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This information is about the process of making a radiotherapy mask. Perspex and plastic masks are often used when radiotherapy is given to the brain, or the head and neck area. It may be helpful to read this with our information on brain tumours or head and neck cancer, as well as our information on radiotherapy. You may also want to discuss it with a nurse or doctor involved in your treatment.
Radiotherapy is the use of x-rays (and other rays) to treat cancer. Radiotherapy has to be aimed very precisely to make sure that exactly the right area of the body is treated each time.
It is important that a person having radiotherapy lies still for a few minutes while the treatment is in progress. However, when radiotherapy is given to treat tumours of the head and neck area or brain tumours, it is even more important to be as still as possible. This is because even a tiny movement could effect how well the radiotherapy works.
To help with this, a radiotherapy mask (which is sometimes called a mould, a head shell or a cast) is made to be worn during the treatment. The mask is fixed to the radiotherapy treatment table. This ensures that your head and neck are held in exactly the right position for the treatment. Wearing a mask reduces the possibility of any movement whilst the radiotherapy is given. The mask is only worn during the treatment planning procedures and during the treatment itself, ie, for only a few minutes at a time each day. You will not have to wear the mask at any other time.
The mask is made in the mould room of the radiotherapy department by a mould technician or radiographer. The process of making the mask can vary slightly between hospitals and usually takes around 30 minutes. One technique uses wet plaster bandages and the finished mask is made of perspex. The other technique uses a type of mesh plastic, which is moulded to fit the shape of your face.
If you are having a perspex mask you may be given a swimming cap or some other covering to wear, to protect your hair from the mould mixture.
Firstly, the mould technician will apply a cool cream or gel onto your face. Then, they will put strips of plaster of paris bandage on top of this. You will still be able to breathe, as holes are left around your nose and mouth.
Plaster of paris gets warm while it is setting. This is normal and may make the process uncomfortable. Do not worry: it will not burn you. Once the plaster of paris has set (which will take about five minutes) the mould is taken off. A perspex mask is then made from this mould.
This technique uses a special kind of plastic. The plastic is heated in warm water so that it becomes soft and pliable.
It is put onto your face so that the plastic gently moulds to fit your face exactly. It feels a little like having a warm flannel put onto your face. You can still breathe easily, as the plastic will not cover your nose or mouth.
Once the mesh has moulded and become hard (which takes a few minutes) the mask is taken off. It is then ready to be used when you have your treatment.
Once the mask is ready, you might need to visit the mould room again so that adjustments can be made to position the mask correctly on the radiotherapy treatment table.
You may also have your treatment planned during this visit. Treatment planning ensures that the radiotherapy is aimed very precisely at the cancer. You may be positioned on a machine called a simulator (which helps the radiographer to work out the exact position you need to be in). Sometimes scans or x-rays are necessary to help with planning. The doctor or radiographer may make a few ink marks on the mask; this makes it easier to position you correctly each time you come in for treatment. Radiotherapy planning can take more than one visit.
When you have the radiotherapy you will be lying down on a table below the radiotherapy machine. The mask is placed on your face and fixed to the table so that your head doesn’t move while the radiotherapy is being given. Treatment usually takes only a few minutes and is not painful. The staff will be close by to answer any questions that you may have.
This section has been compiled using information from a number of reliable sources including:
For further references, please see the general bibliography.
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