What is the typical characteristic of a brachytherapy source regarding radioactivity?

Brachytherapy sources are specifically designed to deliver localized radiation treatment. One of the fundamental characteristics of these sources is that they are often encapsulated to contain the radioactive material. This encapsulation is crucial because it serves multiple purposes: it not only protects the surrounding environment and patient from unnecessary radiation exposure but also maintains the integrity of the source during handling and delivery.

The encapsulation helps to ensure that only the intended area receives the dose of radiation while minimizing the risk of contamination or leakage of the radioactive material. This is especially important considering the potency and nature of the radioactive isotopes used in brachytherapy, which need to be contained effectively to achieve safe and effective treatment outcomes.

In outpatient settings, the use of sealed sources allows for more flexible treatment options compared to unsealed sources, which can pose greater safety concerns. Additionally, while brachytherapy sources can emit gamma radiation, the ability of these sources to do so is not inherently a characteristic that disqualifies their use but is instead part of their functionality, focusing on delivering a therapeutic dose directly to the neoplastic tissue.