R A Fox 2002 Phys. Med. Biol. 47 R1 doi:10.1088/0031-9155/47/4/201
R A Fox
Show affiliationsThis is a review of the relatively recently developed field of intravascular brachytherapy of coronary arteries. It presents a brief overview of the discipline of coronary angioplasty describing the problem of restenosis and discusses the potential for ionizing radiation to overcome this problem. It examines the various methods that have been used to irradiate the coronary arteries comparing their advantages and disadvantages. Special consideration is given to seeds and wires in the artery, radioactive liquids in the angioplasty balloon and radioactive stents. Passing reference is made to a number of other methods that have also been proposed, but which are not commonly used to irradiate the coronary arteries at present. The dosimetry of each of the major techniques is discussed and the data from different laboratories compared. Specific consideration is given to the need for centring of the radioactive source and the factors affecting the selection of a dose prescription. A brief review of recent clinical trials is followed by an examination of possible future directions in this field including the use of intravascular ultrasound to improve dosimetry, the use of gas-filled balloons to enhance the penetration of beta-emitting sources and the use of gamma-emitting stents to overcome the problems associated with edge restenosis.
87.53.Jw Therapeutic applications, including brachytherapy
Issue 4 (21 February 2002)
Received 26 July 2001, in final form 26 November 2001
Published 1 February 2002
R A Fox 2002 Phys. Med. Biol. 47 R1
Donald R Larson and Nicholas G Paulter Jr 2007 Metrologia 44 64
D G Fearn and E R Wooding 1967 J. Sci. Instrum. 44 571
A P Kavanagh et al 2007 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 58 439
Masaaki Sakano et al. 2002 ApJS 138 19
A V Golovin et al 2005 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 38 L63
C N Guy and J G Park 1984 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 17 871
Mitsutoshi Fujita et al JHEP06(2009)066
F Acernese et al 2006 Class. Quantum Grav. 23 S197
M S Tillack et al 2004 Nanotechnology 15 390