Brachytherapy is one type of radiation therapy used to treat prostate cancer. It is also called internal radiation therapy and allows a physician to use a higher total dose of radiation to threat a smaller area and in a shorter time than is possible with external beam radiation treatment. Permanent brachytherapy also called see implantation involves placing radioactive seeds or pellets in or near a tumor and leaving them there permanently. After several months the radioactivity level of the seeds eventually diminishes to nothing. During the initial time of radioactivity, adult protective diapers can be worn under clothing to almost completely reduce the dose/exposure around the patient with radioactive brachytherapy seeds making it safe to be around other people.
There are two types of such radioactive seeds used in LDR brachytherapy: iodine (I-125) which is the most common, and Pa-103 (a palladium isotope) may also be used.
I-125 emits gamma at 35 keV and Pa-103 gamma at 21 keV. These monoenergetic gamma beams are approximate to the same average photon energy as about 80 kV and 60 kV x-ray beams. Therefore the 0.50 mm Pb shielding used in your adult diapers will attenuate over 96% (I-125) and over 98% (Pa-103) of such radiation.
( In addition gamma and beta emissions can create “bremstrahlung” x-radiation from impact, eg bone/shields etc, but again the 0.50 mm Pb shielding will similarly attenuate these at the same, or higher rates).
SKU#: GDR
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Box 1: 2" x 11" x 8" (1.00 lbs.)
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