Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Determination of Dosimetry Parameters for Low Energy Brachytherapy Sources Based on TG-43U1 Protocol Using Different MCNP Tallies

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

G Raisali
F Mokhles Gerami
R Khodadadi
B Piroozfar
Abstract
Application of low energy 125I and 103Pd sources in prostate cancer brachytherapy has been considerably increased, recently. Accordingly, the Nuclear Research Center for Agriculture and Medicine (NRCAM) has selected the production of 103Pd source seeds and their characterization as one of its main objectives. In this investigation, we have calculated TG-43U1 dosimetry parameters for a source similar to the primary NRCAM design, using MCNP Monte Carlo computer code with F4, F6 and *F8 tallies. The results have been compared with the corresponding values reported in the literature and for most of the cases, all the three tallies and the reported values are in good agreement. It has been found that the F6 tally is about 20 times faster than *F8 tally without any considerable loss of accuracy. Therefore, it is concluded that for design analysis purposes, the F6 tally is adequately efficient to perform cumbersome recursive brachytherapy seed design calculations.

Highlights

  1. Y. Yu, L.L. Anderson, Z. Li, D.E. Mellenberg, R. Nath, M. Schell, F.M. Waterman, A. Wu, J.C. Blasko, “Permanent prostate seed implant brachytherapy: Report of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group Report No. 64,” Med. Phys., 26, 2054–2076 (1999).

     

  2. C. J. Mettlin, G. P. Murphy, D.S. Rosenthal, H.R. Menck, “The national cancer data base report on prostate carcinoma after the peak in incidence rates in the U.S.,” Cancer 83, 1679–1684 (1998).

     

  3. H. Ragde, A-A.A. Elgamal, P.B. Snow, J. Brandt, A.A. Bartolucci, B.S. Nadir, L.J. Korb, “Ten-year disease free survival after transperineal sonography-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy with or without 45-gray external beam irradiation in the treatment of patients with clinically localized, low to high Gleason grade prostate carcinoma,” Cancer 83, 989–1001 (1998).

     

  4. J.F. Williamson, “Dosimetric characteristics of the DraxImage Model LS-1 I-125 interstitial  brachytherapy source design: A Monte Carlo investigation,” Med. Phys., 29, 509–521 (2002).

     

  5. C.C. Ling, M.C. Schell, E.D. Yorke, “Two-dimensional dose distribution of 125I seeds,” Med. Phys., 12,  652–655 (1985).

  6. R.S. Sloboda and G.V. Menon, “Experimental determination of the anisotropy function and anisotropy factor for model 6711 I-125 seeds,” Med. Phys., 27, 1789–1799 (2000).

     

  7. M.J. Rivard, B.M. Coursey, L.A. DeWerd, W.F. Hanson, M. Saiful Huq, G.S. Ibbott, M.G. Mitch, R. Nath, J.F. Williamson, “Update of AAPM Task Group No. 43 Report: A revised AAPM protocol for brachytherapy dose calculations,” Med. Phys., 31(3), 633-674 (2004).

     

  8. J.F. Briesmeister,  Ed., “MCNP-A General Monte Carlo N-particle Transport Code, Version 4C”, LA 13709-M (2000).

     

  9. M. J. Rivard,  “Monte Carlo Calculations of AAPM Task Group Report No.43 dosimetry parameters for the MED3631-A/M 125I Source,” Med. Phys., 28,629-637 (2001).

     

  10. ICRP No. 74, “Conversion coefficient for use in radiological protection against external radiation,” ICRP and ICRU (1997).

     

Keywords

brachytherapy
MCNP
TG-43U1 protocol
dose calculations
125I
103Pd
prostate
Monte Carlo method
computer codes

  1. Y. Yu, L.L. Anderson, Z. Li, D.E. Mellenberg, R. Nath, M. Schell, F.M. Waterman, A. Wu, J.C. Blasko, “Permanent prostate seed implant brachytherapy: Report of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group Report No. 64,” Med. Phys., 26, 2054–2076 (1999).

     

  2. C. J. Mettlin, G. P. Murphy, D.S. Rosenthal, H.R. Menck, “The national cancer data base report on prostate carcinoma after the peak in incidence rates in the U.S.,” Cancer 83, 1679–1684 (1998).

     

  3. H. Ragde, A-A.A. Elgamal, P.B. Snow, J. Brandt, A.A. Bartolucci, B.S. Nadir, L.J. Korb, “Ten-year disease free survival after transperineal sonography-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy with or without 45-gray external beam irradiation in the treatment of patients with clinically localized, low to high Gleason grade prostate carcinoma,” Cancer 83, 989–1001 (1998).

     

  4. J.F. Williamson, “Dosimetric characteristics of the DraxImage Model LS-1 I-125 interstitial  brachytherapy source design: A Monte Carlo investigation,” Med. Phys., 29, 509–521 (2002).

     

  5. C.C. Ling, M.C. Schell, E.D. Yorke, “Two-dimensional dose distribution of 125I seeds,” Med. Phys., 12,  652–655 (1985).

  6. R.S. Sloboda and G.V. Menon, “Experimental determination of the anisotropy function and anisotropy factor for model 6711 I-125 seeds,” Med. Phys., 27, 1789–1799 (2000).

     

  7. M.J. Rivard, B.M. Coursey, L.A. DeWerd, W.F. Hanson, M. Saiful Huq, G.S. Ibbott, M.G. Mitch, R. Nath, J.F. Williamson, “Update of AAPM Task Group No. 43 Report: A revised AAPM protocol for brachytherapy dose calculations,” Med. Phys., 31(3), 633-674 (2004).

     

  8. J.F. Briesmeister,  Ed., “MCNP-A General Monte Carlo N-particle Transport Code, Version 4C”, LA 13709-M (2000).

     

  9. M. J. Rivard,  “Monte Carlo Calculations of AAPM Task Group Report No.43 dosimetry parameters for the MED3631-A/M 125I Source,” Med. Phys., 28,629-637 (2001).

     

  10. ICRP No. 74, “Conversion coefficient for use in radiological protection against external radiation,” ICRP and ICRU (1997).

     

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