Design and manufacturing of a head mask for fixation in stereotactic radiosurgery by the Gamma Knife® Icon™.

Abstract

This study evaluates an alternative to the classical method of head fixation during Gamma Knife radiosurgery using a Leksell head frame. In the Gamma Knife® Icon™ model, a new method of head fixation is used by utilizing a thermal molded polymer mask that takes the shape of the patient's head before fixing the head to the table. However, this mask is for single use and quite expensive. We describe a new, very economical method to fix the head of the patient during radiosurgery. We used commercial, quite cheap material [polylactic acid (PLA)] plastic and made a 3D printing model for the patient's face, taking special measurements to put this mask and fix it on the Gamma Knife. The actual material cost is only $4 (100 times less than the original mask cost). The new mask efficiency was tested using the movement checker software, the same one used to measure the efficiency of the original mask. The newly designed and manufactured mask is quite effective for use with the Gamma Knife® Icon™, with a much lower cost, and it can be manufactured locally.