EFFECT OF DENTAL METAL IN 10 MV X-RAY BEAM THERAPY

We have often encountered patients with dental metal when employing the 10 MV X-ray beam therapy for head and neck tumors, and felt it important to investigate the effect of dental metal in relation to dose distribution. The absorbed dose rose abruptly in the vicinity of the metal reaching an interface value equal to 150% of the dose within the acrylic phantom. These results showed that an overdose occurred about 5mm from the metal. We also learned that the overdose can be avoided by using a 5-mm thick tissue equivalent material. Six patients with dental metal were treated after first covering their metal with a 5-mm thick mouthpiece. No radiation stomatitis caused by the metal was observed in any of these cases.