What's New?
.	HPS and CRCPD Proclaim 8-14 November 2009 as National Radiation Protection Professionals Week
.	November Newsletter
.	NRC Academic Program Nuclear Education Grants, FY2010, Now Accepting Applications
.	November ORS
.	November Journal
.	EPA's STAR Graduate and GRO Undergraduate Fellowship Funding Now Accepting Applications

Upcoming Events
.	2010 HPS Midyear Topical Meeting Radiation Risk Communication to the Public 24-27 January 2010 Albuquerque, NM
.	2010 HPS Professional Development School Radiation Risk Communication: Issues and Solutions 27-29 January 2010 Albuquerque, NM

07 November 2009

Answer to Question #733 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Medical and Dental Patient Issues — Diagnostic X Ray and CT

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Can radiation be used through a fiberglass cast? For instance, after tumor removal to kill off stray cancer cells?

Yes, radiation will penetrate a fiberglass cast. However, the cast would present two challenges: (1) The fiberglass will scatter the radiation more than if the cast were not present, and this would lead to less irradiation of the target area and more radiation to the normal, noncancerous tissues and (2) The treatment-planning software that is used to shape and rotate the beam is usually not designed to account for a fiberglass cast, and thus the treatment would not be optimized. If it were necessary to treat an area beneath a fiberglass cast, it would be better to remove the cast prior to treatment. Since most radiation therapy is administered in multiple fractions, such as five times per week for five or six weeks, it would probably be desirable to use a brace that can be easily removed each time a radiation therapy session is needed rather than a fiberglass cast. Darrell Fisher

Answer posted on 19 March 2001. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.