Sahoo S, Selvam TP, Pathan M, Saxena SK, Pandey U, Kumar M, Kumar Y. Monte Carlo-based dosimetric studies of a locally developed
170Tm LDR brachytherapy seed source.
JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2021;
41:197-215. [PMID:
33690175 DOI:
10.1088/1361-6498/abecf6]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
170Tm is being explored as a source for applications in brachytherapy. Although it has adequate physical properties, such as a short half-life (128.6 d), high specific activity and a mean photon energy of about 66 keV, it has a drawback of low photon yield (only about six photon emissions/100 beta emissions). The objective of this work is to study the dosimetric characteristics of a locally developed170Tm brachytherapy seed source using the Monte Carlo-based EGSnrc code system. In this study, we calculate the dose rate constant, air-kerma strength, radial dose function, anisotropic function and 2D dose-rate distributions in water. Separate simulations are carried out by considering the photon (gamma and characteristic x-ray) and beta spectra of the source. For regions close to the source (surface of the source <r< 0.4 cm), the dose is solely due to direct dose deposition by beta particles. At larger distances (0.4 cm <r<10 cm), the dose is due to bremsstrahlung photons produced by beta particles and photon emissions. The calculated value of the dose rate constant is 1.217 ± 0.052 cGy h-1U-1. The value ofSkper mCi is 0.029 ± 0.0009 U mCi-1. The contributions of the inherent photon emission and the bremsstrahlung photons to the totalSkare 0.58 and 0.42, respectively.
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