Sci-Thur PM – Brachytherapy 04: Commissioning and Implementation of a Cobalt-60 High Dose Rate Brachytherapy Source

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Medical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4961772· OSTI ID:22689309

Dysart, Jonathan ^[1]

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1. Horizon Health Network (Canada)

An Eckert & Ziegler Bebig Co0.A86 cobalt 60 high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy source was commissioned for clinical use. Long-lived Co-60 HDR sources offer potential logistical and economic advantages over Ir-192 sources, and should be considered for low to medium workload brachytherapy departments where modest increases in treatment times are not a factor. In optimized plans, the Co-60 source provides a similar dose distribution to Ir-192 despite the difference in radiation energy. By switching to Co-60, source exchange frequency can be reduced by a factor of 20, resulting in overall financial savings of more than 50% compared to Ir-192 sources. In addition, a reduction in Physicist QA workload of roughly 200 hours over the 5 year life of the Co-60 source is also expected. These benefits should be considered against the modest increases in average treatment time compared to those of Ir-192 sources, as well as the centre-specific needs for operating room shielding modification.

• OSTI ID: 22689309
• Journal Information: Medical Physics, Journal Name: Medical Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 43; ISSN 0094-2405; ISSN MPHYA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
BRACHYTHERAPY
COBALT 60
COMMISSIONING
DOSE RATES
IRIDIUM 192
RADIATION DOSE DISTRIBUTIONS