open access
A critical literature review on the use of bellyboard devices to control small bowel dose for pelvic radiotherapy
open access
Abstract
Delivering curative radiotherapy doses for rectal and gynaecological tumours has historically been complicated by the dose tolerance of the small bowel. Acute radiation-induced small bowel toxicity includes side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea. With the advent of new treatment delivery modalities, such as IMRT (Intensity modulated radiotherapy) and VMAT (Volumetric modulated Arc radiotherapy), there has been an expectation that small bowel doses can be better controlled with the use of these technologies. These capabilities enable the creation of treatment plans that can better avoid critical radiosensitive organs. The purpose of this review is to look beyond advances in linear accelerator technology in seeking improvements to small bowel dose and toxicity. This review examines whether an alternative prone patient positioning approach using a bellyboard device in conjunction with IMRT and VMAT treatment delivery can reduce small bowel doses further than using these technologies with the patient in a traditional supine position.
Abstract
Delivering curative radiotherapy doses for rectal and gynaecological tumours has historically been complicated by the dose tolerance of the small bowel. Acute radiation-induced small bowel toxicity includes side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea. With the advent of new treatment delivery modalities, such as IMRT (Intensity modulated radiotherapy) and VMAT (Volumetric modulated Arc radiotherapy), there has been an expectation that small bowel doses can be better controlled with the use of these technologies. These capabilities enable the creation of treatment plans that can better avoid critical radiosensitive organs. The purpose of this review is to look beyond advances in linear accelerator technology in seeking improvements to small bowel dose and toxicity. This review examines whether an alternative prone patient positioning approach using a bellyboard device in conjunction with IMRT and VMAT treatment delivery can reduce small bowel doses further than using these technologies with the patient in a traditional supine position.
Keywords
Gynaecological radiotherapy; Pelvis; Prone position; Rectum; Small bowel; Supine position; Bellyboard
About this articleTitle
A critical literature review on the use of bellyboard devices to control small bowel dose for pelvic radiotherapy
Journal
Reports of Practical Oncology and Radiotherapy
Issue
Pages
598-605
Published online
2020-07-01
DOI
10.1016/j.rpor.2020.04.019
Bibliographic record
Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2020;25(4):598-605.
Keywords
Gynaecological radiotherapy
Pelvis
Prone position
Rectum
Small bowel
Supine position
Bellyboard
Authors
Matthew Hoffmann
Kim Waller
Andrew Last
Justin Westhuyzen