Brachytherapy room in the medical center
Performing operation by low-dose brachytherapy method
Organization of the room for prostate canter brachytherapi
BEBIG supplies micro sources for treatment of prostate cancer and related medical equipment for low-dose brachytherapy for prostate cancer.
Since brachytherapy procedure involves working with sources of ionizing radiation, it requires a series of preparatory activities related to the preparation of premises, obtaining permits and personnel training. The Master List of such activities is provided in the table below.
Basic stages of putting a brachytherapy room into operation in a medical institution*:
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1. |
Organizational activities – preparing the clinics for brachytherapy. Preparing the premises designated for brachytherapy sessions |
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2. |
Obtaining permits and authorizations required to carry out brachytherapy |
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3. |
Training specialists involved in brachytherapy sessions |
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4. |
Providing equipment, procurement of sets of micro sources and consumables required to carry out brachytherapy |
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5. |
Performing first brachytherapy operations involving specialists practicing brachytherapy |
*The activities required to prepare the clinics to practicing brachytherapy take from 6 months to 2 years.
Standard set of mechanical equipment required for prostate cancer brachytherapy (ultra-sound controlled):
1. Stabilizer - this is a stabilizing device that, fixed with mounting hardware to an operating table, moves freely in any direction. It is designed to allow for the installation of a stepper (step mechanism) as well as ultrasonic probes, brachytherapy or cryotherapy patterns, add-on devices for endoscopic examinations, etc.
2. Step mechanism - stepper - the stepper allows for movement of the ultrasonic rectal probe. The increments of stepper movement may vary, but in most cases are 0.5 cm. The stepper is rigidly fixed to the stabilizer. On the free end of the stepper is a mounting structure for the sampler. There is a mount for an ultrasonic probe and a nozzle to suit different probe sizes. The stepper is equipped with an automatic system for tracking the movement of the ultrasound probe and providing simultaneous data transmission to the dosimetry planning software.
3. Coordinate grid– sampler - a sampler is a device to control the injection of needles in which microsources have been loaded. It is a rectangular plate made of stainless steel having a coordinate grid with holes at the coordinates. The sampler is rigidly mounted on the stepper. Additional information: the device must be treated with disinfectant solutions.
4. Ultrasonic unit - Needed for the ultrasonic unit: The device must have software for brachytherapy (allowing for the imposition of a coordinate grid in increments of 5 mm on the ultrasound image). It must be equipped with a bi-plane transrectal probe suitable for brachytherapy.
5.Software for LDR brachytherapy systems PSID (JetSpeed)
Software PSID (JetSpeed 5) D&K Technologies Gmbh is designed for planning and carrying out treatment of prostate cancer with brachytherapy. The program is adapted for Russian users and its interface is both simple and user-friendly.
PSID (JetSpeed 5) software allows for online connection to an ultrasonic system during both pre-planning for the implantation of radioactive sources, 125I, and the operation itself.
