Subject(s)
Brachytherapy/adverse effects , Prostatic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Aged , Brachytherapy/methods , Disease Progression , Humans , Iodine Radioisotopes/adverse effects , Iodine Radioisotopes/therapeutic use , Male , Morbidity , Neoplasm Staging , Patient Selection , Perineum , Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Survival Analysis , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The final stage in the production of a radiotherapy treatment plan must always be an independent check that the linear accelerator settings given on the plan do in fact deliver the required dose distribution. A tool is described that enables rapid checking of diaphragm settings in relation to the patient.
Subject(s)
Particle Accelerators , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Humans , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methodsABSTRACT
Failure of conventional treatment to cure malignant gliomas has stimulated interest in various forms of brachytherapy. We describe a new method of using intracranial radiation utilizing a remotely-controlled afterloading system with a modified endotracheal tube as the applicator. The system used is the Selectron LDM/MDR (Nucleotron) which is a sophisticated machine widely available at radiotherapy centres and primarily used to treat gynaecological malignancies. It uses Caesium-137 in the form of spherical pellets in a linear source train within a sealed system. The applicator is implanted at the time of surgical resection. The inflated balloon stabilises the applicator and allows a suitable dose distribution at a distance from the source train to be achieved. Details of the implantation and radiation procedures as well as the dosimetry calculation are presented. The advantages are simplicity of use, the elimination of radiation risk to personnel and the combination of cytoreduction and applicator implantation in one surgical procedure.
