High-resolution 3D dose distribution measured for two low-energy x-ray brachytherapy seeds: 125I and 103Pd

In this work, we have investigated the 3D absorbed dose distribution around 125I and 103Pd low-energy photon brachytherapy seeds using a high-spatial-resolution gel scanning system to address the current difficulty in measuring absorbed dose at close distances to these sources as a consequence of high dose rate gradient. A new version of BANG-gel coupled with a small format laser CT scanner has been used. Measurements were performed with 100 μm resolution in all dimensions. In particular, radial dose function and absorbed dose rate in the plane parallel to the sources longitudinal-axis were derived at radial distances smaller than or equal to 1 cm. In addition, the energy dependence was evaluated, finding that, within measurement uncertainties, the gel response is independent of the energy for energy photon values between 20 keV and 1250 keV. We have observed that at distances larger than 1.4 mm from the source, the delivered dose is similar to predictions from published Monte Carlo calculations (MC) for the 125I seed. For distances between 1 mm and 3 mm, differences in magnitude and shape are significant for the 103Pd seed, where an enhancement is observed. In the enhancement region, a difference of up to 70% in the radial dose function was obtained. Such observation suggests a contribution from other radionuclides emitting beta-particles or electrons, and not considered by MC. To understand the effect, spectrometry measurements were performed. A small contribution of 102Rh/102mRh radionuclide relative to 103Pd was observed and its importance on the absorbed dose measured at close distances to the seed is time dependent and consequently, avoids reproducible measurements. Finally, the results obtained in this work underscore the importance of using high-spatial-resolution and water-equivalent detectors for measuring absorbed dose in low-energy photon radiation fields.