A Monte Carlo brachytherapy study for dose distribution prediction in an inhomogeneous medium.

The purpose of this study was to present a theoretical analysis of how the presence of bone in interstitial brachytherapy affects dose rate distributions. This study was carried out using a Monte Carlo simulation of the dose distribution in homogeneous medium for 3 commonly used brachytherapy seeds. The 3 seeds investigated in this study are iridium-192 (192Ir) iodine-125 (125I), and palladium-103 (103Pd).

Efficacy of brachytherapy for prostate cancer in African Americans compared with Caucasians.

Purpose: To compare the biochemical response to prostate brachytherapy between African Americans and Caucasians in a consecutive series of patients treated at a single institution.

Methods And Materials: Between July 1995 and October 2001, 173 patients were treated with permanent (125)I seed implantation alone for presumed localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Twelve patients were African American and their biochemical response to treatment was compared with the 161 Caucasian patients.

Monte Carlo calculations of dose distribution for intramural delivery of radioisotopes using a direct injection balloon catheter.

Purpose: A unique method of delivering radiation dose to the coronary vessel wall to prevent restenosis is by direct injection of radioactive compounds into the vessel wall using a specially designed angioplasty balloon catheter. The radiation dose distribution resulting from such intramural delivery was investigated using Monte Carlo simulations.

Materials And Methods: The radioisotope source distribution was modeled for two configurations within the vessel wall: (1) uniform to a depth of 0.