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Can the fletcher gamma ray colpostat system be extrapolated to other systems?
Author(s) -
Delclos Luis,
Fletcher Gilbert H.,
Sampiere Vincent,
Grant Walter H.
Publication year - 1978
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(197803)41:3<970::aid-cncr2820410326>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - radium , medicine , nuclear medicine , cervix , medical physics , radiochemistry , cancer , chemistry
The basic rules governing the intracavitary application or radium for the treatment of carcinoma of the uterine cervix at M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute were established in the early 1950's. The Fletcher preloadable colpostats were designed with specific purposes. The aim was to provide a colpostat that could be easily applied and maintained in the lateral fornices, and that could allow an increase in paracervical and parametrial irradiation by better distribution of the radium sources and the addition of bladder and rectal shielding. In the 1960's, the original ovoids, and tandems were adapted so that they could be afterloaded with the standard radium tubes, but the original design restrictions were maintained in the afterloadable models. Additionally, a number of afterloadable colpostats, some with similar external design have become available commercially, but x‐ray and measurements of these colpostats show that the manufacturer did not adhere to the original design restrictions. In addition, several of these colpostats have been modified for use with cesium. Extreme caution is advised in the use of colpostats built elsewhere without proper supervision, other colpostats, and sources other than radium. Tables and guidelines outlined in Fletcher's publication are to be used only with the recommended applicators and sources. The use of normalized doses at point A does not reflex the doses to bladder and rectal areas, because these doses vary with the type of applicator employed and the nature and physical characteristics of the radioactive source.