THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS APPLICATIONS IN RADIATION THERAPY

This is an example of the use of thermoplastic materials in a high-tech medicine field, oncology radiation therapy, in order to produce the rigid masks for positioning and immobilization of the patient during simulation of the treatment procedure, the imaging verification of position and administration of the indicated radiation dose. Implementation of modern techniques of radiation therapy is possible only if provided with performant equipment (CT simulators, linear accelerators of high energy particles provided with multilamellar collimators and imaging verification systems) and accessories that increase the precision of the treatment (special supports for head-neck, thorax, pelvis, head-neck and thorax immobilization masks, compensating materials like bolus type material). The paper illustrates the main steps in modern radiation therapy service and argues the role of thermoplastics in reducing daily patient positioning errors during treatment. As part of quality assurance of irradiation procedure, using a rigid mask is mandatory when applying 3D conformal radiation therapy techniques, radiation therapy with intensity modulated radiation or rotational techninques.