Re-evaluation of the dose to the cyst wall in P-32 radiocolloid treatments of cystic brain tumors using the Dose-Point-Kernel and Monte Carlo methods

Intracavity instillation of beta-emitting colloid pharmaceuticals is a common technique used to treat cystic brain tumors. Most of the dosimetric calculations that have been reported in the literature for this problem are based on empirical formulas derived by Loevinger. Concentration of P-32 radiolabeled solution for the delivery of a prescribed dose (200 Gy to the cyst wall) has been published previously using this formalism in what we refer to as a standard nomogram. The calculations using the Loevinger formulas for calculating the P-32 activity necessary to achieve 200 Gy at the cyst wall is re-evaluated and compared to numerically computed results based on full Monte Carlo simulations (EGSnrc) and the dose-point-kernel (DPK) integration method. For cyst diameters greater than 1 cm, the new calculations agree well with previously published results (the standard nomogram) to within a few percents. However, for cyst diameters of less than 1 cm, it is shown that the standard nomogram results underestimate the therapeutic activity by a factor of similar to3 for very small diameters (similar to0.2 cm). New tables based on our calculations are presented and the sources of discrepancies are identified. It is concluded that the new set of data based on our calculations should replace the standard nomogram to administer accurately the target dose to the cyst wall for the smaller diameter cysts (< 1 cm). (C) 2003 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.