Cochlear Implant Obstruction in Radiation Oncology

Cochlear Implant Obstruction in Radiation Oncology

Purpose: Concerns exist as to the impact on therapeutic radiation when dense implantable cochlear implants are kept in the field during treatment. With cochlear implant hearing assist devices increasing in clinical demand, more are discovered present in cancer patients. The effect on the electronics and operation of the cochlear implant was not intended to be addressed here. This research was designed to specifically investigate the magnitude of change exhibited in a radiation beam when a cochlear device remains implanted during delivery. Considered here are typical therapeutic x-ray beams of 6 and 18 MV as well as electron beams of 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV directly aimed through 3 common cochlear implant Models from MED-EL: Sonata, Concerto and Pulsar.

Methods: It was the aim of this research to determine how the radiation dose is changed around the cochlear device when placed in a phantom environment. Radiation detectors including diode arrays, film and ionization chambers were positioned to measure the change in dose delivery with and without the cochlear implant present, thus giving rise to attenuation and scatter results.