Pulsed dose rate brachytherapy at The Christie

The Christie PDR team are registrar Su Kim, nurse clinician Karen Johnson, dosimetrist Helen Farrow, theatres administrator Elizabeth Taylor, brachytherapy radiographer Naomi Morrissey, clinical oncology consultant Dr Susan Davidson, dosimetrist Charlotte Waudby, brachytherapy radiographer David Wood and clinical oncology consultant Dr Jacqueline Livsey.
The Christie Hospital in Manchester has moved from low dose rate (LDR) to pulsed dose rate (PDR) brachytherapy and is running at full capacity, using PDR that delivers radiation in short pulses over several hours, with a Nucletron microSelectron afterloader treatment delivery platform.
Consultant clinical oncologist Jacqueline Livsey said: “The ability to see the tumour with apparatus in situ is a big step forward in treatment planning and patient outcome.”
Nurse clinician Karen Johnson said: “The PDR applicators are much easier to remove and patients require less analgesia.”
See the full report on page 36 of the November 2011 issue of RAD Magazine.