title: (144)Ce as a potential candidate for interstitial and intravascular brachytherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the suitability of (144)Ce for both interstitial and intravascular brachytherapy applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Monte Carlo calculations of radial dose rate distributions in water were performed for (144)Ce in a spring-shaped source and compared with two commonly used interstitial and intravascular sources, (192)Ir and (32)P. The numeric simulations were checked experimentally with a calibrated ionization chamber in a water phantom. Other source characteristics, such as half-life and specific activity, were also compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For interstitial brachytherapy, (144)Ce presents dosimetric advantages over (192)Ir in terms of higher dose rate at shorter distances and lower irradiation of organs outside the tumor. The source size and shape reduce the anisotropy and the number of dwell positions necessary. The longer half-life of (144)Ce might also be advantageous over (192)Ir. For intravascular brachytherapy, (144)Ce permits the treatment of larger arteries as compared with (32)P, compensates centering errors more effectively, and has a more suitable half-life. The experimental validation showed good agreement (within 10%) with the Monte Carlo simulated dose rate distributions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are certain potential advantages of using (144)Ce as a source for both interstitial and intravascular brachytherapy. The basis for this finding is provided by the Monte Carlo radial dose rate comparisons with (192)Ir and (32)P, as well as by such characteristics as half-life and specific activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reactor Physics and Systems Behavior, Institute of Energy and Particle Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. valery-olivier.zilio@epfl.ch
authors.forename: Valéry Olivier
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Zilio
authors.forename: Om Parkash
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Joneja
authors.forename: Youri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Popowski
authors.forename: François Oswald
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Bochud
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chawla
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006207:Half-Life; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes