A modified technique for fabrication of custom-made afterload brachytherapy appliance

Abstract

Radiotherapy for carcinomas that involve the mouth and its related structures has been improved by the usage of different prostheses known as radiation carriers. These prostheses can accurately position radionuclide such as radium, iridium, cesium, and cobalt to allow adequate transfer of a concentrated radiation dose to a tumor region. At the same time, they minimize the exposure to radiation of nearby tissues due to rapid fall-off the radioactivity and thus minimizing the side effects of radiation. This study emphasizes the usage of a modified technique for the development of afterload mold brachytherapy appliance for squamous cell carcinoma patients of hard palate/soft palate.

Keywords

• High-dose-rate brachytherapy
• intraoral mold
• radiotherapy
• squamous cell carcinoma