When do you prefer to use bolus for treating superficial tumors adjacent to or involving the skin surface, especially for complex surface anatomy in the pelvis, head/neck, and extremity regions?
Select all of the bolus options you have either used in practice or would consider using:
Join Mednetto vote and see how they answered.
There is not a single answer to this question, as it depends on the specifics of the geometry, treatment technique (photons vs. electrons, beam angles, energy used, etc.), depth and size of the tumor, and other technical factors. Since almost no one has access to superficial or orthovoltage X-rays with no skin-sparing, it is important to deliver appropriate, tumoricidal doses at the surface in these situations. This means that one must eliminate air-tissue interfaces that result in a loss of electron equilibrium (either primary or secondary electrons). Multiple bolus techniques are adequate and essentially equal, as long as appropriate dose build-up is achieved. Wet gauze and vaseline gauze are easy and inexpensive, and I have often used th...
Join for free or sign in to see the full answer