Ocular Brachytherapy Dosimetry for 103Pd and 125I in The Presence of Gold Nanoparticles: Monte Carlo Study

TL;DR

This Monte Carlo study compares the effects of gold nanoparticles on dose enhancement in eye brachytherapy using 103Pd and 125I sources, highlighting the greater dose amplification with 125I in tumor tissues while sparing healthy tissues.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of dose enhancement effects of GNPs in eye brachytherapy with 103Pd and 125I, emphasizing the importance of accurate eye modeling for dose calculations.

Findings

125I yields higher dose enhancement in tumors than 103Pd.

The difference between water phantom and actual eye is more significant for 125I.

125I with GNPs offers greater tumor dose amplification with minimal healthy tissue damage.

Abstract

The aim of the present Monte Carlo study is to evaluate the variation of energy deposition in healthy tissues in the human eye which is irradiated by brachytherapy sources in comparison with the resultant dose increase in the gold nanoparticle(GNP)-loaded choroidal melanoma. The effects of these nanoparticles on normal tissues are compared between 103Pd and 125I as two ophthalmic brachytherapy sources. Dose distribution in the tumor and healthy tissues have been taken into account for both mentioned brachytherapy sources. Also, in a certain point of the eye, the ratio of the absorbed dose by the normal tissue in the presence of GNPs to the absorbed dose by the same point in the absence of GNPs has been calculated. In addition, differences observed in the comparison of simple water phantom and actual simulated human eye in presence of GNPs are also a matter of interest that have been considered in the present work. The results show that the calculated dose enhancement factor in the tumor for 125I is higher than that of the 103Pd. The difference between the eye globe and the water phantom is more obvious for 125I than that of the 103Pd when the ophthalmic dosimetry is done in the presence of GNPs. Whenever these nanoparticles are utilized in enhancing the absorbed dose by the eye tumor, the use of 125I brachytherapy source will greatly amplify the amount of dose enhancement factor (DEF) in the tumor site without inflicting much damage to healthy organs, when compared to the 103Pd source. Furthermore in Monte-Carlo studies of eye brachytherapy, more precise definition of the eye phantom instead of a water phantom will become increasingly important when we use 125I as opposed to when 103Pd is considered.