Brachytherapy devices and methods employing americium-241

Sources and methods for radiation therapy, particularly brachytherapy, employing americium-241 radioisotope. The physical properties of americium-241 (60 keV gamma emission and 433 year half-life) provide major advantages for radiotherapy, including simplified radiation protection, dose reduction to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author GRAY; LAURENCE A
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 16.04.1985
Edition3
Subjects
DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY
DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY
ELECTROTHERAPY
HUMAN NECESSITIES
HYGIENE
MAGNETOTHERAPY
MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE
RADIATION THERAPY
ULTRASOUND THERAPY
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Summary:Sources and methods for radiation therapy, particularly brachytherapy, employing americium-241 radioisotope. The physical properties of americium-241 (60 keV gamma emission and 433 year half-life) provide major advantages for radiotherapy, including simplified radiation protection, dose reduction to healthy tissue, increased dose to tumor, and improved dose distributions. A number of apparent drawbacks and unfavorable considerations including low gamma factor, high self-absorption, increased activity required and alpha-particle generation leading to helium gas pressure buildup and potential neutron contamination in the generated radiation are all effectively dealt with and overcome through recognition of subtle favorable factors unique to americium-241 among brachytherapy sources and through suitable constructional techniques. Due to an additional amount of radiation, in the order of 50%, provided primarily to nearby regions as a result of Compton scatter in tissue and water, higher dose rates occur than would be predicted by conventional calculations.
Bibliography:Application Number: US19830457731