The relationship between belly board position and patient anatomy and its influence on dose-volume histogram of small bowel for postoperative radiotherapy of rectal cancer.

The influence of three different belly board (BB) positions in radiotherapy of rectal cancer on the dose-volume histogram of the small bowel (SB) were analysed for 20 patients. Placing the lower border of the BB opening near the lumbosacral junction, both the volume of SB within the pelvis and the volume of SB within all tested dose levels were lower compared to its position near the symphysis or the lumbosacral junction.