Gonadal Shielding

Gonadal shielding can be used to protect the testes from scatter radiation.  There are times when the testicular tissue requires radiation therapy as a part of cancer treatment and in those circumstances shielding cannot be used.  At other times the proximity of the testes to the target of radiation results in scatter radiation to the testes which can result in impaired spermatogenesis.  Testicular shielding with a single lead shield or a clamshell-like shield placed around the testes to block the radiation has been proposed, and the proper shielding technique should be carefully evaluated on a case by case basis depending on total radiation dose, fractionation, and the specific mode of delivery of the external beam therapy [4-6]