Poster – 39: Using Optical Scanner and 3D Printer Technology to Create Lead Shielding for Radiotherapy of Facial Skin Cancer with Low Energy Photons

Abstract

Purpose:Treatment of skin cancers of the face using orthovoltage radiotherapy often requires lead shielding. However, creating a lead shield can be difficult because the face has complex and intricate contours. The traditional process involved creating a plaster mould of the patient's face can be difficult for patients. Our goal was to develop an improved process by using an optical scanner and 3D printer technology.Methods:The oncologist defined the treatment field by drawing on each patient's skin. Three‐dimensional images were acquired using a consumer‐grade optical scanner. A 3D model of each patient's face was processed with mesh editing software before being printed on a 3D printer. Using a hammer, a 3 mm thick layer of lead was formed to closely fit the contours of the model. A hole was then cut out to define the field.Results:The lead shields created were remarkably accurate and fit the contours of the patients. The hole defining the field exposed only a minimally sized site to be exposed to radiation, while the rest of the face was protected. It was easy to obtain perfect symmetry for the definition of parallel opposed beams.Conclusion:We are routinely using this technique to build lead shielding that wraps around the patient as an alternative to cut‐outs. We also use it for treatment of the tip of the nose using a parallel opposed pair beams with a wax nose block. We found this technique allows more accurate delineation of the cut‐out and a more reproducible set‐up.