Development of a quality assurance tool for high-dose-rate brachytherapy toward safe treatment for cervical cancer

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16480
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: NOZAWA MARIKA 北里大学, 医学部, 助教 (30773501)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 子宮頚癌 / 小線源治療 / 品質管理 / シンチレーター / 人体模擬ファントム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With advances in high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, the importance of quality assurance (QA) is increasing to ensure safe delivery of the treatment for cervical cancer. However, conventional QA is time-consuming, involving the use of several different measurement tools. We developed simple QA method for HDR brachytherapy based on the imaging of radiation and evaluated its performance. The method should be highly suitable for quick and easy QA investigations of HDR brachytherapy as it allows measurements of dose distribution, source strength, and source position.

Free Research Field

放射線治療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

aaa高線量率小線源治療の品質保証は、従来、時間がかかり、煩雑であったが、迅速かつ簡便に行うことが可能になった。線源動作エラーを未然に発見することで、さらに安全な子宮頚癌放射線治療の実施に寄与すると期待される。放射線による発光を、広くがん放射線治療の品質保証法に適用できる可能性が示せ、さらなる応用が期待される。