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Two-piece detachable interlocking mold for low-dose-rate brachytherapy: A dental technique for radiotherapy
Cheewin Towithelertkul1, Mihoko Haraguchi2, Gen Tanabe3
1Graduate student, Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan; Assistant Lecturer, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Abstract:
Brachytherapy is a type of radiotherapy used to eradicate malignancies in the head-and-neck region. Early-stage mucosal carcinomas, such as carcinomas of the hard palate and gingival mucosa, can be treated with low-dose-rate brachytherapy by using a radiotherapy prosthesis called a mold. Prosthodontists play a significant role in the design and fabrication of these molds, which deliver therapeutic doses to the primary lesion and protect adjacent tissues from radiation exposure. However, planning and observing ongoing treatment is difficult for radiation oncologists because the shield part cannot be removed from the carrier part or requires an attachment to do so. This article describes a technique for fabricating a 2-piece detachable interlocking mold without any special attachment for low-dose-rate brachytherapy.
