3D Printed Radiotherapy Bolus for Patient-Specific Dose Conformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manual methods for creating bolus in radiotherapy are labor-intensive, inaccurate, and limited in conforming to complex patient surfaces, leading to inconsistencies in radiation dose delivery and increased exposure of healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for designing and 3D printing a custom bolus using patient-specific CT data, employing algorithms like the electron Monte Carlo and Anisotropic Analytic Algorithm to optimize bolus shape and thickness for precise dose distribution, reducing human error and enabling automated fabrication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual methods are used to create bolus, then labor intensity and time consumption increase, but the ability to conform to complex patient surfaces is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical application of bolus material with a 3D printing system that automatically deposits material layer by layer. The 3D printer uses computer-controlled mechanisms to extrude bolus material precisely where needed, eliminating the need for manual heating, molding, and application by radiation therapists. This substitution of manual mechanical processes with automated 3D printing technology simultaneously improves conformity to complex surfaces and reduces labor intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and deposition parameters of bolus material by controlling temperature, extrusion rate, and layer thickness through the 3D printing system. The material is heated to a pliable state during printing, then cooled to solidify in the desired shape. By dynamically adjusting these parameters during the printing process, the system achieves precise conformity to complex patient surfaces while automating the entire fabrication process.
2Reliability
If manual bolus fabrication is used, then the process is simpler, but accuracy of dose delivery decreases due to air gaps and irregular surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary digital planning and simulation before actual bolus fabrication. The system uses patient-specific CT data to create a 3D model of the treatment area, simulates dose delivery with virtual bolus, and optimizes bolus geometry in advance. This preliminary digital workflow ensures dose delivery accuracy is built into the design phase, eliminating the need for complex manual adjustments during fabrication while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual bolus fabrication with automated 3D printing technology that precisely deposits material according to digital specifications. This substitution eliminates human error in measuring, molding, and applying bolus, ensuring consistent accuracy in dose delivery. The automated system maintains appropriate complexity levels by following pre-planned digital instructions rather than requiring complex manual skills.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform bolus layers are applied manually, then application is easier, but dose homogeneity across the treatment area deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality control by varying bolus thickness and material properties at different locations according to specific treatment requirements. The 3D printing system deposits material with precisely controlled layer thickness, infill density, and material composition at each position based on the digital model. This allows the bolus to provide exactly the right amount of radiation attenuation locally at each point, achieving superior dose homogeneity while the automated system maintains ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control of bolus deposition parameters during the 3D printing process. The system adjusts extrusion rate, layer thickness, and material temperature in real-time based on the current printing position and requirements. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain simple automated operation while achieving precise thickness uniformity and dose homogeneity across the entire treatment area.
4Adaptability or versatility
If pre-defined bolus is used in planning systems, then planning is simpler, but conformity to actual patient geometry deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary digital modeling and customization of bolus geometry using patient-specific CT data before fabrication. The system creates a customized 3D model that precisely fits the patient's anatomy and treatment requirements, then uses this model to guide the 3D printing process. This preliminary customization step enables high adaptability to individual patient anatomy while the automated printing process maintains planning simplicity by following the pre-created digital model.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the patient's treatment area geometry from CT scan data, then uses this digital model to guide bolus fabrication. The 3D printing system reproduces the customized bolus geometry with high fidelity based on the digital model. This copying approach enables complete customization to patient anatomy while keeping the planning process simple by working with digital representations rather than manual measurements and modeling.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for manufacturing patient-specific bolus for use in targeted radiotherapy treatment. Based on dose calculations without a bolus and based on three-dimensional scan data of a patient, the example system generates a model of a bolus for targeting radiotherapy treatment to a planning target volume or target region within the patient. The system can perform several iterations to generate a resulting model for the bolus. Then, the system can generate instructions for controlling a three-dimensional printer to generate the bolus that conforms to the patient's skin surface while also specifically targeting the planning target volume for the radiotherapy treatment. In this way, the amount of radiotherapy treatment administered to other tissue is reduced, while the costs, time, and human involvement in creating the bolus are significantly reduced.