[Fractionated afterloading irradiation as a new procedure for treating inoperable brain tumors]

A method is shown for fractionated afterloading therapy of inoperable cerebral tumors. A 3 mm thick, tube-form applicator of noble metal which is closed at the front side is implanted into the tumor by a stereotaxic technique and firmly screwed together with the osseous calotte. It remains there up to two weeks, giving full mobility to the patient. The afterloading therapy with a moving iridium source is performed one or two times per day with individual doses of 2 Gray. Thus, the chronological and--to a certain extent--also the spatial dose distribution is variable when applying this method.