Radiotherapy in benign orbital disease. II: Ophthalmic Graves' disease and orbital histiocytosis X.

Ophthalmic Graves' disease and histiocytosis X involving the orbit are occasionally refractory to treatment, so that vision may be threatened. In these situations megavoltage external beam radiotherapy should be employed, and the indications for this treatment are discussed. A highly accurate technique is described, using precise planning with information obtained from high definition CT scans, a complete patient head shell for immobilisation, and modern megavoltage radiotherapy treatment machines. As a result the dose to the lens is minimised (to a maximum of 10% of the prescribed dose), and late morbidity will be small. Two cases are described to illustrate this procedure and the response to treatment.