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Techniques of interstitial and intracavitary radiation
Author(s) -
Hilaris Basil S.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(196810)22:4<745::aid-cncr2820220409>3.0.co;2-w
Subject(s) - medicine , radiation therapy , nuclear medicine , irradiation , external beam radiation , internal radiation , radiology , radiation , optics , physics , nuclear physics
Interstitial implantation and intracavitary applications occupy a definite position in the curative management of cancer. With these techniques a much higher dose can be delivered to the tumor than possible with external radiation. At the same time, a much lower dose is given to the adjoining normal tissue avoiding severe complications and late damage of the normal tissue and organs. The high doses delivered with internal radiation are tolerated well because the irradiated volumes are very small compared to the volumes which are irradiated with external radiation therapy even with small‐field technique. However, the methods and the radioisotopes which are commonly used in interstitial and intracavitary radiation therapy are complicated and unsatisfactory from the radiation safety point of view. For this reason new methods with artificial radioisotopes were developed at Memorial Hospital for interstitial and intracavitary radiation. These techniques include the remote afterloader with which all intracavitary applications were carried out since July 1967 and the use of low energy 125 I seeds for interstitial implants. The clinical experience with both techniques indicates that most of the drawbacks of the older methods are eliminated while their proven therapeutic value is retained.