Clinical use of a concomitant boost technique using a gypsum compensator.

Abstract

To develop a clinical procedure to treat field within a field (concomitant boost) portals with a single compensated field. An ordinary manual cerrobend block former was used to produce styrofoam molds from simulator film data. A special gypsum compound was poured into the molds. The compensator block is independently mounted to the treatment machine via a custom-made compensator holder. Measurements confirm that the inhomogeneous dose distribution has been reliably delivered via this technique. The accuracy of placement of the high dose region is sufficient for clinical use. The procedure enables the concomitant boost effect to be easily implemented in the clinic without increasing clinical setup time.