An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix
Introduction: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy using Ir remote after-loaders has gained acceptance due to the feasibility of outpatient treatment. The aim of the present study was to quantify the difference in dose to a point, due to applicator attenuation in high dose rate intracavitary brachythe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sonali Sharma on behalf of Rajasthan University of Health Sciences
2023-09-01
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| Series: | RUHS Journal of Health Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://ruhsjhs.in/articleDetails.php?artid=TVRZMw== |
| _version_ | 1797679698545737728 |
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| author | Mary Joan , Arun Chougule |
| author_facet | Mary Joan , Arun Chougule |
| author_sort | Mary Joan , Arun Chougule |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy using Ir remote after-loaders has gained acceptance due to the feasibility of outpatient treatment. The aim of the present study was to quantify the difference in dose to a point, due to applicator attenuation in high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy. Methodology: The applicator (Varian vaginal applicator set central tandem of 6 cm length having an outer diameter of 3.2 mm and a wall thickness of 0.5 mm) was positioned in the wax phantom and the dose at a point (A) was measured using an ion chamber for Ir high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy and compared with the treatment planning system (TPS) calculated dose, which does not assume the presence of the applicator. Another experimental setup where the same HDR applicator was positioned at 20 cm from the FC65G Farmer chamber and meter readings were taken for a given treatment time of 100 seconds. The HDR applicator was replaced with a plastic tube and readings were taken for the same treatment time using the same chamber. The measurements were taken with a FC65G chamber with buildup cap for Co energy. Results: The average reduction in the measured dose to the calculated dose at point A observed was 2.46%. The average reduction in the measured dose with HDR applicator in place of a plastic tube at 20 cm distance was 3.18%. Conclusions: Since dose calculations by current treatment planning systems (TPS) are based on the radiation around an encapsulated bare source and do not take applicator attenuation into account, patients receive a lower dose than planned. This suggests corrections for the presence of the applicator may be considered in the planning system to ensure higher accuracy of the radiation dose delivered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:18:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8364a3f701324baca8bbf9ebbc88ef61 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2456-8309 2582-3590 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T23:18:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Sonali Sharma on behalf of Rajasthan University of Health Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | RUHS Journal of Health Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-8364a3f701324baca8bbf9ebbc88ef612023-09-20T16:57:56ZengSonali Sharma on behalf of Rajasthan University of Health SciencesRUHS Journal of Health Sciences2456-83092582-35902023-09-01http://dx.doi.org/10.37821/ruhsjhs.3.4.2018.184-187An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine CervixMary Joan , Arun Chougule0Assistant Professor, Senior Professor and Head, Department of Radiological Physics, SMS Medical College and Hospitals, Jaipur, Rajasthan, IndiaIntroduction: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy using Ir remote after-loaders has gained acceptance due to the feasibility of outpatient treatment. The aim of the present study was to quantify the difference in dose to a point, due to applicator attenuation in high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy. Methodology: The applicator (Varian vaginal applicator set central tandem of 6 cm length having an outer diameter of 3.2 mm and a wall thickness of 0.5 mm) was positioned in the wax phantom and the dose at a point (A) was measured using an ion chamber for Ir high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy and compared with the treatment planning system (TPS) calculated dose, which does not assume the presence of the applicator. Another experimental setup where the same HDR applicator was positioned at 20 cm from the FC65G Farmer chamber and meter readings were taken for a given treatment time of 100 seconds. The HDR applicator was replaced with a plastic tube and readings were taken for the same treatment time using the same chamber. The measurements were taken with a FC65G chamber with buildup cap for Co energy. Results: The average reduction in the measured dose to the calculated dose at point A observed was 2.46%. The average reduction in the measured dose with HDR applicator in place of a plastic tube at 20 cm distance was 3.18%. Conclusions: Since dose calculations by current treatment planning systems (TPS) are based on the radiation around an encapsulated bare source and do not take applicator attenuation into account, patients receive a lower dose than planned. This suggests corrections for the presence of the applicator may be considered in the planning system to ensure higher accuracy of the radiation dose delivered.https://ruhsjhs.in/articleDetails.php?artid=TVRZMw==Not available |
| spellingShingle | Mary Joan , Arun Chougule An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix RUHS Journal of Health Sciences Not available |
| title | An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix |
| title_full | An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix |
| title_fullStr | An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix |
| title_short | An Evaluation of the Effects of Brachytherapy Applicator Attenuation in the High Dose Rate Treatment for Carcinoma Uterine Cervix |
| title_sort | evaluation of the effects of brachytherapy applicator attenuation in the high dose rate treatment for carcinoma uterine cervix |
| topic | Not available |
| url | https://ruhsjhs.in/articleDetails.php?artid=TVRZMw== |
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