title: Dosimetric characterization of the (60)Co BEBIG Co0.A86 high dose rate brachytherapy source using PENELOPE.
abstract: (60)Co sources are being used as an alternative to (192)Ir sources in high dose rate brachytherapy treatments. In a recent document from AAPM and ESTRO, a consensus dataset for the (60)Co BEBIG (model Co0.A86) high dose rate source was prepared by using results taken from different publications due to discrepancies observed among them. The aim of the present work is to provide a new calculation of the dosimetric characteristics of that (60)Co source according to the recommendations of the AAPM and ESTRO report. Radial dose function, anisotropy function, air-kerma strength, dose rate constant and absorbed dose rate in water have been calculated and compared to the results of previous works. Simulations using the two different geometries considered by other authors have been carried out and the effect of the cable density and length has been studied.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiofísica y Protección Radiológica, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, E-18012 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Física y Protección Radiológica, Hospital Regional Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, E-18014 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Julio F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Almansa
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Radiofísica y Protección Radiológica, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, E-13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: lallena@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Antonio M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lallena
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000465:Algorithms; D016880:Anisotropy; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D012984:Software; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D014867:Water
keywords: (60)Co; HDR; Monte Carlo dosimetry; PENELOPE