• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.263-268
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• 1988

This paper presents dose distributions in water around Fletcher-Suit colpostat containing $^{137}Cs$ tube, and shielding effect of Internal lead shield. Using ready packed film, author measured dose distribution in water around the colpostat containing cesium source. Nine sheets of films on one side of the colpostat are packed with acryl frames cut out so as to fill water, and irradiated in water by cesium source in the colpostat. Dose distributions on transverse plane and upper plane 0.5cm from upper surface of the colpostat were measured. Shielding effect was greater in upper medial direction than in lower medial direction. And that was the greatest around $30^{\circ}$ from the axis of the colpostat on upper side and around $50^{\circ}$on lower side. In the region 7cm from the center of the colpostat, shielding efficiency was 0.23 to 0.35 on the lower $50^{\circ}$ and 0.26 to 0.42 on the upper $30^{\circ}$, and decreased with increase of distance.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.305-311
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• 1989

Fletcher-Suit colpostat has an internal structure to reduce dose to bladder and rectum. Some programs were developed to calculate dose at any point in water in three dimension around the colpostat containing Cs-137 tube, to find the shielding effect to dose by the internal structure, and to draw isodose curves and iso-shielding effect curves. Computer was an IBM compatible AT with EGA card and language was MS-Basic V6.0, Material, shape and geometry of the strucure, tube and colpostat were considered in algorithm for calculation of dose. Dose rates per unit mg. Ra. eq. in water calculated by a program were stored in auxiliary memory devices and retrieved in another programs. Isodose curves on medial side shrinked. Dose distribution was not symmetric about a transverse axis bisecting the colpostat. Reduction of dose was more excessive on top side than on bottom. Iso-shielding effect curve showed that the shielding effect was higher on top side than on bottom, and that there was shielding effect over almost all area of medial side. Such results were related to both shifted position of tube in the colpostat and asymmetric distribution of active source in the tube. Maximum of shielding effect was $49\%$ on top side and $44\%$ on bottom side. The direction of iso-shielding effect curve was generally radial from the center of active source. In treatment planning using Fletcher-Suit colpostat, the internal structure should be considered to find precise doses to bladder and rectum, etc.