oncologist to show you the outlined scan. Most are happy to.
Your second question
Who operates the machine?
Radiation therapists operate the machine. They are trained technologists, and they are the people you will see every day of your course. They position you, verify you against the planning images, then step out and run the beam from a console while watching you on camera and speaking to you over an intercom.
Radiation therapists do not change your prescribed dose. If your position does not match the plan, if you have lost weight and the mask no longer fits, or if anything looks different from the approved images, they stop and call the radiation oncologist or the physicist before continuing. That authority to stop is part of the role.
Tell the therapists immediately if you are uncomfortable, in pain or panicking on the table. Fixing it takes seconds; enduring it can shift your position and affect the accuracy of the session.
About the fear behind this question
Does needing this many specialists mean my cancer is advanced?
No. The same roles are involved in every course of radiation. A small early tumour treated in a handful of sessions still needs an oncologist to prescribe, a dosimetrist to plan, a physicist to verify and therapists to deliver. The team size reflects how technical radiation is, not how serious your diagnosis is.
If this worry is sitting with you, ask your oncologist directly why radiation was advised in your case and what staging information it is based on. That answer comes from your reports, never from the size of the team.
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MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
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Know your team before your first session
A radiation oncologist can walk you through your plan, who builds it, who checks it and who you will see every day at the machine.
Your third question
Who do I ask what?
Send each question to the person who owns it and you get an answer the same day. Send everything to your oncologist and you wait for the weekly review. This table is the map most patients are never given.
| What you want to know | Who to ask | When |
|---|---|---|
| Why radiation was advised, and what it is meant to achieve | Radiation oncologist | First consultation |
| Your dose, session count, or any change to the plan | Radiation oncologist | Consultation and weekly review |
| Scan and biopsy reports, and what they mean for you | Radiation oncologist | Consultation and weekly review |
| Skin redness, soreness, mouth or throat pain, fatigue | Oncology nurse first; oncologist if it worsens | Any day, and at the weekly review |
| Discomfort on the table, a mask that feels too tight, needing to move | Radiation therapists at the machine | Immediately, during the session |
| Appointment slots, a session running late, a session you missed | Radiation therapists or your care coordinator | Same day |
| Whether your plan and the machine were independently checked | Medical physicist, via your radiation oncologist | Before the first session |
| Cost estimate, ArogyaSri, CGHS or insurance approval | CION care coordinator | Before treatment starts |
| Eating, weight loss, feeding support during treatment | Oncology nurse, who involves the dietitian | Any week of the course |
| Fever, heavy bleeding, breathlessness, severe or sudden pain | Do not wait for the next session — call 1800 202 8726 or go to the nearest emergency department | Immediately |
Cost figures quoted by a coordinator are indicative, as of August 2026, and depend on your technique, session count and the partner centre involved.
The order you will actually meet them
When each member of the team appears in your treatment
A typical external beam course. Your own timeline may run shorter or longer.
- 1
Consultation — radiation oncologist
Your reports are reviewed, radiation is explained and consent is discussed. This is the visit to ask why radiation, what it aims to do, and how many sessions are likely.
- 2
Planning scan — radiation therapists
A dedicated CT simulation scan is taken in your treatment position. Skin marks or a moulded mask are made here so that position can be reproduced every day.
- 3
Planning days — dosimetrist and medical physicist
You are not present for this. Your oncologist outlines the target, the dosimetrist builds the beam plan, and the physicist independently verifies it. This is why treatment rarely starts the same week.
- 4
First session — therapists, with the oncologist verifying
Verification images confirm your position matches the approved plan before the first beam. Expect this visit to take longer than the sessions that follow.
- 5
Weekly review — radiation oncologist and oncology nurse
A scheduled check on side effects, weight, skin and how you are coping. Bring your list. This is the built-in slot for questions that are not urgent enough to raise at the machine.
- 6
Last session and follow-up — oncologist and care coordinator
Your oncologist explains what to expect in the weeks after the beams stop; your coordinator books the follow-up review and any scan timing that applies.
Take these to your next visit
Five questions that stop you feeling left in the dark
- Who is my named radiation oncologist? Ask for the name, and ask whether the same doctor reviews you each week. This is the person accountable for your prescription.
- Which centre delivers my treatment, and who coordinates it? Your radiotherapy runs at an NABH-accredited partner centre while CION coordinates the plan and the team. Ask who your single point of contact is.
- Has my plan been independently checked? A physics verification before the first session is standard practice. It is a fair question, and a good team will answer it plainly.
- Who do I contact between sessions, and on what number? Get a name and a number for side effects, and be clear about what counts as an emergency instead.
- What is my estimated total cost, and what does it cover? Ask for it in writing. Estimates are indicative, as of August 2026, and depend on technique and session count.
None of these are awkward questions. A team that welcomes all five is doing its job properly.
One team, one coordinated plan
Nobody should start radiation without knowing who is doing what
If your first consultation left you with more questions than answers, ask again. Understanding your team is part of your treatment, not an extra.
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Common questions
Radiation oncology team roles: your questions answered
Who plans my radiation treatment?
Your radiation oncologist plans it. They decide whether radiation is appropriate for your cancer, choose the technique, and prescribe the total dose and the number of sessions. They also outline on your planning CT scan exactly which area should be treated and which healthy organs must be protected. A dosimetrist then builds the detailed dose calculation from that outline, and a medical physicist independently checks it before anything is delivered. The prescription is always the radiation oncologist's decision, and it is reviewed by the tumour board where relevant.
Who operates the radiation machine during my session?
Radiation therapists, sometimes called radiation technologists, operate the machine. They are the people you see every single day. They position you on the treatment couch, match your position to the planning scan, take verification images, then step out and run the beam from the control console while watching you on camera and intercom. They do not change your prescribed dose. If anything looks different from the plan, they stop and call the radiation oncologist or the physicist before continuing.
Who do I ask about side effects, costs or my scan reports?
Different questions go to different people, and knowing which one saves you a lot of waiting. Side effects such as skin redness, soreness or fatigue go to your oncology nurse first, and to your radiation oncologist at the weekly review if they get worse. Scan reports, dose and any change to the plan go to your radiation oncologist. Cost estimates, ArogyaSri and insurance approvals go to your CION care coordinator. Appointment timing and anything about how you are positioned goes to the radiation therapists at the machine.
What does a medical physicist actually do?
A medical physicist is the accuracy and safety specialist. They calibrate and quality-check the treatment machine so the dose it delivers matches the dose that was prescribed. They independently verify your treatment plan before your first session, checking both the calculation and the delivery settings. They also set up and monitor the imaging used to confirm your position each day. You may never meet your physicist, and that is normal. Professional guidance from bodies such as ASTRO treats an independent physics check as a standard step before treatment begins.
Will I see the same people at every session?
You will usually see the same small group of radiation therapists each day, which is one reason patients often build a real rapport with them. Rotations, leave and shift changes mean the faces can vary occasionally. Your radiation oncologist stays the same throughout your course and reviews you at least once a week. Your oncology nurse is generally the same person too. If a different therapist is on the machine, your plan and your positioning instructions do not change, because those are recorded in the system.
Does needing a whole team mean my cancer is advanced?
No. The same set of roles is involved in every course of radiation, whether it is a small early tumour or advanced disease being treated for symptom relief. A radiation oncologist, a dosimetrist, a medical physicist and radiation therapists are all needed to deliver any radiation safely, because the accuracy required is the same either way. The size of the team reflects how technical the treatment is, not how serious your diagnosis is. Only your staging and your reports tell you that, and your oncologist can go through them with you.
This page describes the roles that make up a radiation oncology team in general. Titles and exact responsibilities vary slightly between centres, so ask your own team who holds each role in your case.