An experimental determination of the energy correction factor for alanine/paraffin pellets in the 192Ir spectrum at varying distances from the source is presented. Alanine dosimeters were irradiated in water under full scatter conditions with a high dose rate (HDR) 192Ir source (Flexisource), using a dedicated holder. Up to six line sources (catheters) fit in a regular pattern at fixed radial d...

background: the purpose of this project was to derive the brachytherapy dosimetric functions described by american association of physicists in medicine (aapm) tg-43 u1 based on high dose rate 192i sources. materials and methods: the method utilized included both simulation of the designed polymethyl methacrylate (pmma) phantom using the monte carlo of mcnp4c and benchmarking of the simulation ...

The routine quality assurance (QA) procedure for a high-dose-rate (HDR) 192Ir radioactive source is an important task to provide appropriate brachytherapy. Traditionally, it has been difficult to obtain good quality images using the 192Ir source due to irradiation from the high-energy gamma rays. However, a direct-conversion flat-panel detector (d-FPD) has made it possible to confirm the locali...

Purpose To perform a comparative study of heterogeneities and finite patient dimension effects in 60Co and 192Ir high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Material and methods Clinically equivalent plans were prepared for 19 cases (8 breast, 5 esophagus, 6 gynecologic) using the Ir2.A85-2 and the Co0.A86 HDR sources, with a TG-43 based treatment planning system (TPS). Phase space files were obtaine...

BACKGROUND Several clinical trials indicate that intracoronary radiation is safe and effective for treatment of restenotic coronary arteries. We previously reported 6-month and 3-year clinical and angiographic follow-up demonstrating significant decreases in target lesion revascularization (TLR) and angiographic restenosis after gamma radiation of restenotic lesions. The objective of this study...

BACKGROUND Although early trials indicate the treatment of restenosis with radiation therapy is safe and effective, the long-term impact of this new technology has been questioned. The possibility of late untoward consequences, such as aneurysm formation, perforation, and accelerated vascular disease, is of significant concern. Furthermore, it is not known whether the beneficial effects of radi...

PURPOSE Recently a number of hypothetical sources have been proposed and evaluated for use in brachytherapy. In the present study, a hypothetical (101)Rh source with mean photon energy of 121.5 keV and half-life of 3.3 years, has been evaluated as an alternative to the existing high-dose-rate (HDR) sources. Dosimetric characteristics of this source model have been determined following the recom...

High dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) using 192Ir sources is well accepted as an important treatment option and thus requires an accurate dosimetry standard. However, a dosimetry standard for the direct measurement of the absolute dose to water for this particular source type is currently not available. An improved standard for the absorbed dose to water based on Fricke dosimetry of HDR 192Ir brac...

PURPOSE To investigate beam quality correction, KQQ0 (r) and phantom scatter correction, Kphan (r) for lithium formate dosimeter as a function of distance r along the transverse axis of the high-energy brachytherapy sources 60Co, 137Cs, 192Ir and 169Yb using the Monte Carlo-based EGSnrc code system. MATERIALS AND METHODS The brachytherapy sources investigated in this study are BEBIG High Dose...