Three-Dimensional Printing in Radiotherapy Applications

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a transformative tool in the design and manufacture of patient-specific devices for external beam radiotherapy. By translating imaging datasets directly into custom physical components, additive manufacturing enables precise conformal accessories that improve dose uniformity, reduce air gaps and spare healthy tissues. Common applications include bespoke bolus devices—tailored layers of build-up material that optimise surface dose—and compensators for electron or proton beams that accommodate anatomical irregularities. Beyond dose-shaping, 3D-printed anthropomorphic phantoms and quality-assurance tools facilitate rigorous end-to-end testing of treatment planning systems and delivery platforms. Advances in printer resolution, biocompatible and radiologically attenuating materials, and integration with Monte Carlo dose calculations have driven rapid uptake. Globally, these innovations promise to enhance treatment accuracy, workflow efficiency and accessibility, particularly in centres facing budgetary or logistical constraints.

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Three-Dimensional Printing in Radiotherapy Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in three-dimensional printing in radiotherapy applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Bolus: A patient-specific layer of material placed on the skin to modulate build-up and surface dose in photon and electron radiotherapy.

Phantom: A physical or anatomical model used to simulate tissue response for imaging or dosimetry verification.

Fused deposition modelling (FDM): An additive manufacturing process in which thermoplastic filament is extruded layer by layer to build a 3D object.

Select laser sintering (SLS): A powder-bed fusion technique where a laser selectively fuses powdered material to form solid structures.

Hounsfield unit (HU): A quantitative scale for radiodensity in computed tomography, critical for material characterisation in treatment planning.

References

1. Use of 3D printers to create a patient‐specific 3D bolus for external beam therapy. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics (2015).
2. Potential of 3D printing technologies for fabrication of electron bolus and proton compensators. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics (2015).
3. A Patient-Specific Polylactic Acid Bolus Made by a 3D Printer for Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy. PLOS ONE (2016).