Bellyboard device reduces small bowel displacement

Radiol Technol. 1991 Mar-Apr;62(4):284-7.

Abstract

The ability to cure several pelvic malignancies is hampered by the inability to deliver doses greater than 45 to 50 Gy, beyond which radiation enteritis becomes dose-limiting. The design and fabrication of a device that allows exclusion of small bowel from the pelvis during radiation therapy are described in this study. A prospective dose-volume analysis conducted on 30 patients reveals a 66 percent reduction in the volume of small bowel within the radiation portals.

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Intestine, Small / radiation effects*
  • Pelvic Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Polystyrenes
  • Posture
  • Prospective Studies
  • Radiation Protection / instrumentation*
  • Radiation Tolerance
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Polystyrenes
  • styrofoam