Two-dimensional dosimetry in the near field of the model 200 103Pd source for interstitial brachytherapy implants using a thermoluminescent sheet

A large area and highly sensitive thermoluminescent (TL) sheet film was used for two-dimensional dose distribution measurements at millimetre distances from a 103Pd interstitial brachytherapy source. The TL film is made of Teflon homogeneously mixed with small particles of thermoluminescent material (BaSO4: Eu doped). This TL sheet (5 cm × 5 cm) was used to determine the relative dosimetric characteristics (i.e., radial dose function, 2D and 1D anisotropy functions, as defined by the updated AAPM Task Group No 43 report) of the model 200 103Pd source that emits low energy photons (21 keV). The two-dimensional dosimetry data were obtained for distances from the source surface to 15 mm. The radial dose function measured with the TL sheet is in reasonable agreement within 11% with the values recommended in the updated AAPM TG-43 report. All the measured 2D dose distributions showed limited symmetry about the source axes. The differences between the 1D anisotropy function values measured with the TL sheet and the data recommended in the updated AAPM TG-43 report were 10% at 5 mm and 7.5% at 10 mm, respectively, for the model 200 103Pd seed. Our experiments have demonstrated that it is feasible to use the TL sheet as a dosimeter in the determination of the dosimetric characteristics in the immediate vicinity of interstitial brachytherapy sources emitting low energy photons.