What is Brachytherapy?
The word brachytherapy is derived from the Greek word "brachy"which means close, and is used in the sense of close-range treatment. In brachytherapy; Radiation sources are placed very close to the targeted area or sometimes directly into the tumor.
Brachytherapy; can be done by placing radiation sources directly by hand, or by loading the sources into certain apparatuses later.
What are the characteristics of the radioactive sources used in brachytherapy?
The radiation sources used are; They are radioactive materials with limited reach.
For example, in the early stages of prostate cancer, needles inserted into the prostate with a minor operation are used. Due to its limited reach, radiation from its needles is limited only within the prostate. The advantage of this; The healthy tissues around the target volume are exposed to almost no radiation and are protected from possible side effects of radiation. The radiation emissions of the needles disappear over time.
Another example is the application of gynecological cancers by placing various apparatus in the body cavities. Here, the radiation source is then placed in these apparatus and removed again after being kept for a certain period of time. In this application, the healthy tissues around the targeted volume are protected as much as possible from the possible effects of radiation.
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