Engineering Physics

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Fabrication of Alternative Bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Using Two Locally Available Materials

Received: 09 April 2020    Accepted: 08 June 2020    Published: 04 August 2020
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Abstract

Bolus is a tissue equivalent material which is use in radiation therapy in order to eliminate skin sparing effect of higher energy photon beams that always reduce the surface dose. There are several commercially bolus material such as Superflab, Aquaplast and gels for use but literature have shown that they are expensive and are not readily available in developing countries. This work presents the fabrication of an alternative bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy using two locally available materials (Beeswax and Petroleum jelly). Beeswax was liquefied at a temperature of 60°C followed by the addition of Petroleum jelly at ratio 3:1 by weight for proper molding and flexibility. In order to determine the depth of maximum dose, Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) chips were inserted in between ten bolus materials of thickness 0.5 cm that were arranged in layers and placed on a solid water phantom. This was then irradiated with Cobalt-60 radiation source using field size ranging from 5 cm x 5 cm to 10 cm x 10 cm field size. For all the field size, maximum absorbed dose was found to be at 0.5 cm depth. This depth of maximum dose was compared to two tissue equivalent materials in use in radiation therapy: water and Superflab for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy and found to be in agreement. The percentage dose deviation when compared with water for 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm and 5 cm were less than 2%. The flexibility of the bolus material and the analysis of the absorbed dose measured have shown that the fabricated bolus material of thickness 0.5 cm can be used as an alternative bolus material for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy.

DOI 10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13
Published in Engineering Physics (Volume 4, Issue 1, June 2020)
Page(s) 15-18
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Bolus Materials, Absorbed Dose, Cobalt-60, Teletherapy, Field Size

References
[1] Park, J. W., Oh, S. A., Yea, J. W., and Kang, M. K. (2017). Fabrication of malleable three-dimensional-printed customized bolus using three-dimensional scanner. PloS one, 12 (5), 1-9.
[2] Khan, Y., Villarreal-Barajas, J. E., Udowicz, M., Sinha, R., Muhammad, W., Abbasi, A. N., & Hussain, A. (2013). Clinical and dosimetric implications of air gaps between bolus and skin surface during radiation therapy. Journal of Cancer Therapy, 4 (7), 1251-1255. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jct.2013.47147.
[3] Walker, M., Cohen, N., and Menchaca, D. (2005). Play-doh and water-soaked gauze sponges as alternative bolus material for cobalt-60 teletherapy. Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, 46 (2): 179–181. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.17408261.2005.00033.x.
[4] Malaescu, I., Marin, C. N., and Spunei, M. (2015). Comparative study on the surface dose of some bolus materials. International Journal of Medical Physics, Clinical Engineering and Radiation Oncology, 4 (04), 348-352. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ijmpcero.2015.44041.
[5] White, D., Booz, J., Griffith, R., Spokas, J., Wilson, I., Berger, M., Constantinou, C., Goodman, L., Harder, D., Hubbell, J., Seltzer, S., Woodard, H. (1989). Tissue Substitutes in Radiation Dosimetry and Measurement, in: ICRU Report 44, International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements, USA (1989), Pp. 1-14.
[6] Podgorsak, E. B., Andreo, P., Evans, M. D. C., Hendry, J. H., Horton, J. L., Izewska, J., Mijnheer, B. J.,... Tolli, H. (2005). Radiation oncology physics. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency, Pp. 172-244.
[7] Vidal, R. M. and do Nascimento Souza, D. (2012). A model for the characterization and selection of beeswaxes for use as base substitute tissue in photon teletherapy. Materials Sciences and Applications, 3 (04), 218-223. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/msa.2012.34032.
[8] IAEA (2004). Commissioning and Quality Assurance of Computerized planning systems for Radiation therapy of Cancer. Vienna: International Atomic Energy Agency, Pp. 46-54.
[9] Govindaraj, K., Senthilkumar, S., Jeevan R. (2019). Dosimetric Characteristics of Transparent Bolus for External Beam Radiotherapy. Iranian Journal of Medical Physics. http://dx.doi.org/10.22038/IJMP.2019.37129.1470.
[10] Claude, K. P., Tagoe, S. N. A., Schandorf, C., and Amuasi, J. (2013). Fabrication of a tissue characterization phantom from indigenous materials for computed tomography electron density calibration. The South African Radiographer, 51 (1), 9-17.
[11] https://www.candledeli.co.za/candle-making-tips-and-ideas/modelling-wax-sculpture wax.
[12] Beeswax. (n. d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Beeswax.
[13] Memon, S. A., Laghari, N. A., Mangi, F. H., Ahmad, F., Hussain, M. M., Palijo, S., Jhatyal, N., and Adeel, A. (2015). Analysis and verification of percent depth dose and tissue maximum ratio for Co-60 gamma ray beam. Worl App Sci J, 33 (1), 109-113.
[14] Nooshin, B., Hassan, A., Hassan, N., Mansureh, N., Mansur, N. (2013). Dose Measurement of Different Bolus Materials on Surface Dose. Journal of Radioprotection Research, 1 (1), 10-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.12966/jrr.08.02.2013.
[15] Khan, F. M. and Gibbons, J. P. (2014). The physics of radiation therapy (5th ed.). Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Pp. 40, 240.
Author Information
  • Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

  • Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Department of Physical Sciences, First Technical University, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Radiation Oncology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

  • Center of Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

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    Abayomi Moses Olaosun, Caleb Ayoade Aborisade, Iyobosa Blessing Uwadiae, Denen Eric Shian, Fatai Akintunde Balogun. (2020). Fabrication of Alternative Bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Using Two Locally Available Materials. Engineering Physics, 4(1), 15-18. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13

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    ACS Style

    Abayomi Moses Olaosun; Caleb Ayoade Aborisade; Iyobosa Blessing Uwadiae; Denen Eric Shian; Fatai Akintunde Balogun. Fabrication of Alternative Bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Using Two Locally Available Materials. Eng. Phys. 2020, 4(1), 15-18. doi: 10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13

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    AMA Style

    Abayomi Moses Olaosun, Caleb Ayoade Aborisade, Iyobosa Blessing Uwadiae, Denen Eric Shian, Fatai Akintunde Balogun. Fabrication of Alternative Bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Using Two Locally Available Materials. Eng Phys. 2020;4(1):15-18. doi: 10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13,
      author = {Abayomi Moses Olaosun and Caleb Ayoade Aborisade and Iyobosa Blessing Uwadiae and Denen Eric Shian and Fatai Akintunde Balogun},
      title = {Fabrication of Alternative Bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Using Two Locally Available Materials},
      journal = {Engineering Physics},
      volume = {4},
      number = {1},
      pages = {15-18},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ep.20200401.13},
      abstract = {Bolus is a tissue equivalent material which is use in radiation therapy in order to eliminate skin sparing effect of higher energy photon beams that always reduce the surface dose. There are several commercially bolus material such as Superflab, Aquaplast and gels for use but literature have shown that they are expensive and are not readily available in developing countries. This work presents the fabrication of an alternative bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy using two locally available materials (Beeswax and Petroleum jelly). Beeswax was liquefied at a temperature of 60°C followed by the addition of Petroleum jelly at ratio 3:1 by weight for proper molding and flexibility. In order to determine the depth of maximum dose, Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) chips were inserted in between ten bolus materials of thickness 0.5 cm that were arranged in layers and placed on a solid water phantom. This was then irradiated with Cobalt-60 radiation source using field size ranging from 5 cm x 5 cm to 10 cm x 10 cm field size. For all the field size, maximum absorbed dose was found to be at 0.5 cm depth. This depth of maximum dose was compared to two tissue equivalent materials in use in radiation therapy: water and Superflab for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy and found to be in agreement. The percentage dose deviation when compared with water for 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm and 5 cm were less than 2%. The flexibility of the bolus material and the analysis of the absorbed dose measured have shown that the fabricated bolus material of thickness 0.5 cm can be used as an alternative bolus material for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Fabrication of Alternative Bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy Using Two Locally Available Materials
    AU  - Abayomi Moses Olaosun
    AU  - Caleb Ayoade Aborisade
    AU  - Iyobosa Blessing Uwadiae
    AU  - Denen Eric Shian
    AU  - Fatai Akintunde Balogun
    Y1  - 2020/08/04
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13
    T2  - Engineering Physics
    JF  - Engineering Physics
    JO  - Engineering Physics
    SP  - 15
    EP  - 18
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2640-1029
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ep.20200401.13
    AB  - Bolus is a tissue equivalent material which is use in radiation therapy in order to eliminate skin sparing effect of higher energy photon beams that always reduce the surface dose. There are several commercially bolus material such as Superflab, Aquaplast and gels for use but literature have shown that they are expensive and are not readily available in developing countries. This work presents the fabrication of an alternative bolus for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy using two locally available materials (Beeswax and Petroleum jelly). Beeswax was liquefied at a temperature of 60°C followed by the addition of Petroleum jelly at ratio 3:1 by weight for proper molding and flexibility. In order to determine the depth of maximum dose, Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) chips were inserted in between ten bolus materials of thickness 0.5 cm that were arranged in layers and placed on a solid water phantom. This was then irradiated with Cobalt-60 radiation source using field size ranging from 5 cm x 5 cm to 10 cm x 10 cm field size. For all the field size, maximum absorbed dose was found to be at 0.5 cm depth. This depth of maximum dose was compared to two tissue equivalent materials in use in radiation therapy: water and Superflab for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy and found to be in agreement. The percentage dose deviation when compared with water for 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm and 5 cm were less than 2%. The flexibility of the bolus material and the analysis of the absorbed dose measured have shown that the fabricated bolus material of thickness 0.5 cm can be used as an alternative bolus material for Cobalt-60 Teletherapy.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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