The status of low dose rate and future of high dose rate Cf-252 brachytherapy

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/642691· OSTI ID:642691

Rivard, M J; Wierzbicki, J G; Van den Heuvel, F; Chuba, P J; Fontanesi, J ^[1]; Martin, R C; McMahon, R R; Haire, R G ^[2]

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1. Wayne State Univ., Detroit, MI (United States). Dept. of Radiation Oncology
2. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

This work describes the current status of the US low dose rate (LDR) Cf-252 brachytherapy program. The efforts undertaken towards development of a high dose rate (HDR) remotely after loaded Cf-252 source, which can accommodate 1 mg or greater Cf-252, are also described. This HDR effort is a collaboration between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), commercial remote after loader manufactures, the Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center (ROC), and Wayne State University. To achieve this goal, several advances in isotope chemistry and source preparation at ORNL must be achieved to yield a specific material source loading of greater than or equal 1 mg Cf-252 per mm3. Development work with both radioactive and non-radioactive stand-ins for Cf-252 have indicated the feasibility of fabricating such sources. As a result, the decreased catheter diameter and computer controlled source placement will permit additional sites (e.g. brain, breast, prostate, lung, parotid, etc.) to be treated effectively with Cf-252 sources. Additional work at the Radiochemical Engineering and Development Center (REDC) remains in source fabrication, after loader modification, and safe design. The current LDR Cf-252 Treatment Suite at the ROC is shielded and licensed to hold up to 1 mg of Cf-252. This was designed to maintain cumulative personnel exposure, both external to the room and in direct isotope handling, at less than 20 microSv/hr. However, cumulative exposure may be greatly decreased if a Cf-252 HDR unit is employed which would eliminate direct isotope handling and decrease treatment times from tilde 3 hours to an expected range of 3 to 15 minutes. Such a Cf-252 HDR source will also demonstrate improved dose distributions over current LDR treatments due to the ability to step the point-like source throughout the target volume and weight the dwell time accordingly.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• OSTI ID: 642691
• Report Number(s): ORNL/CP--95959; CONF-980403--; ON: DE98003162
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
CALIFORNIUM 252
DOSE RATES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INTERAGENCY COOPERATION
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
RADIOTHERAPY