Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to estimate the fetal dose from various irradiation
techniques for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy during pregnancy.
The effectiveness for a simple and practical shielding device in reducing the dose
scattered to the fetus was also investigated. The study was begun by modifying an
anthropormophic rando phantom to simulate the pregnancy at different gestation
periods ; 4th,12th and 24th week. Then, measurement of fetal dose was carried out with
the thermoluminescent dosimeter(TLD), Lithium Fluoride (Magnesium,Titanium) or
TLD-100. Radiation treatment was performed on the phantom using Cobalt-60 gamma
ray with the quadrate technique of breast irradiation. The prescribed dose in all
treatment fields at a reference point was 50 Gy. Lead sheets 2.5 cm. thick were
constructed and positioned on a metal bridge over the phantom’s abdomen as a
shielding. In the study not only the fetal dose between non-shielding and shielding
treatments was compared, but also the fetal dose between the technique of tangential
field irradiation with and without a 30ο degree wedge filter were analyzed.
The results from dose measurements in this study clearly showed that the fetal
dose of 4th,12th and 24th gestation week in non-shielding and without wedge filter
treatment were 14.3, 32.5 and 43.8 cGy. When the wedge filter was applied to improve
dose uniformity at the patient’s chest wall, it was found that, the fetal dose was
increased to 16.7, 38.6 and 55.8 cGy respectively, or about 20% higher. The
investigation of the effectiveness of the shielding device used in this study showed that
it was able to reduce the scattered dose to the fetus, both in the technique of with and
without wedge filter to about 60% of the initial dose. The data suggested that 2.5 cm.
thick lead sheets may not be enough to reduce the dose to the fetus at a satisfied and
recommended level. It could be concluded from the study that an effort to minimize
dose delivered to the fetus in pregnant breast cancer patients undergoing radiation
therapy can be achieved in two ways. First, the technique of radiation treatment should
avoid the presence of any high atomic number material in the radiation beam since it
may be an additional source of scattered radiation. Second, the shielding device should
be carefully considered in the construction design and its effectiveness in dose
reduction. This study suggested one made of lead or a block thicker than 2.5 cm. for
pregnant breast cancer patients treated with Cobalt-60 gamma ray