In this study a complete set of dosimetric data for the GammaMed high dose rate (HDR) 12i and Plus 192Ir sources are presented. These data have been calculated by means of the Monte Carlo simulation code GEANT3. Absolute dose rate distributions in water are presented as conventional two dimensional (2D) Cartesian look-up tables, and in the TG43 formalism.

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The purpose of this study is to calculate the dose rate distribution for the Amersham Cs-137 pellet source used in brachytherapy with the Selectron low-dose-rate remote afterloading system in gynaecological applications using the Monte Carlo code GEANT4. The absolute dose rate distribution for the pellet source was obtained and presented as a one-dimensional absolute dose rate table as well as in the Task Group 43 dose-calculation formalism. In this study, excellent agreement was found between the point source theoretical model using fitted polynomial values and Monte Carlo calculations of the dose rate distribution for the pellet source. A comparison study was also made between the dose rate distribution obtained from a complete Monte Carlo simulation (Cs-137 pellet sources + remote afterloading system plastic guide tube + gynaecological applicator) and that calculated by applying the superposition principle to Monte Carlo data of the individual pellet sources. The data were obtained for a portion of uterine tandem of typical train source configurations. Significant differences with a strong dependence on polar angle have been found that must be kept in mind for clinical dosimetry.

Ir-192 seeds are widely used in the USA for low dose rate interstitial brachytherapy. There are two commercially available models: those manufactured by Best Industries filtered with stainless steel, and those manufactured by Alpha-Omega seeds filtered with Pt. Newly developed 3D correction algorithms for brachytherapy are based on dosimetry data obtained on unbounded phantom size, allowing corrections for heterogeneities and actual tissue boundaries. Published dosimetric datasets for both seeds have been obtained under bounded conditions. The aim of the present study is to obtain dosimetric datasets for these seeds under full scatter conditions. The Monte Carlo GEANT4 code has been used to estimate air-kerma strength and dose rate in water around the Ir-192 seeds. Functions and parameters following the TG43 formalism are obtained and presented in tabular forms: the dose rate constant, the radial dose function, and the anisotropy function. Tables for the anisotropy factor have been obtained in order to apply punctual approximation. Differences between dose rate distributions for both seeds show that specific dataset must be used for each type of seed in clinical dosimetry. The data in the present study improve on published data in the following aspects: (i) dosimetric data were obtained under full scatter conditions, which affect dose values at distances greater than 4-5 cm from the source; (ii) the dose rate tables are given at greater distances from the source; and (iii) the spatial resolution in high dose gradient areas, such as those near the longitudinal source axis, has been improved.