Technique for breast irradiation using custom blocks conforming to the chest wall contour

• Published in: International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 189 - 195
• Main Authors: Hartsell, William F., Murthy, Anantha K., Kiel, Krystyna D., Kao, Mark, Hendrickson, Frank R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.1990
• Subjects: 550603 > Medicine > External Radiation in Therapy > (1980-); BODY; Breast - radiation effects; Breast irradiation; Breast Neoplasms - radiotherapy; DISEASES; DOSES; Female; Field matching; GLANDS; Humans; MAMMARY GLANDS; MEDICINE; Methods; NEOPLASMS; NUCLEAR MEDICINE; ORGANS; PLANNING; RADIATION DOSES; RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY; RADIOLOGY; RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE; RADIOTHERAPY; Radiotherapy Dosage; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; SIMULATION; THERAPY 655003 > Medical Physics > Dosimetry; Three-field technique; Three-field technique; Breast irradiation; Field matching
• ISSN: 0360-3016; 1879-355X
• DOI: 10.1016/0360-3016(90)90153-B

A technique for the treatment of the breast and regional nodes is presented. The technique involves the use of tangential fields to treat the breast and chest wall. Customized blocks which conform to the slope of the chest wall are made for each tangent field. Simulation and treatment with this technique requires no special equipment. The setup is simple and quick. A three-field technique is also described using the custom half-beam blocks; this technique avoids the use of tangential field corner blocks, thus simplifying simulation and treatment.