Remote radioactive seed-loading device for permanent brachytherapy of oral cancer with Au-198 grains

Abstract

This paper presents a remote radioactive seed-loading device for permanent brachytherapy of oral cancer with Au-198 grains to reduce the exposure dose to the doctors. Permanent brachytherapy is a treatment which involve implanting of radioactive Au-198 grains, and requires neither long-term needle insertion nor diet-restriction. This is its advantage over temporary brachytherapy. However, the doctors that perform this therapy are exposed to radiation during the treatment procedures. This hinders permanent brachytherapy from being commonly used. The developed device shoots an Au grain from a distant position using air pressure and loads it onto the applicator. This can reduce the exposure dose of the doctors compared with that of the traditional procedure because the doctors are able to stay as far away from the radioactive seeds as possible. We conducted experiments of motion simulation of the proposed and traditional treatment procedures, and compared the exposed doses. The device can reduce the exposed dose by 62% on average.

Low dose rate permanent seed brachytherapy: tracing its evolution and current status

“…However, seed brachytherapy procedures for oral cancer cannot be carried out with robots, as the target region is at or close to the surface and critical organs; hence, the seeds needs to be implanted one‐by‐one. Innovations in this scenario include methods whereby gold grains are shot from a remote position using air pressure, and are subsequently loaded onto the applicator, thereby reducing the radiation exposure 79 …”

Cooperative Brachytherapy Robotic Concept for Localized Cancer Treatment Under Real-Time MRI

“…The CoBra concept intends to make the positioning of the implant with an automated driver, saving the implantloading time and procedural workflow time. In literature [5], concerning an automated implant-loading device, only four concepts [39], [40], [41], and [42] are proposed in the authors' knowledge, and the only one by Patriciu et al [39] (pneumatic actuated) is compatible under the MRI environment. The CoBra team presents an MR-conditional USM (Shinsei Corp.…”

Review of Clinical and Technological Consideration for MRI-Guided Robotic Prostate Brachytherapy

“…In our survey, the only commercialized automated seeddelivery system to date is SeedSelectron by Nucletron (Netherlands). Other automated systems developed are by 1) Patriciu et al [26] seed-injector with MrBot (MRI-Safe robot), 2) Merzouki et al [135] developed fully-automated seed loader device and needle placement robot for TRUS-BT, the team is currently adapting this concept under MRIenvironment in the frame work of on-going CoBra project with the participation of Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG GmbH, 3) Sato et al [136] developed a remote seed-loader device pneumatic actuated using air-pressure to migrate seed from the reservoir to needle, 4) Proffitt et al [137] developed a non-mechanical design actuated using pneumatic actuation. Concerning the commercialized passive systems for seedloading are such as Mick TP/TPV Applicator and Isocord systems Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG GmbH 19 are available.…”

“…Taking an account of automated seed delivery device for MRIenvironment, only one such automated seed delivery module is based on pneumatic actuation is developed by Patriciu et al [26], and integrated to MRI-Safe robot. The device made by Sato et al [136] and Proffitt et al [137] can also be possibly extended to MRI-environment due to its pneumatic actuation principle for seed navigation from reservoir to needle and followed by automated mandrel to the delivery site.…”