title: Dosimetry of anal radiation in high-dose-rate brachytherapy for prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to determine the radiation dose to the anus during brachytherapy using high-dose-rate Ir-192 sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thermoluminescence dosimeters were used for measuring the dose to the distal part of the anus in 10 patients, and in a prostate phantom to measure the radiation dose during the transport of the radiation source.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The measured dose to the anus in vivo was on average 0.85 Gy (range, 0.48-1.37 Gy) per treatment. The transport dose using 15 and 19 needles in the prostate phantom was 0.07 and 0.08 Gy, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dose delivered to the anus using high-dose-rate brachytherapy with Ir-192 sources is quite low. There is a contribution to the anal radiation dose during the transport of the Ir-192 source into the needles. However, in clinical practice when using 15-20 needles, the dose from transporting the Ir-192 source can be ignored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Radiumhemmet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. karl.kalkner@karolinska.se
authors.forename: Karl Mikael
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kälkner
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Seymour
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lundell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001003:Anal Canal; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry