Quality control in pulsed dose rate brachytherapy

A prospective multicenter study (PDR) was leaded on pulsed dose rate brachytherapy over 2 years (2005/2006) in 20 French centres, as part of a programme entitled Stic-PDR and supported by the French ministry of health. Eight hundred and fifty patients were treated for cervix carcinoma with 2D classic or 3D innovative brachytherapy (425 in each arm). The main objectives of this study were to assess the cost of PDR brachytherapy with dose optimization compared to traditional treatments, and to evaluate the complications and local control. A joint programme of quality control was established by the physicists of the different centres, concerning the software treatment planning. the source replacement, the projector and the technical parameters of the course of patient treatment. This technical note lists these controls, and their frequency. (C) 2009 Societe francaise de radiotherapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.