A new technique of brachytherapy for malignant gliomas with caesium-137: a new method utilizing a remote afterloading system

Abstract

Failure of conventional treatment to cure malignant gliomas has stimulated interest in various forms of brachytherapy. We describe a new method of using intracranial radiation utilizing a remotely-controlled afterloading system with a modified endotracheal tube as the applicator. The system used is the Selectron LDM/MDR (Nucleotron) which is a sophisticated machine widely available at radiotherapy centres and primarily used to treat gynaecological malignancies. It uses Caesium-137 in the form of spherical pellets in a linear source train within a sealed system. The applicator is implanted at the time of surgical resection. The inflated balloon stabilises the applicator and allows a suitable dose distribution at a distance from the source train to be achieved. Details of the implantation and radiation procedures as well as the dosimetry calculation are presented. The advantages are simplicity of use, the elimination of radiation risk to personnel and the combination of cytoreduction and applicator implantation in one surgical procedure.