Fabrication of malleable three-dimensional-printed customized bolus using three-dimensional scanner

• Published in: PloS one 2017-05, Vol.12 (5), p.e0177562-e0177562
• Main Authors: Park, Jae Won, Oh, Se An, Yea, Ji Woon, Kang, Min Kyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D printers; ABS resins; Acrylonitrile; Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; Air conditioning; Air gaps; Analysis; Aorta; Aortic arch; Arches; Auricle; Biology and Life Sciences; Brachytherapy; Cancer; Cancer diagnosis; CAT scans; Computation; Computed tomography; Computer and Information Sciences; Computer programs; Computer Simulation; Coronary artery disease; Cylinders; Data processing; Depth perception; Design; Detectors; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Dosimeters; Dosimetry; Drug dosages; Electron radiation; Embolization; Engineering; Engineering and technology; Fabrication; Feasibility studies; Heart; Heart diseases; Humans; Irradiation; Magnetic fields; Manganese; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Methods; Nose; Oncology; Optical scanners; Phantoms, Imaging; Photon beams; Powder; Printing, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation; Radiation; Radiation dosage; Radiation effects; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy; Radiotherapy Dosage; Rapid prototyping; Research and Analysis Methods; Rubber; Scanners; Simulation; Skin; Styrene; Technology; Technology utilization; Three dimensional models; Three dimensional printing; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Tumors; Vagina
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177562

A three-dimensional (3D)-printed customized bolus (3D bolus) can be used for radiotherapy application to irregular surfaces. However, bolus fabrication based on computed tomography (CT) scans is complicated and also delivers unwanted irradiation. Consequently, we fabricated a bolus using a 3D scanner and evaluated its efficacy. The head of an Alderson Rando phantom was scanned with a 3D scanner. The 3D surface data were exported and reconstructed with Geomagic Design X software. A 3D bolus of 5-mm thickness designed to fit onto the nose was printed with the use of rubber-like printing material, and a radiotherapy plan was developed. We successfully fabricated the customized 3D bolus, and further, a CT simulation indicated an acceptable fit of the 3D bolus to the nose. There was no air gap between the bolus and the phantom surface. The percent depth dose (PDD) curve of the phantom with the 3D bolus showed an enhanced surface dose when compared with that of the phantom without the bolus. The PDD of the 3D bolus was comparable with that of a commercial superflab bolus. The radiotherapy plan considering the 3D bolus showed improved target coverage when compared with that without the bolus. Thus, we successfully fabricated a customized 3D bolus for an irregular surface using a 3D scanner instead of a CT scanner.