Radiotherapy in Practice - BrachytherapyPeter Hoskin, Catherine Coyle Brachytherapy remains an important component of radical radiation therapy in the modern management of cancer. Widespread adoption of remote afterloading now enables brachytherapy to be delivered with minimum exposure to staff and other patients. Technical advances in imaging and computing power have improved the precision of implantation and complex dosimetry can now be achieved in routine practice. The advantages of direct placement of the radiation source into the area to be treated, overcoming the problems of patient and organ movement, together with the dosimetric advantages inherent in brachytherapy, will ensure that modern brachytheraoy continues to provide the optimal means of delivering accurate high does radiation therapy for many patients. Fully updated for the second edition, this book provides practical guidance on the use of brachytherapy. Each chapter gives the reader a solid background in the physics and dosimetry of the technique, followed by practical information on its use in common disease sites. Whilst low, medium, and high dose rate techniques are covered, emphasis is placed on high dose rate afterloading techniques which are likely to replace most other forms of brachytherapy in the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: Radiotherapy remains the major non-surgical treatment modality for the management of malignant disease. It is based on the application of the principles of applied physics, radiobiology, and tumour biology to clinical practice. Each volume in this series takes the reader through the basic principles of the use of ionising radiation and then develops this by individual sites. This series of practical handbooks are aimed at physicians both training and practising in radiotherapy, as well as medical physicists, dosimetrists, radiographers and senior nurses. |
Contents
1 Introduction | 1 |
2 Isotopes and delivery systems for brachytherapy | 5 |
3 Principles of brachytherapy dosimetry | 25 |
4 Radiation protection issues in brachytherapy | 43 |
5 The role of brachytherapy in head and neck cancer | 65 |
cervix and endometrium | 79 |
permanent low dose rate seed brachytherapy and temporary high dose rate afterloading brachytherapy | 103 |
bronchus and oesophagus | 121 |
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Common terms and phrases
activity afterloading machines afterloading systems ALARP applicator basal dose bladder boost brachytherapy brachytherapy sources breast bronchus caesium calculations calibration carcinoma catheter cavity cervix checked clinical computed tomography defined delivered disease dose distribution dose points dose-rate dosimetry dwell positions ensure ESTRO external beam radiotherapy external beam treatment Gy per hour half-life HDR afterloading HDR brachytherapy high dose rate ICRU imaging implant inserted International Journal interstitial ionization chamber ionizing radiation iridium iridium wire isodose Journal of Radiation kerma length low dose rate manual measured monitoring needles oesophagus Oncology Biology Physics organs at risk Paris system patients plane procedure prostate cancer quality assurance Radiation Oncology Radiation Oncology Biology radiation protection radiation therapy radioactive radioactive sources rectal remote afterloading seeds shielding shown in Fig skin source position source strength surgery target volume technique template tests tissue treated treatment planning tube tumour typically ultrasound uterine vaginal