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A vacuum-formable mattress for veterinary radiotherapy positioning: comparison with conventional methods
Eric M Green1, Lisa J Forrest, William M Adams
1Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Summary
A rigid immobilization device, the Vac-Lok mattress, showed similar positioning repeatability and setup time compared to conventional methods in veterinary radiotherapy. It offers advantages for specific veterinary radiotherapy applications but is not recommended for limb positioning.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Radiation Oncology
- Medical Physics
- Animal Imaging
Background:
- Accurate patient positioning is crucial for effective radiotherapy.
- Conventional immobilization methods in veterinary radiation oncology include sandbags, tape, and foam wedges.
- Rigid immobilization devices offer potential for improved consistency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the positioning repeatability of a rigid Vac-Lok mattress to conventional methods.
- To evaluate the setup time associated with Vac-Lok mattresses versus conventional methods.
- To assess the utility of Vac-Lok mattresses in clinical veterinary radiotherapy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study comparing Vac-Lok mattresses and conventional methods (sandbags, tape, foam wedges).
- Positioning repeatability assessed using port films.
- Setup time recorded for each patient and method.
- Sixty-seven patients with 78 treated sites (head, neck/body, limb) were included.
Main Results:
- Vac-Lok mattresses demonstrated similar positioning repeatability to conventional methods.
- Setup times were comparable between Vac-Lok mattresses and conventional positioning.
- Vac-Lok mattresses are advantageous for specific applications like pre-radiotherapy imaging.
- Not recommended for distal limb positioning due to limitations.
Conclusions:
- Vac-Lok mattresses are a viable alternative to conventional immobilization in veterinary radiotherapy.
- The device offers comparable precision and efficiency for certain treatment sites.
- Consideration of specific anatomical sites is necessary for optimal device selection in veterinary radiation oncology.