3D Systems VSP Bolus Made to Optimize Radiotherapy Targeting
3D printing of the patient-specific shape reduces air gaps and improves efficacy of treatment, according to 3D Systems.
VSP Bolus offers a full design and production service based on the patient’s treatment plan. Image courtesy of 3D Systems.
April 26, 2022
3D Systems has made its entrance into the radiation oncology market with FDA 510(k) clearance of VSP Bolus, a solution designed to deliver patient-specific radiotherapy treatment accessories. As the latest addition to the company’s VSP portfolio of personalized medical devices, VSP Bolus offers a full design and production service based on the patient’s treatment plan.
3D Systems’ experience in additive manufacturing of medical devices enables the company to deliver 3D-printed, biocompatible patient-specific boluses that can improve therapy modulation as well as patient comfort, the company reports.
Approximately 50% of patients diagnosed with cancer will receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment, according to 3D Systems. To help target radiation during treatment, a provider (e.g., medical physicist, dosimetrist, radiation oncologist) will use a bolus—a flexible device that conforms to the patient’s skin.
With VSP Bolus, 3D Systems can design and deliver boluses that conform to a wide range of anatomies. The process begins with the patient’s imaging data and input from the radiotherapy professional. Using this information, VSP Bolus is designed at the requested material thickness to optimize the radiotherapy targeting.
Once designed, 3D Systems’ engineers employ the company’s additive manufacturing solutions to produce a bolus from a soft material that contours to the patient’s anatomy, enabling more efficacious treatment and a more comfortable experience, according to the company.
“Our new VSP Bolus product expands our capabilities to address yet another incredibly important application for personalized healthcare,” says Menno Ellis, executive vice president, healthcare solutions, 3D Systems. “Blending the experience of our biomedical engineers, our biocompatible materials, 3D printing technology, and best-in-class digital workflows, we are able to both design and produce patient-specific devices to help improve the delivery of radiotherapy treatment.”
Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.
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