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Dosimetry for californium-252 (.sup.252Cf) neutron-emitting brachytherapy sources and encapsulation, storage, and clinical delivery thereof
| Details |
Inventors: Rivard, Mark J.;
Assignee: New England Medical Center Hospitals, Inc. (Boston, MA)
Primary Examiner: Gilbert; Samuel G.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hunter, Esq.; Shane H. Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
The present invention discloses a methodology for the characterization and determination of mixed-field dosimetry for .sup.252Cf Applicator Tube (AT)-type medical sources, utilizing ionization chambers, GM counters, and Monte Carlo methods. Unlike the previous methodologies, the present invention discloses a specification of dose to muscle, rather than dose to water, for clinical dosimetry of .sup.252Cf medical sources. A dosimetry protocol, similar to that utilized for ICRU-45, with parameters determined specifically for .sup.252Cf brachytherapy is disclosed. Neutron isodose distributions and data necessary for clinical implementation of .sup.252Cf AT sources are also disclosed herein. Additionally, novel methods for the encapsulation, storage, and delivery/implantation of .sup.252Cf radionuclide sources are disclosed. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In brief, the present invention discloses the novel application of an International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU-45)-like dosimetry protocol (see, ICRU Clinical neutron dosimetry, Part I: determination of absorbed dose in a patient treated by external beams of fast neutrons, International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU-45, Bethesda, Md.
, 1989), to Californium-252 (.
sup.
252Cf) neutron emitting brachytherapy sources, wherein numerous dosimetry protocol parameters were determined specifically for .
sup.
252Cf.
In addition, .
sup.
252Cf neutron kerma, as determined using Monte Carlo computational methodologies, was analyzed for a variety of clinically-relevant tissues and dosimetry media.
Measurements using both a miniature GM counter and two different types of TE chambers were used to determine the mixed-field (neutron and photon) dosimetry parameters for .
sup.
252Cf AT sources.
Comparisons were subsequently made between the results previously obtained by Colvett, et al.
(1972.
Dose distribution around a .
sup.
252Cf needle, Phys.
Med.
Biol.
17: 356 364 and Rivard, et al.
2000.
Calculated neutron air kerma strength conversion factors (S.
sub.
kN) for a generically encapsulated Cf-252 brachytherapy source.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A; 2000.
) and Krishnaswamy (1971.
Calculation of the dose distribution about .
sup.
252Cf needles in tissue, Radiol.
98: 155 160; 1972.
Calculated depth dose tables for .
sup.
252Cf sources in tissue, Phys.
Med.
Biol.
17: 56 63) by use of conversion factors derived to permit accurate quantitative comparisons.
The present invention also discloses methodologies for the sealed-source encapsulation of .
sup.
252Cf, as well as for the remote delivery (i.
e.
, remote afterloading) of .
sup.
252Cf brachytherapy sources.
I.
TG-43-Based Recommended Dose Formalisms The dosimetry of sources used in interstitial brachytherapy has been the subject of considerable research in recent years
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Heart Surgery 
