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Radiotherapy-customized head immobilization masks: from modeling and analysis to 3D printing

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Abstract

Immobilization devices may be a valuable aid to ensure the improved effectiveness of radiotherapy treatments where constraining the movements of specific anatomical segments is crucial. This need is also present in other situations, specifically when the superposition of various medical images is required for fine identification and characterization of some pathologies. Because of their structural characteristics, existing head immobilization systems may be claustrophobic and very uncomfortable for patients, during both the modeling and usage stages. Because of this, it is important to minimize all the discomforts related to the mask to alleviate patients’ distress and to simultaneously guarantee and maximize the restraint effectiveness of the mask. In the present work, various head immobilization mask models are proposed based on geometrical information extracted from computerized tomography images and from 3D laser scanning point clouds. These models also consider the corresponding connection to a radiotherapy table, as this connection is easily altered to accommodate various manufacturers’ solutions. A set of materials used in the radiotherapy field is considered to allow the assessment of the stiffness and strength of the masks when submitted to typical loadings.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Fundação Champalimaud for the possibility of obtaining the CT images, which were essential to this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIMOSM, Centro de Investigação em Modelação e Optimização de Sistemas Multifuncionais, ISEL, IPL, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Av. Conselheiro Emídio Navarro 1, 1959-007, Lisbon, Portugal

    M. A. R. Loja, D. S. Craveiro, L. Vieira, E. Sousa, J. A. Rodrigues & R. J. F. Portal

  2. LAETA, IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

    M. A. R. Loja & R. J. F. Portal

  3. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, NOVA UNIDEMI, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal

    M. A. R. Loja

  4. H&TRC – Health &Technology Research Center, ESTeSL - Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa, Av. D. João II, Lote 4.69.01, 1990-096, Lisbon, Portugal

    L. Vieira & E. Sousa

  5. Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    L. Vieira

Authors
  1. M. A. R. Loja
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  2. D. S. Craveiro
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  3. L. Vieira
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  4. E. Sousa
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  5. J. A. Rodrigues
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  6. R. J. F. Portal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. A. R. Loja.

Additional information

This work was supported by the Project IPL/2016/SoftImob/ISEL and Project LAETA—UID/EMS/50022/2019.

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Loja, M.A.R., Craveiro, D.S., Vieira, L. et al. Radiotherapy-customized head immobilization masks: from modeling and analysis to 3D printing. NUCL SCI TECH 30, 142 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-019-0667-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-019-0667-2

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