Description:
Examines the sources used in
therapies and their production methods
Describes the state-of-the-art methods of source calibration and source
dosimetry
Explores the different radionuclides that have dominated
brachytheraphy practice
Discusses in detail the Monte Carlo method of source dosimetry
Focuses on three experimental dosimetry methods: standardized
ionization, thermoluminescence, and polymer gel
Provides tables with data and parameter values for practical use
Brachytherapy has become the modality of choice for several cancer
localizations, minimizing the possibility of unacceptable risks for
healthy tissues and providing a more cost-effective and convenient
treatment for patients. Written by leading experts in the physics,
development, and implementation of brachytherapy, The Physics of
Modern Brachytherapy for Oncology discusses the subject in detail,
covering its definition, the basic physics of radiation interaction with
matter, radionuclides, sources and source production, calibration and
dosimetry protocols as well as experimental dosimetry methods
appropriate for practical use.
Logically organized, the book begins with basic information, including
quantities and units, followed by fundamental atomic and nuclear
physics. It also provides the historical background of brachytherapy
physics. The next several chapters discuss the radionuclides used in
brachytherapy, reflecting upon past (radium), present (iridium or cobalt),
and future (ytterbium) methods. The book proceeds to examine source
calibration and dosimetry protocols for dose rate calculation while the
final chapters explore more recent processes, including Monte Carlo-
aided, experimental, and gel dosimetry. The appendices provide useful
tables of isotopes, unit conversions and physical constants,
brachytherapy sources, TG-43 and TG-43 U1 data tables, and dose rate
tables.
Written for:
Detailing the physics behind brachytherapy treatment, The Physics of
Modern Brachytherapy for Oncology is essential reading for researchers,
practicing radiation oncologists, and medical physicists who want to
keep abreast of the developments in this changing field as well as for
postgraduate students in medical physics. |