Open AccessTDF (Time‐Dose Factor) Analysis of High (CO 60 , Cathetron) and Low Dose‐Rate (Radium) Intracavitary Radiotherapy for Uterine Carcinoma
Author(s) -
Taina Esko,
Vanhatalo Juha,
Taina E.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348109162181
Subject(s) - medicine , radium , dose rate , radiation therapy , nuclear medicine , carcinoma , radiation dose , cervical carcinoma , urology , radiology , cervical cancer , cancer , radiochemistry , medical physics , chemistry
. TDF (time‐dose factor values for both low (radium) and high dose‐rate (Co 60 , Cathetron) intracavitary regimes in the treatment of cervical and endometrial carcinoma were calculated. Although some statistical differences were found between the TDF values of patients with and without complications, individualization of the treatment is of utmost importance in preventing radiation‐induced complications. Patients treated by the Cathetron with single fractions of 10 Gy each had statistically more complications and higher TDF values than patients treated with fractions of 7.5 Gy each. Optimum TDF values for low and high dose‐rate treatments are given although it is shown that the TDF system overestimates the required dose at high dose‐rate by approximately 33%. Therefore a new normalizing constant of 1.18, instead of 1.57 as used so far, is proposed.