• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2017

Creating individualized build-up material for superficial photon beam radiation therapy at irregular surface is complex with rice or commonly used flat shape bolus. In this study, we implemented a workflow using 3D printed patient specific bolus and describe our clinical experience. To provide better fitted build-up to irregular surface, the 3D printing technique was used. The PolyLactic Acid (PLA) which processed with nontoxic plant component was used for 3D printer filament material for clinical usage. The 3D printed bolus was designed using virtual bolus structure delineated on patient CT images. Dose distributions were generated from treatment plan for bolus assigned uniform relative electron density and bolus using relative electron density from CT image and compared to evaluate the inhomogeneity effect of bolus material. Pretreatment QA is performed to verify the relative electron density applied to bolus structure by gamma analysis. As an in-vivo dosimetry, Optically Stimulated Luminescent Dosimeters (OSLD) are used to measure the skin dose. The plan comparison result shows that discrepancies between the virtual bolus plan and printed bolus plan are negligible. (0.3% maximum dose difference and 0.2% mean dose difference). The dose distribution is evaluated with gamma method (2%, 2 mm) at the center of GTV and the passing rate was 99.6%. The OSLD measurement shows 0.3% to 2.1% higher than expected dose at patient treatment lesion. In this study, we treated Mycosis fungoides patient with patient specific bolus using 3D printing technique. The accuracy of treatment plan was verified by pretreatment QA and in-vivo dosimetry. The QA results and 4 month follow up result shows the radiation treatment using 3D printing bolus is feasible to treat irregular patient skin.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.51-63
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• 2019

Purpose: Radiation therapy for breast cancer should consider the change in breast shape due to breathing and swelling. In this study, we evaluate the benefit of using virtual bolus for IMRT of left breast cancer. Materials and methods: 10 patients with early breast cancer who received radiation therapy after breastconserving surgery compared the VMAT and IMRT plans using the virtual bolus method and without using it. The first analysis compared the V95%, HI, CI of treatment volume, Dmean, V5, V20, V30 of ipsilateral lung, and Dmean of heart in VMAT plan made using the virtual bolus method(VMAT_VB) to the plan without using it(VMAT_NoVB) in case there is no change in the breast. In IMRT, the same method was used. The second analysis compared TCP and NTCP based on each treatment plan in case there is 1cm expansion of treatment volume. Result: If there is no change in breast, V95% in VB Plan(VMAT_VB, IMRT_VB) and NoVB Plan(VMAT_NoVB, IMRT_NoVB) is all over 99% on each treatment plan. V95% in VMAT_NoVB and VMAT_VB is 99.80±0.17% and 99.75±0.12%, V95% in IMRT_NoVB and IMRT_VB is 99.67±0.26% and 99.51±0.15%. Difference of HI, CI is within 3%. OAR dose in VB plan is a little high than NoVB plan, and did not exceed guidelines. If there is 1cm change in breast, VMAT_NoVB and IMRT_NoVB are less effective for treatment. But VMAT_VB and IMRT_VB continue similar treatment effect compared in case no variation of breast. Conclusion: This study confirms the benefit of using a virtual bolus during VMAT and IMRT to compensate potential breast shape modification.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.34
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• pp.7-12
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• 2022

Purpose: When it is difficult to secure the skin dose when treating Irregularly Shaped Skin Surface such as the nose where it is difficult to apply a bolus, increase the skin dose with a treatment plan that combines the IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) delivery technique and FFF (Flattening Filter Free), It was tried to find out whether or not through the phantom experiment. Materials & Methods: Based on the 6MV-FF (Flattening Filter) and VMAT (Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy) treatment plans, which are the most commonly used treatment plans for head and neck cancer, A comparison group was created by combining VMAT and IMRT, FF and FFF, and the presence or absence of 5 mm bolus application. A virtual target was created on the Rando Phantom's nose, and a virtual bolus of 5 mm was applied assuming full contact on the Rando Phantom's nose. Five measurement points were determined based on the phantom's nose, and the absorbed dose was measured by irradiating each treatment plan 3 times per treatment plan according to the treatment technique and whether or not the bolus was applied. Result: The difference in skin dose in FF vs FFF increased in the case of FFF in VMAT bolus off, and there was no difference in case of IMRT bolus off. In VMAT bolus 5 mm and IMRT bolus 5 mm, it was confirmed that the skin dose was rather decreased in FFF. The difference in skin dose between VMAT and IMRT increased only in the case of FFF bolus off, and there was no statistical difference in the rest. For the difference in skin dose between bolus off vs bolus 5 mm, it was confirmed that the skin dose increased at bolus 5 mm, except for the case of using IMRT FFF. The treatment plan combining IMRT and FFF did not find any statistically significant difference as a result of analyzing the measured values of the treatment plan skin dose applied with a 5 mm bolus using the commonly used VMAT and FF. Therefore, it is thought that by using IMRT_FFF, it is possible to deliver a skin dose similar to that of applying a 5 mm bolus to VMAT_FF, which can be useful for patients who need a high skin dose but have difficulty applying a bolus. Conclusion: For patients who find it difficult to apply bolus, an increase in skin dose can be expected with a treatment plan that properly combines IMRT and FFF compared to VMAT and FF.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.293-297
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• 2016

For mastectomy patients, sufficient doses of radiation should be delivered to the surface of the chest wall to prevent recurrence. A bolus is used to increase the surface dose on the chest wall, whereby the surface dose is confirmed with the use of a virtual bolus during the computerized treatment-planning process. The purpose of this study is an examination of the difference between the dose of the computerized treatment plan and the dose that is measured on the bolus. Part of the left breast of an Anderson Rando phantom was removed, followed by the attainment of computed tomography (CT) images that were used as the basis for computerized treatment plans that were established with no bolus, a 3 mm-thick bolus, a 5 mm-thick bolus, and a 10 mm-thick bolus. For the computerized treatment plan, a prescribed dose regimen was dispensed daily and planning target volume (PTV) coverage was applied according to the RTOG 1304 guidelines. Using each of the established computerized treatment plans, chest-wall doses of 5 points were measured; this chest-wall dose was used as the standard for the analysis of this study, while the level of significance was set at P < 0.05. The measurement of the chest-wall dose with no bolus is 1.6 % to 10.3 % higher, and the differences of the minimum average and the maximum average of the five measurement points are -13.8 and -1.9, respectively (P < 0.05); however, when the bolus was used, the dosage was measured as 3.7 % to 9.2 % lower, and the differences of the minimum average and the maximum average are 7.4 and 9.0, -1.2 and 17.4, and 8.1 and 19.8 for 3 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm, respectively (P < 0.05). As the thickness of the bolus is increased, the differences of the average surface dose are further increased. There are a variety of factors that affect the surface dose on the chest wall during post-mastectomy radiation therapy, for which verification is required; in particular, a consideration of the appropriate thickness and the number of uses when a bolus is used, and which has the greatest effect on the surface dose on the chest wall, is considered necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.34
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• pp.31-42
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• 2022

Purpose: This study measures and compares the surface dose values in the virtual target volume using Tomotherapy, Halcyon, and TrueBeam equipment using 6MV-Flattening Filter-Free(FFF) energy. Materials and Methods: CT scan was performed under three conditions of without bolus, 0.5 cm bolus, and 1 cm bolus using an IMRT phantom (IBA, Germany). The Planning Target Volume (PTV) was set at the virtual target depth, and the treatment plan was established at 200 cGy at a time. For surface dosimetry, the Gafchromic EBT3 film was placed in the same section as the treatment planning system and repeated measurements were performed 10 times and then analyzed. Result: As a result of measuring the surface dose for each equipment, without, 0.5 cm, 1 cm bolus is in this order, and the result of Tomotherapy is 115.2±2.0 cGy, 194.4±3.3 cGy, 200.7±2.9 cGy, The result in Halcyon was 104.7±3.0 cGy, 180.1±10.8 cGy, 187.0±10.1 cGy, and the result in TrueBeam was 92.4±3.2 cGy, 148.6±5.7 cGy, 155.8±6.1 cGy, In all three conditions, the same as the treatment planning system, Tomotherapy, Halcyon, TreuBeam was measured highly in that order. Conclusion: Higher surface doses were measured in Tomotherapy and Halcyon compared to TrueBeam equipment. If the characteristics of each equipment are considered according to the treatment site and treatment purpose, it is expected that the treatment efficiency of the patient will increase as well as the treatment satisfaction of the patient.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.64-71
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• 2016

We develop a manufacture procedure for the production of a patient specific customized bolus (PSCB) using a 3D printer (3DP). The dosimetric accuracy of the 3D-PSCB is evaluated for electron beam therapy. In order to cover the required planning target volume (PTV), we select the proper electron beam energy and the field size through initial dose calculation using a treatment planning system. The PSCB is delineated based on the initial dose distribution. The dose calculation is repeated after applying the PSCB. We iteratively fine-tune the PSCB shape until the plan quality is sufficient to meet the required clinical criteria. Then the contour data of the PSCB is transferred to an in-house conversion software through the DICOMRT protocol. This contour data is converted into the 3DP data format, STereoLithography data format and then printed using a 3DP. Two virtual patients, having concave and convex shapes, were generated with a virtual PTV and an organ at risk (OAR). Then, two corresponding electron treatment plans with and without a PSCB were generated to evaluate the dosimetric effect of the PSCB. The dosimetric characteristics and dose volume histograms for the PTV and OAR are compared in both plans. Film dosimetry is performed to verify the dosimetric accuracy of the 3D-PSCB. The calculated planar dose distribution is compared to that measured using film dosimetry taken from the beam central axis. We compare the percent depth dose curve and gamma analysis (the dose difference is 3%, and the distance to agreement is 3 mm) results. No significant difference in the PTV dose is observed in the plan with the PSCB compared to that without the PSCB. The maximum, minimum, and mean doses of the OAR in the plan with the PSCB were significantly reduced by 9.7%, 36.6%, and 28.3%, respectively, compared to those in the plan without the PSCB. By applying the PSCB, the OAR volumes receiving 90% and 80% of the prescribed dose were reduced from $14.40cm^3$ to $0.1cm^3$ and from $42.6cm^3$ to $3.7cm^3$, respectively, in comparison to that without using the PSCB. The gamma pass rates of the concave and convex plans were 95% and 98%, respectively. A new procedure of the fabrication of a PSCB is developed using a 3DP. We confirm the usefulness and dosimetric accuracy of the 3D-PSCB for the clinical use. Thus, rapidly advancing 3DP technology is able to ease and expand clinical implementation of the PSCB.