title: A comparison of the expected costs of high dose rate brachytherapy using 252Cf versus 192Ir.
abstract: A cost analysis to compare high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy using either californium-252 (252Cf) or 192Ir was performed to determine the prospects of widespread clinical implementation of HDR 252Cf. Interest in the neutron-emitting 252Cf radioisotope as a radiotherapy nuclide has undergone a resurgence given recent efforts to fabricate HDR remotely afterloaded sources, and other efforts to create a miniature source for improved accessibility to a variety of anatomic sites. Therefore, HDR 252Cf brachytherapy may prove to be a potential rival to the use of HDR 192Ir remotely afterloaded brachytherapy--the current standard-of-care treatment modality using HDR brachytherapy. Considering the possible improvements in clinical efficacy using HDR 252Cf brachytherapy and the enormous costs of other high-LET radiation sources, the cost differences between 252Cf and 192Ir may be well-justified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Tuts University School of Medicine, 750 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA. MRivard@tufts-nemc.org
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rivard
authors.forename: Bernadette L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.forename: Liza J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Stapleford
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wazer
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D002142:Californium / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017059:Models, Econometric; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes; D002142:Californium