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A new mold material for customized patient positioning in radiotherapy
T Kitahara1, H Shirato, T Nishioka
1Department of Radiology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Summary
A novel lightweight material made of polymer-coated polystyrene beads hardens rapidly when wet. This material exhibits low density and minimal impact on megavoltage photon beams, indicating its potential for specialized applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Development of advanced materials with specific physical properties is crucial for various scientific and medical applications.
- Current materials may not offer the desired combination of low density, radiopacity, and minimal beam attenuation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize a new lightweight material with unique physical and radiological properties.
- To evaluate the material's potential for applications requiring low density and minimal interaction with high-energy photon beams.
Main Methods:
- Polystyrene beads were coated with a polymerizing substance.
- The coated beads were dampened, initiating a rapid hardening process within 10 minutes.
- Key physical properties including density and CT number were measured.
Main Results:
- The material achieved a density less than one-tenth that of water, confirming its lightweight nature.
- A computed tomography (CT) number below -800 was recorded.
- Minimal effect on the build-up of megavoltage photon beams was observed.
Conclusions:
- The developed material is exceptionally lightweight and possesses a significantly low CT number.
- Its minimal interaction with megavoltage photon beams suggests suitability for radiation therapy or imaging applications.
- The rapid hardening upon dampening offers practical advantages for material fabrication and deployment.