Not all 3D‐printed bolus is created equal: Variation between 3D‐printed polylactic acid (PLA) bolus samples sourced from external manufacturers

Autor: Kerryn Brown, Tom Kupfer, Benjamin Harris, Sam Penso, Richard Khor, Eka Moseshvili
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, Vol 69, Iss 3, Pp 348-356 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2051-3909
2051-3895
DOI: 10.1002/jmrs.591
Popis: Abstract Introduction Polylactic acid (PLA) is a promising material for customised bolus 3D‐printing in radiotherapy, however variations in printing techniques between external manufacturers could increase treatment uncertainties. This study aimed to assess consistency across various 3D‐printed PLA samples from different manufacturers. Methods Sample prints of dimensions 5 × 5 × 1 cm with 100% infill were acquired from multiple commercial 3D‐printing services. All samples were CT scanned to determine average Hounsfield unit (HU) values and physical densities. The coefficient of equivalent thickness (CET) was obtained for both photons and electrons and dose attenuation compared to TPS calculations in Elekta Monaco v5.11. Results Some samples showed warped edges up to 1.5 mm and extensive internal radiological defects only detectable with CT scanning. Physical densities ranged from 1.06 to 1.22 g cm−3 and HU values ranged from −5.1 to 221.0 HU. Measured CET values varied from 0.95 to 1.17 and TPS dose calculations were consistent with the variation in CET. Electron R50 and R90 shifted by up to 2 mm for every 1 cm of printed bolus, a clinically significant finding. Photon surface dose varied by up to 3%, while depth doses were within 1%. Conclusions 3D‐printed PLA can have considerable variability in density, HU and CET values between samples and manufacturers. Centres looking to outsource 3D‐printed bolus would benefit from clear, open communication with manufacturers and undertake stringent QA examination prior to implementation into the clinical environment.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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