방사선 이리디움(Ir-192) 근접치료의 임상적 응용

The Clinical Application of Radioactive Iridium (Ir-192) Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is known to be a good modality to achieve local control as a boost treatment following limited external irradiation, which may reduce the external beam related complication particularly in head and neck cancer. The authors developed iridium-192 ribbons recently to replace the radium needles in the field of brachytherapy. Total of 48 cases of head and neck and pelvic-perineal cancer patients had been treated with Ir-192 ribbons during last two years from October 1986 to September 1988, and the results were analyzed to assess the applicability of the fabricated sources. The conclusion is as follows; 1. Iridium implant resulted excellent tumor control effect in clinical application. 2. Iridium is superior than radium and cecium in brachytherapy because of easier to use and lesser exposure to the personnel. 3. Afterloading technique is useful to modify dose distribution, to expand treatment site and method, and to develop interstitial hyperthermia.