Biomaterial Database

A rapid-afterloading vaginal cylinder for 137Cs brachytherapy. 1991

J L Beach, and O A Mendiondo, and J L Martin

Lexington Radiation Therapy Center, KY 40504.

A small diameter, single-step afterloading vaginal cylinder has been developed for 137Cs brachytherapy of the vaginal cuff and walls. The Lucite cylinder has an interior slot of rectangular cross section running along its length and opening to the outside of the patient. A single rectangular Lucite insert, containing preselected sources, fits into the slot. Two short sources in the tip form a T with the sources along the vaginal canal and provide a high, uniform dose rate across the spherical tip of the applicator. A catalog of 30 precalculated loadings provides surface dose rates at the tip which vary from 140 to 230 cGy/hr for standard source strengths, as well as a variety of dose rate profiles along the vaginal wall. The applicator is tapered at the base for comfortable and secure placement, and the single-step insertion reduces both patient discomfort and personnel radiation exposure for this procedure.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D001918	Brachytherapy	A collective term for interstitial, intracavity, and surface radiotherapy. It uses small sealed or partly-sealed sources that may be placed on or near the body surface or within a natural body cavity or implanted directly into the tissues.	Curietherapy,Implant Radiotherapy,Plaque Therapy, Radioisotope,Radioisotope Brachytherapy,Radiotherapy, Interstitial,Radiotherapy, Intracavity,Radiotherapy, Surface,Brachytherapy, Radioisotope,Interstitial Radiotherapy,Intracavity Radiotherapy,Radioisotope Plaque Therapy,Radiotherapy, Implant,Surface Radiotherapy,Therapy, Radioisotope Plaque
D002588	Cesium Radioisotopes	Unstable isotopes of cesium that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. Cs atoms with atomic weights of 123, 125-132, and 134-145 are radioactive cesium isotopes.	Radioisotopes, Cesium
D004867	Equipment Design	Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware.	Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014625	Vaginal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the VAGINA.	Cancer of Vagina,Vaginal Cancer,Cancer of the Vagina,Neoplasms, Vaginal,Vagina Cancer,Vagina Neoplasms,Cancer, Vagina,Cancer, Vaginal,Cancers, Vagina,Cancers, Vaginal,Neoplasm, Vagina,Neoplasm, Vaginal,Neoplasms, Vagina,Vagina Cancers,Vagina Neoplasm,Vaginal Cancers,Vaginal Neoplasm