Radiation protection of persons living close to patients with radioactive implants.

BACKGROUND

Permanent interstitial brachytherapy is--in certain cases--a very successful therapeutic option, but application of radioactive implants always results in only gradually diminishing radiation exposure of persons in the patient's immediate surroundings.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Using patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with iodine-125 ((125)I) or palladium-103 ((103)Pd) as an example, it is shown how a patient, if necessary or wished by him, can, by wearing commercially available X-ray protection shorts, reduce radiation exposure of family members in such a way that at a distance r from the patient a given dose per year is not exceeded.

RESULTS

The computational procedures necessary for the determination of the individual periods of wearing X-ray protection clothing are provided in the form of formulae and graphics. All considerations and calculations can also be applied to other radiotherapeutic interventions involving the use of (125)I, (103)Pd or other gamma-sources.

CONCLUSION

If necessary, a patient with permanent radioactive implants can reduce radiation exposure of family members by wearing special X-ray protection clothing for a limited period of time. This kind of radiation protection is very efficient and considerably simpler to accomplish than a reduction of exposure time or an increase of the distance between the patient and family members.