‭Wedges are a very helpful tool that can be utilized in conformal planning.

It not only‬
‭allows for the dosimetrist to push dose to a different area or push to lower a hot spot,‬
‭but it can also be used as a compensator to match the contour of the body with the‬
‭wedge thickness. Wedges can be very helpful when two static beams are being used‬
‭very close together to push the dose out of the area of overlap as shown in figure 1 and‬
‭2. They can also be used to push dose to an area to lower a hot spot as shown in figure‬
‭3. As far as a wedge as a compensator, figure 4 shows a great example of how the‬
‭wedge can be used to match the slope of the body. The path the beam will follow will‬
‭obviously have more resistance on the anterior portion of the field, so a wedge is used‬
‭to balance out the resistance across the field. A wedge can be used as both in certain‬
‭situations. The main way a wedge can be used as both to me is a laterals only larynx‬
‭case. In this case, the wedge is being used to push the dose posterior in the neck, but it‬
‭is also acting as a compensator because the anterior portion of the neck is so much‬
‭thinner than the middle. Therefore, the wedge heel is put toward the anterior aspect of‬
‭the field to not only account for the hot spot that forms, but also to correct for the lack of‬
‭tissue that falls in this area. (Figure 5)‬

‭Figure 1‬
‭Figure 2‬

‭Figure 3‬
‭Figure 4‬

‭Figure 5‬