What must a brachytherapy source be tested for?

A brachytherapy source must be tested for integrity to ensure that it is intact and functioning as intended. Integrity testing is crucial because the source must maintain its structure and the encapsulation must be robust enough to prevent any leakage of radioactive material, which could pose safety risks to patients and staff.

The integrity of the brachytherapy source is fundamental to ensuring that the radioactive material remains securely contained, preventing environmental contamination and exposure risks. This testing involves inspecting the physical condition of the source, ensuring that there are no cracks, breaks, or defects. Maintaining the integrity of the source is essential for the safety and effectiveness of the treatment being administered to patients.

Other testing aspects such as dosimetric accuracy, leakage, and calibration history, while important, focus on different criteria. Dosimetric accuracy relates to the dose delivered, leakage pertains to any unintended release of radioactivity, and calibration history involves the records of how well the source has been calibrated over time. All these factors contribute to the overall safety and effectiveness of brachytherapy, but integrity testing directly ensures the physical safety of the source itself.