ABSTRACT
A new brachytherapy source having 103Pd adsorbed onto silver beads has been designed. The dose distributions of this source have been characterized using version 5 of the MCNP Monte Carlo radiation transport code available from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These results are presented in terms of the updated AAPM Task Group No. 43 (TG-43U1) formalism, dosimetry parameters, and recommended calculation methodology.
Subject(s)
Brachytherapy/methods , Brachytherapy/standards , Monte Carlo Method , Palladium/analysis , Palladium/therapeutic use , Radiometry/methods , Radiometry/standards , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methods , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/standards , Body Burden , Brachytherapy/instrumentation , Computer Simulation , Equipment Failure Analysis/methods , Equipment Failure Analysis/standards , Humans , Models, Biological , Palladium/standards , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Radioisotopes/analysis , Radioisotopes/standards , Radioisotopes/therapeutic use , Radiopharmaceuticals/analysis , Radiopharmaceuticals/standards , Radiopharmaceuticals/therapeutic use , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Reference Standards , Relative Biological Effectiveness , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , United StatesABSTRACT
A cost analysis to compare high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy using either californium-252 (252Cf) or 192Ir was performed to determine the prospects of widespread clinical implementation of HDR 252Cf. Interest in the neutron-emitting 252Cf radioisotope as a radiotherapy nuclide has undergone a resurgence given recent efforts to fabricate HDR remotely afterloaded sources, and other efforts to create a miniature source for improved accessibility to a variety of anatomic sites. Therefore, HDR 252Cf brachytherapy may prove to be a potential rival to the use of HDR 192Ir remotely afterloaded brachytherapy--the current standard-of-care treatment modality using HDR brachytherapy. Considering the possible improvements in clinical efficacy using HDR 252Cf brachytherapy and the enormous costs of other high-LET radiation sources, the cost differences between 252Cf and 192Ir may be well-justified.