Radiation containing seeds and method for high visibility magnetic imaging

摘要

A radioactive seed and method for making a radioactive seed with selective magnetic imaging characteristics are provided. The seed includes a housing which may include a metal shell for at least partially enclosing a radioactive material. The shell encloses a rod having a nickel layer with a phosphorous content, wherein the phosphorous content includes a level of phosphorous sufficient, when the seed is implanted in tissue, to provide a magnetic resonance image of the seed while substantially eliminating gross artifacts in the magnetic resonance image.

主权项

1. A method for controlling a size of an artifact an implantable brachytherapy seed produces on a magnetic resonance image when implanted, wherein the implantable brachytherapy seed comprises a metal rod, a radioactive material, and a shell, the method comprising:
plating the metal rod in a nickel bath comprising phosphorus; adjusting a level of phosphorus in the nickel bath to substantially eliminate gross artifacts in a magnetic resonance image while providing visibility of the brachytherapy seed on the magnetic resonance image; and enclosing the metal rod and the radioactive material in the shell.