Primary calibration of coiled 103Pd brachytherapy sources

Coiled 103Pd brachytherapy sources have been developed by RadioMed Corporation for use as low-dose-rate (LDR) interstitial implants. The coiled sources are provided in integer lengths from 1 to 6 cm and address many common issues seen with traditional LDR brachytherapy sources. The current standard for determining the air-kerma strength (SK) of low-energy LDR brachytherapy sources is the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Wide-Angle Free-Air Chamber (NIST WAFAC). Due to geometric limitations, however, the NIST WAFAC is unable to determine the S(K) of sources longer than 1 cm. This project utilized the University of Wisconsin's Variable-Aperture Free-Air Chamber (UW VAFAC) to determine the S(K) of the longer coiled sources. The UW VAFAC has shown agreement in S(K) values of 1 cm length coils to within 1% of those determined with the NIST WAFAC, but the UW VAFAC does not share the same geometric limitations as the NIST WAFAC. A new source holder was constructed to hold the coiled sources in place during measurements with the UW VAFAC. Correction factors for the increased length of the sources have been determined and applied to the measurements. Using the new source holder and corrections, the S(K) of 3 and 6 cm coiled sources has been determined. Corrected UW VAFAC data and ionization current measurements from well chambers have been used to determine calibration coefficients for use in the measurement of 3 and 6 cm coiled sources in well chambers. Thus, the UW VAFAC has provided the first transferable, primary measurement of low-energy LDR brachytherapy sources with lengths greater than 1 cm.