DOSIMETRY

 Dose Rate in Air

Point Source: The air kerma rate at point P, at a distance of ‘r’ m from
a point isotropic source may be written as,

RP = (q. Γk) / r2

Γk: Air kerma rate constant in Gy.h-1.m2 per MBq (mCi)

q: Apparent activity in MBq (mCi).
q* Γk :Reference air kerma rate of the actual source.

For a bare source RP = (q. Γk. e-µd ) / r2 where d thickness and µ linear
attenuation coefficient of the sheathing material.
LINE SOURCE

 Encapsulated line sources.

 Conventional method: Sievert Integral model.
 Point source model.
 Integrates over the active length of the source.
 Corrects for oblique filtration of primary photons through the
source capsule.
 Invalid: longitudinal axis of source , due to infinite length of the
source.
The dose rate at any point 'P' from a linear source is given by, a
Figure(shown in next slide)
θ2
RP = {(Γk *qapp) / (h *L)} ∫e- (d sec ~ d) dθ;
θ1
 Fig. 1. Illustration of Parameters used in Sievert Integral

Γk: Air kerma rate constant in

d Gy.h-1.m2 per MBq (mCi)
q: Apparent activity of the
source in MBq (mCi).
L: Active length of the source
r h: Perpendicular distance
between the source axis and
the point 'P' and
θ1 & θ2 : Angles subtended by
the active ends of the source
at point ‘P’
 : Linear attenuation coefficient
h P d: Thickness of the filter
θ2 θ θ1 material

deff = 1d1 + 2d2

where 1, d1, and 2, d2 are the
RP = C * [ I(2) - I(1)] where C= (Γk *q ) / (h *L) and attenuation coefficient and
thickness respectively of
θ2 θ1
source sheathing and
I(2)= ed * ∫e- d secd and I(1)= ed * ∫e- d secd applicator.
0 0
TOTAL DOSE DELIVERED

For short-lived radionuclides, dose rate at any time 't'

Rp’(t) = Rp’(0)* e-λt

where Rp’(0) is the initial dose rate and ' ' is the decay constant
t
Dp(t) = Rp’(0) *∫ e-λt dt
0
= {Rp’(0) / λ}*{1- e-λt }

For permanent implants, t = ∞; Dp(∞) = Rp’(0) / λ

Dose Rate in Tissue

Dose rate at point ‘P’ in tissue is given by

Rp'( tissue) = Rp(air )*TAR ( r )*(en/) tissue/air

(en/) tissue/air: Energy absorption coefficient of tissue to air,

TAR(E,d): Tissue attenuation factor
Tissue attenuation factor ~ Tissue Air Ratio
Defined as ratio of dose to a small mass of tissue in tissue equivalent medium to the dose to
the same small mass of tissue in air.
At short d the Att of the primary photons mostly compensated by the scattered photons; but it
overtakes scattering at larger distances.
The variation of TAR with distance for the commonly used radionuclides is given Table.
Tissue Attenuation Ration with Depth

Radionuclide
Depth (cm)
Co-60 Cs-137 Ir-192 Au-198
1.0 0.983 0.992 1.009 1.005
2.0 0.970 0.987 1.021 1.013
3.0 0.956 0.980 1.027 1.016
4.0 0.940 0.970 1.027 1.014
6.0 0.906 0.940 1.010 0.994
8.0 0.868 0.900 0.974 0.958
10.0 0.826 0.853 0.940 0.920
Attenuation Coefficient for commonly used
brachytherapy

µen (cm-1)
Radionuclides
Platinum Stainless steel

Co-60 0.97 0.31

Cs-137 1.74 0.40

Au-198 3.37 0.48

Ir-192 4.81 0.51

AAPM TG-43 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BRACHYTHERAPY
DOSIMETRY

Limitations of Conventional Method:

 Based on photon fluence around the source in free space
 Uses exposure rate constant (or air kerma rate constant)
 Tissue attenuation factors are difficult to measure and evaluate
precisely, especially for low energy radionuclides e.g.I-125 and Pd-
103
Advantages:
 Dose rates in tissue equivalent medium, measured (or Monte Carlo
calculated) for an actual source.
 Each quantity is measured or calculated for the specific type of
source.
 Accounts: Source construction and geometry in addition to the
primary photon spectrum and medium.
D(r,  ) = Sk .  . [G(r, )/ G(r0, 0)] . g(r) . F(r, )

Sk: Air kerma strength

: Dose rate constant (Dose at 1 cm in water on the transverse axis)/Sk

G(r, ): 1/r2

: β/LrSin

g(r): [D(r, ) G(r0, 0)]/[D(r0, 0) G(r, )]

F(r, ) : [D(r, ) G(r, 0)]/[D(r, 0) G(r, )]

ISODOSE CURVE

“Isodose curve is the line connecting points receiving the same dose.

Isodose curves can be generated from dose distribution obtained in a

matrix around the source. Manual plotting of isodose distribution is

quite complex and time consuming. At large distances, they become

circular as source behave as a point source.”