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Radiation stabilisation mask production

Radiation stabilisation mask production



The PICS together with The Royal Children's Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, have developed a world first method of making custom made stabilisation masks used to secure the head of a child during radiation therapy.

The objective of this work was to implement an improved procedure for radiation mask manufacture that avoided the need for general anaesthesia. Children under the age of six, requiring radiation treatment usually require a general anaesthetic, for the stabilisation mask to be made.
A multidisciplinary team designed a new three stage process:
  • The RCH Batten Foundation 3D Imaging Centre (within the RCH Educational Resource Centre) acquires a 3D image of the child's head and upper torso, a process that takes a fraction of a second and is performed using 5 digital cameras
  • Images are then sent electronically to the prosthetist who mills a bust out of high density polyurethane foam using a computer aided prosthetic carver
  • The bust is then couriered to Peter Mac where the mask is moulded directly to the bust

This process negates the need for a general anaesthetic, reducing time required to manufacture masks by 2 days and more than 5 hours of labour. Child anxiety is reduced and treatment time is reduced from 2 hours to 40 minutes.


WINNER
Premier's Excellence Award for Improving Cancer Care in Victoria 2010



The PICS together with the RCH and Peter Mac won the 2010 Premier's Excellence Award for improving cancer care for the application titled "GA? No way! Minimising the use of general anaesthesia in radiotherapy mask production for children: an innovative child friendly approach".

For an overview of this work click here to access the award application

Left to right: Rod Lawlor, Dr Peter Downie, Jane Williamson, the Hon John Brumby MP, Lloyd Ellis, Craig Bennett, Professor Christine Kilpatrick and David Willis
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