title: Heading in the right direction? An innovative approach toward proper patient head positioning.
abstract: An in-house-manufactured modification of the standard A-F foam rubber head-neck supports (aka. Timo Supports) was designed to eliminate clinical setup problems with head immobilization and instability during treatment, thus providing for a more comfortable head rest for the patient. The custom design of this head holder seeks to eliminate superior-to-inferior shift, and minimize the lateral right-to-left rotational movement of the head when coupled with an AquaPlast casting system. By focusing attention to the seating of the occipital portion of the head and contour of the patient's neck, the aforementioned problems of movement were addressed, while adhering to the interests of patient comfort in this modified head support system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Therapy, Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Grush
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Steffen
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006257:Head; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*