3D Systems
3D Systems is using its 3D printing technology to deliver high-quality and patient-specific radiotherapy treatment accessories with its VSP Bolus solution.
The VSP Bolus has received FDA 510(k) clearance and becomes the latest addition to 3D Systems’ portfolio of personalised medical device. It has been developed to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy treatment by enabling patient’s to use a personalised product as opposed to an off-the-shelf device.
Patients who are receiving radiotherapy as part of their treatment will use a flexible device that conforms to the patient’s skin called a bolus to help target the radiation. Off the shelf devices are often said to leave gaps between the device and the patient’s anatomy, resulting in an insufficient dosage, while also exposing adjacent anatomy to undesired radiation.
3D Systems is using its 3D printing technology, however, to create personalised devices to prevent these issues. Using the patient’s imaging data and adhering to the requested material thickness, 3D Systems is able to design a bolus that fits the patient perfectly and optimises the radiotherapy targeting. Once the design is complete, 3D Systems’ engineers then additively manufacture the devices in a soft material that contours to the patient’s anatomy to deliver better treatment and a more comfortable experience.
“Our new VSP Bolus product expands our capabilities to address yet another incredibly important application for personalised healthcare,” commented Menno Ellis, Executive Vice President, Healthcare Solutions at 3D Systems. “While radiotherapy has become recognised as a common course of treatment for cancer diagnoses, each case is as unique as each patient. 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.”
