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. 1999 Sep 1;45(2):397-9.
doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(99)00168-6.

Radiation safety parameters following prostate brachytherapy

S Smathers  1 , K Wallner, T Korssjoen, C Bergsagel, R H Hudson, S Sutlief, J Blasko
Affiliations

Radiation safety parameters following prostate brachytherapy

S Smathers et al. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. .

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the degree and variability of radiation exposure to the general public from patients after I-125 or Pd-103 prostate brachytherapy.

Methods and materials: Radiation exposure measurements were made from 38 consecutive, unselected patients with stage T1 or T2 prostatic carcinoma who had transperineal I-125 or Pd-103 implants at the University of Washington in 1998.

Results: The exposure rate at the anterior skin surface following a I-125 implant ranged from 2.2 to 8.9 mrem/hour (average: 5.0). The exposure rate at the anterior skin surface from a Pd-103 implant ranged from 0.5 to 4.9 mrem/hour (average: 1.7). Based on the current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations the time required to reach the annual limit at the anterior skin surface would be 20 hours for I-125 and 59 hours for Pd-103. For exposure at the lateral skin surface, the times would exceed 500 hours for either isotope.

Conclusions: This data suggest that patients need not be concerned about being a radiation risk to the general public following their procedure.

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