Skin HDR brachytherapy multichannel applicators and methods of brachytherapy treatment

摘要

Applicators for HDR brachytherapy for topical skin treatment which employ multiple channels for radioisotope sources, oriented by the applicator generally parallel to each other and to a desired treatment area skin surface. These applicators provide good radiation exposure uniformity. Filtration of undesirable low energy radiation may be employed using an attached filter element. The applicators are particularly adapted for the treatment of squamous and basal cell skin cancers or other skin lesions. The applicators may provide two or more source guides in various sizes and shapes are described.

主权项

1. An applicator for use as part of a high dose rate brachytherapy system for use in topical irradiation of a skin surface area of a human patient, the system including a brachytherapy machine for positioning radioisotope sources at desired points along one or more source guides, the applicator comprising:
a cup shaped housing forming a bottom surface with a perimeter wall projecting from the bottom surface defining a concave cavity, the wall forming a perimeter generally planar face surface, the housing forming guide channel bores through the perimeter wall defining at least two HDR guide channels for receiving and mounting HDR guide tubes, the HDR guide channels oriented to cross the concave cavity and oriented parallel to the bottom surface and mutually parallel to one another, such that multiple source dwell positions are established at a single fixed distance from the bottom surface within the concave cavity that can be used to shape dose distribution patterns during the topical irradiation.