Brachytherapy

• Overview
• Treatment Technologies
  • HDR Brachytherapy
  • PDR Brachytherapy
  • LDR Brachytherapy
  • Image Guided Brachytherapy
• Benefits of Brachytherapy
• Brachytherapy Products
• Product Resources

Oncology Offerings

• Treatment Techniques
• Radiation Oncology
• Brachytherapy
• Radiosurgery
• Proton Therapy
• Imaging Solutions
• Services & Support
• Events & Resources

 

HDR Brachytherapy

High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a technique using a relatively intense source of radiation (typically 10 Curie source made of Iridium 192) to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation through temporarily placed needles, catheters, or other applicators.

The source is usually attached to (or embedded in) the end of a wire or cable. The wire drives catheters into applicators that have previously been placed in the patient. The source dwells in a preplanned position for a preset time before stepping along the catheter. This process repeats to create the required dose distribution.

By varying the position and dwell time, the dose can be neatly sculpted to provide a dose geometry conforming to the shape of the target. The patient typically receives the total dose in a series of 2-10 treatment sessions, also known as fractions.

For HDR Brachytherapy, Varian supplies

• Afterloaders: VariSource™ iX and GammaMedplus™ iX
• Treatment planning software: BrachyVision™ brachytherapy treatment planning system, BrachyVision Acuros™ advanced dose calculation and Vitesse™ real time planning for HDR brachytherapy
• Applicators and accessories

The computer-controlled afterloader technique provides significant advantages over older, manual loaded brachytherapy techniques:

• Prospective treatment plans performed after applicator placement, but before radiation delivery, potentially eliminate unintended radiation dose, and should eliminate staff dose completely
• The computer controlled stepping of the source permits exquisite shaping of the dose distribution, to adequately encompass target tissues while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible
• The rapid dose delivery supports more patient friendly out-patient treatments

HDR brachytherapy has proven to be a highly successful treatment for cancers of the prostate, cervix, endometrium, breast, skin, bronchus, esophagus, and head and neck, as well as soft tissue sarcomas and several other types of cancer.

 

Contact Varian Oncology

Varian Oncology Headquarters
Tel: 1.650.424.5700
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Events

• 09/02/2010 - 09/04/2010
  ANZHNS - Australia/New Zealand Head & Neck Society
• 09/09/2010 - 09/12/2010
  ISRRT - International Society of Radiographers & Radiological Technologists
• 09/11/2010
  International Users Meeting
• 09/12/2010 - 09/16/2010
  ESTRO 29

varian / us / oncology / brachytherapy