[Total skin irradiation with electrons for mycosis fungoides: criteria for the choice of technique and experimental dosimetry].

The initial lesions of mycosis fungoides are confined to the skin at a depth of about 1 cm. Wide fields irradiation with low energy electron beams is therefore the treatment of choice for the first stages of the disease. The authors have analysed the various treatment techniques of total skin electron beam irradiation reported in the literature. Dosimetric and practical features are considered. The angled beams technique seems to fit better the needs of a common Radiation Therapy Department. A treatment system with six pairs of 3 MeV electron beams is described and preliminary dosimetric measurements of a similar system that employs 6 MeV electrons are reported.