Program Information
Dosimetric Study of Radiation Therapy for Head/Neck Patients with Metallic Dental Fixtures
L Lu*, E Allan , M Van Putten , N Gupta , D Blakaj , Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Presentations
SU-F-BRB-15 (Sunday, July 12, 2015) 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Room: Ballroom B
Purpose:
To investigate the dose contributions of scattered electrons from dental amalgams during head and neck radiotherapy, and to evaluate the protective role of dosimetric dental stents during treatment to prevent oral mucositis.
Methods:
A phantom was produced to accurately simulate the oral cavity and head. The oral cavity consisted of a tissue equivalent upper and lower jaw and complete set of teeth. A set of 4 mm ethylene copolymer dosimetric stents was made for the upper and lower teeth. Five removable gold caps were fitted to apposing right molars, and the phantom was crafted to accomodate horizontal and vertical film for 2D dosimetry and NanoDot dosimeter for recording point doses. The head was simulated using a small cylindrical glass water bath.
CT simulation was performed on the phantom with and without metal fittings and, in each case, with and without the dental stent. The CT image sets were imported into Eclipse treatment planning system for contouring and treatment planning, and a 9-field IMRT treatment plan was developed for each scenario. These plans were delivered using a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator. Doses were recorded using GafChromic EBT2 films and NanoDot dosimeters.
Results:
The measurements revealed a 43% relative increase in dose measured adjacent to the metal fixtures in the horizontal plane without the use of the dental stent. This equates to a total dose of 100 Gy to the oral mucosa during a standard course of definitive radiotherapy. To our knowledge, this is the first dosimetric analysis of dental stents using an anatomically realistic phantom and modern beam arrangement.
Conclusion:
These results support the use of dosimetric dental stents in head and neck radiotherapy for patients with metallic dental fixtures as a way to effectively reduce dose to nearby mucosal surfaces and, hence, reduce the risk and severity of mucositis.
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