Intravascular irradiation using Re-186 liquid-filled balloon catheters: correlation between experimental and theoretical studies.
OBJECTIVE
Optimization of intravascular radiation to reduce stenosis following coronary angioplasty requires the ability to predict the patterns of radiation dose distribution. This investigation evaluated the agreement between Monte Carlo simulations and experimental radiation dose measurements for a radioisotope liquid-filled balloon catheter in a tissue equivalent phantom.


METHODS
Direct measurements of the radiation dose from Re-186 liquid-filled balloons were made using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and radiochromic film. Monte Carlo simulations were carried out using the Monte Carlo N-Particle code system (MCNP4B).


RESULTS
The Monte Carlo generated dose values agreed with the experimentally determined results within the statistical uncertainty. A slightly higher penetration was indicated by regression analysis for the TLD data relative to the MCNP4B prediction that may be due to experimental configuration anomalies. For this balloon catheter, approximately 55 mCi of Re-186 will deliver 15 Gy at a 0.5 mm depth in tissue equivalent material in 5 min.


CONCLUSIONS
Correlation between experimentally measured dose values and Monte Carlo computation supports the position that MCNP4B simulations constitute a valuable tool for investigating various clinical therapy designs. The agreement between Monte Carlo calculations and experiments provide confidence in applying MCNP4B to more sophisticated geometries of interest, and other methods of intravascular radiation dose delivery.
McGoron
A J
AJ
Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. mcgoron@eng.fiu.edu
Kassing
W M
WM
Thomas
S R
SR
Samaratunga
R C
RC
Pratt
R G
RG
Elson
H R
HR
Pipes
D W
DW
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012211:Rhenium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry
D011868:Radioisotopes; D012211:Rhenium