Calibration coefficient of reference brachytherapy ionization chamber using analytical and Monte Carlo methods

A cylindrical graphite ionization chamber of sensitive volume 1002.4 cm³ was designed and fabricated at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for use as a reference dosimeter to measure the strength of high dose rate (HDR) ¹⁹²Ir brachytherapy sources. The air kerma calibration coefficient (N_K) of this ionization chamber was estimated analytically using Burlin general cavity theory and by the Monte Carlo method. In the analytical method, calibration coefficients were calculated for each spectral line of an HDR ¹⁹²Ir source and the weighted mean was taken as N_K. In the Monte Carlo method, the geometry of the measurement setup and physics related input data of the HDR ¹⁹²Ir source and the surrounding material were simulated using the Monte Carlo N-particle code. The total photon energy fluence was used to arrive at the reference air kerma rate (RAKR) using mass energy absorption coefficients. The energy deposition rates were used to simulate the value of charge rate in the ionization chamber and N_K was determined. The Monte Carlo calculated N_K agreed within 1.77 % of that obtained using the analytical method. The experimentally determined RAKR of HDR ¹⁹²Ir sources, using this reference ionization chamber by applying the analytically estimated N_K, was found to be in agreement with the vendor quoted RAKR within 1.43%.     

蒙特卡罗方法计算后装192Ir源散射校正因子研究

目的 研究一种方便、可行地推算医用后装192Ir源空气比释动能散射校正因子的方法,便于医院用指形电离室进行活度测量的QA工作的开展.方法 用指形电离室测量有铅挡块和无铅挡块192Ir源空气比释动能,根据国际原子能机构(IAEA)1079号报告,计算192Ir源散射校正因子.用蒙特卡罗(MC)方法模拟测量条件,计算192Ir源散射校正因子,并与实验结果进行比较验证,同时模拟几种不同电离室型号和房间尺寸,计算并给出不同192Ir源散射校正因子.结果 蒙特卡罗方法模拟192Ir源散射校正因子与实验测得的散射校正因子比较,相对误差为0.8%.利用蒙卡计算得散射校正因子推算出的源活度和用井型电离室测量推算出的源活度相差2.4%.MC模拟IAEA1079号报告中的两种球形电离室计算结果与报告中给出的结果比较,相对误差范围在0.3%～0.4%.模拟5种不同型号指形电离室,不同房间尺寸,相对误差范围在3%之内.结论 用蒙卡方法模拟计算后装192Ir源散射校正因子的方法是可行的,此方法方便了医院用指形电离室进行近距离治疗QA工作的开展.

Abstract：

Objective To facilitate activity measurement by using the thimble ionization chamber in hospitals,to obtain air kerma scatter correction factor of medical afterloading of 192Ir source by developing an available and convenient calculation method.Methods According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 1079 Report to calculate the scatter correction factor of 192 Ir source,to measure air kenna of 192Ir source with and without lead shield using thimble ionization chamber.Simulation measurement conditions were used to calculate scatter correction factor of 192Ir source and comparison was made between experimental results and literature records.At the same time,the different ionization chamber models were simulated at different room sizes to obtain scattering correction factor of 192 Ir source.ResultsComparison was made between the simulation scatter correction factors of 192Ir source and experiment by the shadow shield,and the relative deviation was 0.8%.The deviation of the 192 Ir activity calculated according to the simulated scatter correction factor and measured by well type ionization chamber was 2.4%.By comparison between the calculated results by using two kinds of spherical ionization chamber and those ones deduced by IAEA 1079 Report,the relative deviations ranged within 0.3%-0.4%.Five different types of thimble ionization chamber and different room sizes were simulated and calculated by MC simulation,with the relative deviation within 3%.Conclusions Monte Carlo simulation method for calculating afterloading 192 Ir source's scatter correction factor is feasible,and this method is convenient for use in the thimble chamber for brachytherapy QA work in the hospital.     

Comparison of high-dose-rate 192Ir source strength measurements using equipment with traceability to different standards

PurposeAccording to the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group No. 43 (TG-43) formalism used for dose calculation in brachytherapy treatment planning systems, the absolute level of absorbed dose is determined through coupling with the measurable quantity air-kerma strength or the numerically equal reference air-kerma rate (RAKR). Traceability to established standards is important for accurate dosimetry in laying the ground for reliable comparisons of results and safety in adoption of new treatment protocols. The purpose of this work was to compare the source strength for a high-dose rate (HDR) ¹⁹²Ir source as measured using equipment traceable to different standard laboratories in Europe and the United States.Methods and MaterialsSource strength was determined for one HDR ¹⁹²Ir source using four independent systems, all with traceability to different primary or interim standards in the United States and Europe.ResultsThe measured HDR ¹⁹²Ir source strengths varied by 0.8% and differed on average from the vendor value by 0.3%. Measurements with the well chambers were 0.5% ± 0.1% higher than the vendor-provided source strength. Measurements with the Farmer chamber were 0.7% lower than the average well chamber results and 0.2% lower than the vendor-provided source strength. All of these results were less than the reported source calibration uncertainties (k = 2) of each measurement system.ConclusionsIn view of the uncertainties in ion chamber calibration factors, the maximum difference in source strength found in this study is small and confirms the consistency between calibration standards in use for HDR ¹⁹²Ir brachytherapy.     

Dosimetry errors in endovascular high-dose-rate brachytherapy

Monte Carlo data were used to demonstrate the dosimetry of the microSelectron high-dose-rate (HDR) iridium 192 (¹⁹²Ir) stepping source. These data were used to assess the accuracy of the Nucletron brachytherapy planning system (BPS version 13) for peripheral vessel endovascular brachytherapy. Dose rates from the high-dose-rate (HDR) source are calculated using the Monte Carlo code MCNP4A. Calculations are made at 0.25-cm intervals in the longitudinal direction on sleeves of radii of 1 and 0.25 cm. The Monte Carlo data are summed and weighted to simulate the longitudinal dose distribution at a distance of 1 and 0.25 cm from an ¹⁹²Ir source stepping through a straight pathway. A comparison is made between the simulated Monte Carlo dosimetry and the Nucletron brachytherapy planning system’s dosimetry. This study illustrates and quantifies the dosimetric errors at small distances associated with a point source dose calculation algorithm. The effects of step size, dwell time optimization, and active length on the accuracy of BPS v.13 for HDR endovascular brachytherapy are demonstrated.     

瓦里安高剂量率铱源剂量学参数的蒙特卡罗模拟研究

目的 采用美国医学物理师学会（AAPM）和欧洲放射治疗和肿瘤学会（ESTRO）推荐的蒙特卡罗方法对瓦里安GammaMed Plus HDR ¹⁹²Ir源的剂量学参数进行模拟研究。方法 基于EGSnrc蒙特卡罗软件,建立该型号¹⁹²Ir源精确的计算模型。采用公式推导、双线性插值及单位转换等方法,分别得到了单位活度空气比释动能强度、剂量率常数、径向剂量函数以及各向异性函数,并将结果与文献报道数据进行分析比较。结果 研究得到的单位活度空气比释动能强度为9.781×10^-8 U/Bq,剂量率参数为1.113 cGy·h^-1·U^-1,与文献报道的相差在0.4%以内。本研究的径向剂量函数、各向异性函数与文献数据能较好吻合。结论 基于EGSnrc蒙特卡罗软件能对¹⁹²Ir源剂量学特性进行定量研究,这将为进一步研究后装剂量分布,精确评价临床放疗剂量提供理论依据。     

192Ir γ射线球形石墨空腔电离室室壁修正系数的模拟计算

目的 研究¹⁹²Ir放射源参考空气比释动能率基准电离室(NIM-Ir-SG-100型)的室壁修正系数。方法 利用蒙特卡罗程序计算经过放射源包壳和辐照器模型的光子光谱和电离室室壁修正系数,并对影响室壁修正系数结果的光子能量、壁厚和电离室内径进行了模拟。结果 经计算,球形石墨空腔电离室室壁修正系数模拟结果为1.037 7。控制单一变量,光子能量(0.3~1.3) MeV、壁厚(0.2~0.5) cm、电离室内径(0.5~15) cm对室壁修正系数结果的最大偏差分别为1.62%、3.30%、2.86%。结论 自制球形石墨空腔电离室性能良好,室壁修正系数k_wall值在合理范围内。室壁修正系数的完成为测量¹⁹²Ir放射源的参考空气比释动能率,建立计量基准完成重要的一步。     

Advanced design,simulation, and dosimetry of a novel rectal applicator for contact brachytherapy with a conventional HDR 192Ir source

PurposeDose escalation yields higher complete response to rectal tumors, which may enable the omission of surgery. Dose escalation using 50 kVp contact x-ray brachytherapy (CXB) allow the treatment of a selective volume, resulting in low toxicity and organs-at-risk preservation. However, the use of CXB devices is limited because of its high cost and lack of treatment planning tools. Hence, the MAASTRO applicator (for HDR ¹⁹²Ir sources) was developed and characterized by measurements and Monte Carlo simulations to be a cost-effective alternative to CXB devices.Methods and MaterialsA cylindrical applicator with lateral shielding was designed to be used with a rectoscope using its tip as treatment surface. Both the applicator and the rectoscope have a slanted edge to potentially allow easier placement against tumors. The applicator design was achieved by Monte Carlo modeling and validated experimentally with film dosimetry, using the Papillon 50 (P50) device as reference.ResultsThe applicator delivers CXB doses in less than 9 min using a 20375 U source for a treatment area of approximately 20 × 20 mm² at 2 mm depth. Normalized at 2 mm, the dose falloff for depths of 0 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm are 130%, 70%, and 43% for the P50 and 140%, 67%, and 38% for the MAASTRO applicator, respectively.ConclusionsThe MAASTRO applicator was designed to use HDR ¹⁹²Ir sources to deliver a dose distribution similar to those of CXB devices. The applicator may provide a cost-effective solution for endoluminal boosting with clinical treatment planning system integration.     

Comparison of high-dose rate prostate brachytherapy dose distributions with iridium-192, ytterbium-169, and thulium-170 sources

Purpose

Recent studies have identified that among different available radionuclides, the dose characteristics and shielding properties of ytterbium-169 (¹⁶⁹Yb) and thulium-170 (¹⁷⁰Tm) may suit high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy needs. The purpose of this work was to compare clinically optimized dose distributions using proposed ¹⁶⁹Yb and ¹⁷⁰Tm HDR sources with the clinical dose distribution from a standard microSelectron V2 HDR iridium-192 (¹⁹²Ir) brachytherapy source (Nucletron B.V., Veenendaal, The Netherlands).

Methods and materials

CT-based treatment plans of 10 patients having prostate volumes ranging from 17 to 92 cm³ were studied retrospectively. Clinical treatment of these patients involved 16 catheters and a microSelectron V2 HDR ¹⁹²Ir source. All dose plans were generated with inverse planning simulated annealing optimization algorithm. Dose objectives used for the ¹⁹²Ir radionuclide source were used for the other two radionuclides. The dose objective parameters were adjusted to obtain the same clinical target (prostate) volume coverage as the original ¹⁹²Ir radionuclide plan. A complete set of dosimetric indices was used to compare the plans from different radionuclides. A pairwise statistical analysis was also performed.

Results and conclusions

All the dose distributions optimized with specific ¹⁹²Ir, ¹⁶⁹Yb, and ¹⁷⁰Tm sources satisfied the standard clinical criteria for HDR prostate implants, such as those for the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group clinical trial 0321, for combined HDR and external beam treatment for prostate adenocarcinoma. For equivalent clinical target volume dose coverage, the specific ¹⁶⁹Yb and ¹⁷⁰Tm sources resulted in a statistically significant dose reduction to organs at risk compared with microSelectron V2 HDR ¹⁹²Ir source. This study indicates that a ¹⁷⁰Tm or ¹⁶⁹Yb radionuclide source may be an alternative to the ¹⁹²Ir radionuclide sources in HDR brachytherapy.     

Characterization and use of a 2D-array of ion chambers for brachytherapy dosimetric quality assurance

The two-dimensional (2D) ionization chamber array MatriXX Evolution is one of the 2D ionization chamber arrays developed by IBA Dosimetry (IBA Dosimetry, Germany) for megavoltage real-time absolute 2D dosimetry and verification of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The purpose of this study was to (1) evaluate the performance of ion chamber array for submegavoltage range brachytherapy beam dose verification and quality assurance (QA) and (2) use the end-to-end dosimetric evaluation that mimics a patient treatment procedure and confirm the primary source strength calibration agrees in both the treatment planning system (TPS) and treatment delivery console computers. The dose linearity and energy dependence of the 2D ion chamber array was studied using kilovoltage X-ray beams (100, 180 and 300 kVp). The detector calibration factor was determined using 300 kVp X-ray beams so that we can use the same calibration factor for dosimetric verification of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. The phantom used for this measurement consists of multiple catheters, the IBA MatriXX detector, and water-equivalent slab of RW3 to provide full scattering conditions. The treatment planning system (TPS) (Oncentra brachy version 3.3, Nucletron BV, Veenendaal, the Netherlands) dose distribution was calculated on the computed tomography (CT) scan of this phantom. The measured and TPS calculated distributions were compared in IBA Dosimetry OmniPro-I‘mRT software. The quality of agreement was quantified by the gamma (γ) index (with 3% delta dose and distance criterion of 2 mm) for 9 sets of plans. Using a dedicated phantom capable of receiving 5 brachytherapy intralumenal catheters a QA procedure was developed for end-to-end dosimetric evaluation for routine QA checks. The 2D ion chamber array dose dependence was found to be linear for 100–300 kVp and the detector response (k_user) showed strong energy dependence for 100–300 kVp energy range. For the Ir-192 brachytherapy HDR source, dosimetric evaluation k_user factor determined by photon beam of energy of 300 kVp was used. The maximum mean difference between ion chamber array measured and TPS calculated was 3.7%. Comparisons of dose distribution for different test plans have shown agreement with >94.5% for γ ≤1. Dosimetric QA can be performed with the 2D ion chamber array to confirm primary source strength calibration is properly updated in both the TPS and treatment delivery console computers. The MatriXX Evolution ionization chamber array has been found to be reliable for measurement of both absolute dose and relative dose distributions for the Ir-192 brachytherapy HDR source.     

后装治疗源192 Ir空气比释动能强度检测 与评价

目的 研究用井型电离室测量后装192Ir源空气比释动能强度的方法.方法 用CDX-2000A静电计和HDR 1000井型电离室,现场检测30台后装192Ir源空气比释动能强度,根据源外观活度与空气比释动能强度转换系数,计算源外观活度.用实测源活度与厂家给出的初始源活度比较,相对偏差应在±5%内符合要求.结果 对所有检测的30台后装192Ir源活度与厂家初始源活度比较,相对偏差在-0.1%～4.4%范围内.结论 井型电离室测量法简便,准确度高,在医院可用于质量控制检测.

Abstract：

Objective To study the method of measuring air kerma strength of afterloading units with 192Ir source by using well type ionization chamber.MethodsThe air kerma strength of 30 afterloading units with 192Ir source was measured using 2000A electrometer and 1000 plus well type ionization chamber,and apparent activity of the source was calculated with the air kerma strength and apparent activity conversion factor.The measured activity of the source was compared with the original value of the source provided by the manufacturer,and the relevant deviation should be within ± 5%.Results Theair kerma strength of afterloding units with 192Ir sources was tested.The relevant deviation of the measured activity and the original value was within -0.1%-4.4%.Conclusions The measurement method with a well type ionization chamber is convenient and highly accurate which can be used for the test of quality control in hospitals.     

Consistency of vendor-specified activity values for 192Ir brachytherapy sources

A long-term comparison was done between the manufacturer-stated ¹⁹²Ir activity and the measured ¹⁹²Ir activities determined with a well-type ionization chamber. Sources for a Nucletron Micro Selectron high-dose-rate (HDR) unit were used for this purpose. The radioactive sources reference activities were determined using a PTW well-type ionization chamber traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Primary Calibration Laboratory. The measurements were taken in a period of 56 months with 17 different radioactive sources. The manufacturer stated activities were taken from the source calibration certificate provided by the manufacturer. These values were compared with the measured activities. The results have shown that both the percentage deviation of the monthly control measurements with the well-type chamber and the ratio between the measured activities to the manufacturer-stated value lie within ± 2.5%. These results were compared with similar published data and with uncertainty level (3% of the mean and 5% maximum deviation from mean) for brachytherapy sources calibration recommended by the AAPM. It was concluded that a threshold level of ±2.5% can be used as a suitable quality assurance indicator to spot problems in our department. The typical ±5% uncertainty as provided by the manufacturers may be tightened to ±3% to be more in line with published AAPM reports.     

Current state of the art brachytherapy treatment planning dosimetry algorithms

Following literature contributions delineating the deficiencies introduced by the approximations of conventional brachytherapy dosimetry, different model-based dosimetry algorithms have been incorporated into commercial systems for ¹⁹²Ir brachytherapy treatment planning. The calculation settings of these algorithms are pre-configured according to criteria established by their developers for optimizing computation speed vs accuracy. Their clinical use is hence straightforward. A basic understanding of these algorithms and their limitations is essential, however, for commissioning; detecting differences from conventional algorithms; explaining their origin; assessing their impact; and maintaining global uniformity of clinical practice.Conventional, Task Group (TG)43-based¹ dosimetry marked an improvement over prior dose calculation formalisms for brachytherapy treatment planning by advocating the use of a source strength quantity traceable to international standards, the introduction of two-dimensional (2D) source anisotropy, and global uniformity in source characterization as well as clinical dosimetry practice. In the past decade, brachytherapy has progressed from the traditional surgical paradigm to modern three-dimensional (3D) image-based treatment planning systems (TPSs) and dose delivery. The information available through patient imaging, however, had not been fully exploited since TG43-based dosimetry relies on source-specific data pre-calculated in a standard homogeneous water geometry.^1–3 Hence, it disregards patient-specific radiation scatter conditions and the radiological differences of tissue or applicator materials from water.In response to literature on the effect of these shortcomings, which has been reviewed in several recent publications,^4–7 TPSs have become commercially available that include improved dosimetry algorithms, collectively referred to as model-based dosimetry algorithms (MBDCAs). At the time of writing, these include a deterministic solver of the linear Boltzmann transport equation (LBTE)^8–10 and a collapsed cone superposition (CCS) algorithm^11–17 for ¹⁹²Ir high-dose-rate (HDR) applications.This work reviews the basic features of these algorithms and their clinical implementation and presents illustrative results of their performance. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is also briefly discussed since, besides being a candidate MBDCA for clinical implementation, it is used for obtaining input data for MBDCAs, as well as for their testing.     

国产血管内~(192)Ir线源的放射剂量测定

目的　对国产血管内192 Ir线源的剂量分布进行评价 ,为动物实验和临床应用提供依据。方法　采用KodakX omatV慢感光胶片 ,从平行和垂直于放射源长轴方向进行测量 ,径向测量时间为 2 5、45、6 5和 82s ,轴向测定时间为 2 5s,同时进行标准剂量的标定 ,通过胶片自动分析测量系统分析剂量分布和吸收剂量。参考AAPMTGNo.6 0报告 ,采用MonteCarlo方法对放射源的辐射剂量进行理论计算 ,同时与采用AAPMTGNo.43报告计算方法进行比较。结果　国产血管内192 Ir线源具有良好的剂量分布。AAPMTGNo .43报告计算方法比MonteCarlo方法高估 32 %的辐射剂量。结论国产192 Ir线源作为血管内放射源是可行的 ,采用慢感光胶片测定放射源的剂量分布是一种有效手段。     

Comparison of 3D dose distributions for HDR 192Ir brachytherapy sources with normoxic polymer gel dosimetry and treatment planning system

Radiation fluence changes caused by the dosimeter itself and poor spatial resolution may lead to lack of 3-dimensional (3D) information depending on the features of the dosimeter and quality assurance of dose distributions for high–dose rate (HDR) iridium-192 (¹⁹²Ir) brachytherapy sources is challenging and experimental dosimetry methods used for brachytherapy sources are limited. In this study, we investigated 3D dose distributions of ¹⁹²Ir brachytherapy sources for irradiation with single and multiple dwell positions using a normoxic gel dosimeter and compared them with treatment planning system (TPS) calculations. For dose calibration purposes, 100-mL gel-containing vials were irradiated at predefined doses and then scanned in an magnetic resonance (MR) imaging unit. Gel phantoms prepared in 2 spherical glasses were irradiated with ¹⁹²Ir for the calculated dwell positions, and MR scans of the phantoms were obtained. The images were analyzed with MATLAB software. Dose distributions and profiles derived with 1-mm resolution were compared with TPS calculations. Linearity was observed between the delivered dose and the reciprocal of the T2 relaxation time constant of the gel. The x-, y-, and z-axes were defined as the sagittal, coronal, and axial planes, respectively, the sagittal and axial planes were defined parallel to the long axis of the source while the coronal plane was defined horizontally to the long axis of the source. The differences between measured and calculated profile widths of 3-cm source length and point source for 70%, 50%, and 30% isodose lines were evaluated at 3 dose levels using 18 profiles of comparison. The calculations for 3-cm source length revealed a difference of > 3 mm in 1 coordinate at 50% profile width on the sagittal plane and 3 coordinates at 70% profile width and 2 coordinates at 50% and 30% profile widths on the axial plane. Calculations on the coronal plane for 3-cm source length showed > 3-mm difference in 1 coordinate at 50% and 70% and 2 coordinates at 30% profile widths. The point source measurements and calculations for 50% profile widths revealed a difference > 3 mm in 1 coordinate on the sagittal plane and 2 coordinates on the axial plane. The doses of 3 coordinates on the sagittal plane and 4 coordinates on the axial plane could not be evaluated in 30% profile width because of low doses. There was good agreement between the gel dosimetry and TPS results. Gel dosimetry provides dose distributions in all 3 planes at the same time, which enables us to define the dose distributions in any plane with high resolution. It can be used to obtain 3D dose distributions for HDR ¹⁹²Ir brachytherapy sources and 3D dose verification of TPS.     

A quantitative three-dimensional dose attenuation analysis around Fletcher-Suit-Delclos due to stainless steel tube for high-dose-rate brachytherapy by Monte Carlo calculations

PurposeThe commercially available brachytherapy treatment-planning systems today, usually neglects the attenuation effect from stainless steel (SS) tube when Fletcher-Suit-Delclos (FSD) is used in treatment of cervical and endometrial cancers. This could lead to potential inaccuracies in computing dwell times and dose distribution. A more accurate analysis quantifying the level of attenuation for high-dose-rate (HDR) iridium 192 radionuclide (¹⁹²Ir) source is presented through Monte Carlo simulation verified by measurement.Methods and MaterialsIn this investigation a general Monte Carlo N-Particles (MCNP) transport code was used to construct a typical geometry of FSD through simulation and compare the doses delivered to point A in Manchester System with and without the SS tubing. A quantitative assessment of inaccuracies in delivered dose vs. the computed dose is presented. In addition, this investigation expanded to examine the attenuation-corrected radial and anisotropy dose functions in a form parallel to the updated AAPM Task Group No. 43 Report (AAPM TG-43) formalism. This will delineate quantitatively the inaccuracies in dose distributions in three-dimensional space. The changes in dose deposition and distribution caused by increased attenuation coefficient resulted from presence of SS are quantified using MCNP Monte Carlo simulations in coupled photon/electron transport. The source geometry was that of the Vari Source wire model VS2000. The FSD was that of the Varian medical system. In this model, the bending angles of tandem and colpostats are 15° and 120°, respectively. We assigned 10 dwell positions to the tandem and 4 dwell positions to right and left colpostats or ovoids to represent a typical treatment case. Typical dose delivered to point A was determined according to Manchester dosimetry system.Results and ConclusionsBased on our computations, the reduction of dose to point A was shown to be at least 3%. So this effect presented by SS–FSD systems on patient dose is of concern.     

Study of scattered radiation for in-air calibration by a multiple-distance method using ionization chambers and an HDR 192Ir brachytherapy source

The aim of this study is to estimate the room-scatter correction when measuring air kerma rate of an HDR 192Ir brachytherapy source by in-air calibration. The variation in scattered radiation due to the specially designed jig and from the room walls was also studied. Two therapy ion chambers of volume 0.1 cm3 and 0.6 cm3 were used in the present study. Air kerma was measured by placing the source at several distances between 10 cm and 20 cm from the chamber. The scatter radiation was determined by superimposing the theoretically derived model curve of known scatter (based on the inverse square law) over the plot of measured air kerma strength values. The scatter radiation was estimated in terms of percentage of the primary radiation at 10 cm measurement distance. The scatter estimated by the 0.6 cm3 chamber at two positions was 0.33% and 0.59%, respectively. Similarly the scatter estimated at two other positions by the 0.1 cm3 chamber was 0.58% and 1.11%. This variation in scatter with position as well as with the chamber was due to the varying scatter contribution from components of the measurement set-up. The scatter radiation becomes constant at a distance greater than 100 cm from the walls of the room. We conclude that a fixed chamber with changing source positions should be used in multiple-distance measurement of air kerma rate when using a measurement jig.     

American Brachytherapy Society–Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie–European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ABS-GEC-ESTRO) consensus statement for penile brachytherapy

PurposeTo develop a consensus statement between the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) and Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie/European Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (GEC-ESTRO) for the use of brachytherapy in the primary management of carcinoma of the penis.Methods and MaterialsThe American Brachytherapy Society and Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie/European Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology convened a group of expert practitioners and physicists to develop a statement for the use of ¹⁹²Ir in low-dose-rate (LDR), pulse-dose-rate, and high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for penile cancer.ResultsDecades of brachytherapy experience with LDR ¹⁹²Ir wire and pulse-dose-rate ¹⁹²Ir sources for this rare malignancy indicate a penile preservation rate of 70% at 10 years postimplant. Chief morbidities remain stenosis of the urethral meatus and soft tissue ulceration at the primary site. Nonhealing ulceration can be successfully managed with various measures including hyperbaric oxygen treatment. HDR brachytherapy implant procedures are technically similar to LDR. The optimal HDR dose and fractionation schemes are being developed.ConclusionsThe good tumor control rates, acceptable morbidity, and functional organ preservation warrant recommendation of brachytherapy as the initial treatment for invasive T1, T2, and selected T3 penile cancers.     

A novel rectal applicator for contact radiotherapy with HDR 192Ir sources

PurposeDose escalation to rectal tumors leads to higher complete response rates and may thereby enable omission of surgery. Important advantages of endoluminal boosting techniques include the possibility to apply a more selective/localized boost than using external beam radiotherapy. A novel brachytherapy (BT) rectal applicator with lateral shielding was designed to be used with a rectoscope for eye-guided positioning to deliver a dose distribution similar to the one of contact x-ray radiotherapy devices, using commonly available high-dose-rate ¹⁹²Ir BT sources.Methods and MaterialsA cylindrical multichannel BT applicator with lateral shielding was designed by Monte Carlo modeling, validated experimentally with film dosimetry and compared with results found in the literature for the Papillon 50 (P50) contact x-ray radiotherapy device regarding rectoscope dimensions, radiation beam shape, dose fall-off, and treatment time.ResultsThe multichannel applicator designed is able to deliver 30 Gy under 13 min with a 20350 U (5 Ci) source. The use of multiple channels and lateral shielding provide a uniform circular treatment surface with 22 mm in diameter. The resulting dose fall-off is slightly steeper (maximum difference of 5%) than the one generated by the P50 device with the 22 mm applicator.ConclusionsA novel multichannel rectal applicator for contact radiotherapy with high-dose-rate ¹⁹²Ir sources that can be integrated with commercially available treatment planning systems was designed to produce a dose distribution similar to the one obtained by the P50 device.     

A Monte Carlo brachytherapy study for dose distribution prediction in an inhomogeneous medium

The purpose of this study was to present a theoretical analysis of how the presence of bone in interstitial brachytherapy affects dose rate distributions. This study was carried out using a Monte Carlo simulation of the dose distribution in homogeneous medium for 3 commonly used brachytherapy seeds. The 3 seeds investigated in this study are iridium-192 (¹⁹²Ir) iodine-125 (¹²⁵I), and palladium-103 (¹⁰³Pd). The computer code was validated by comparing the specific dose rate (Λ), the radial dose function g(r), and anisotropy function F(r,θ) for all 3 seeds with the AAPM TG-43 dosimetry formalism and current literature. The ¹⁹²Ir seed resulted in a dose rate of 1.115 ± 0.001 cGy-hr⁻¹-U⁻¹, the ¹²⁵I seed resulted in a dose rate of 0.965 ± 0.006 cGy/h⁻¹/U⁻¹, and the ¹⁰³Pd seed resulted in a dose rate of 0.671 ± 0.002 cGy/h⁻¹/U⁻¹. The results for all 3 seeds are in good agreement with the AAPM TG-43 and current literature. The validated computer code was then applied to a simple inhomogeneous model to determine the effect bone has on dose distribution from an interstitial implant. The inhomogeneous model showed a decrease in dose rate of 2% for the ¹⁹²Ir, an increase in dose rate of 84% for ¹²⁵I, and an increase in dose rate of 83% for the ¹⁰³Pd at the surface of the bone nearest to the source.