Three-dimensional customized bolus for intensity-modulated radiotherapy in a patient with Kimura's disease involving the auricle

Abstract

In radiotherapy, a commercial bolus often does not provide a suitable fit over irregular surfaces. To address this issue, we fabricated a customized bolus using 3D printing technology. The aim of our study was to evaluate the application of this 3D-printed bolus in a clinical setting. The patient was a 45-year-old man with recurrent Kimura's disease involving the auricle, receiving radiotherapy in our oncology department. A customized bolus, 5mm in thickness, was fabricated based on reconstruction of computed tomography (CT) images. The bolus was printed on a Dimension 1200 series SST 3D printer. Repeat CT-based simulation indicated an acceptable fit of the 3D-printed bolus to the target region, with a maximum air gap of less than 5mm at the tragus. Most of the surface area of the target region was covered by the 95% isodose line. The plan with the 3D-printed bolus improved target coverage compared to that without a bolus. And the plan with the 3D-printed bolus yielded comparable results to those with the paraffin wax bolus. In conclusion, a customized bolus using a 3D printer was successfully applied to an irregular surface.