Abstract
Transplantable murine tumor models are critical for radiobiological studies of proton and photon radiation, and immobilization devices are essential for accurate tumor (often <1 cm) targeting in these models. We utilized three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to design and produce an immobilization device for this purpose. All procedures were approved by the institutional animal care committee. CT imaging of a C57BL/6 mouse was performed, and the Blender software package was used to generate a surface contour. A clamshell device was designed with a negative impression of the animal surface contour, and a lateral aperture for flank tumors. A brass block was affixed to reduce beam penumbra. The device was printed from polylactic acid polymer using an Ultimaker 2 3D printer and tested on a mouse harboring a subcutaneous flank tumor (EL4 Thymoma). Tumor motion was tracked in the x, y, and z planes using video monitoring over 15 minutes. Animals (n=3) were safely immobilized with no signs of trauma or distress. Minimal tumor movement was observed in the x, y, and z planes. Proton and photon treatment plans were generated using Eclipse software, demonstrating uniform targeting of the tumor with <10% of the prescribed dose delivered to the abdominal or thoracic cavity. We present the rapid and cost-effective design and production of an immobilization device using 3D printing for the treatment of experimental murine tumors with photon or proton beam radiotherapy.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call