[en] The brachytherapy by ruthenium 106 of uvea melanomas allows to preserve the eye in more than 80% of the cases. (N.C.)

[en] Background: to investigate the clinical course, sequelae and visual function of uveal melanomas treated with Ruthenium 106 brachytherapy. Patients and method: 47 patients who underwent Ruthenium 106 brachytherapy between 1985 and 2000 were evaluated using Kaplan Meier statistical method. Mean follow up interval was 22 month (range 8 - 152 months). Results: Local tumor control rate was 85 %, 5 years possibility to avoid enucleation was 75 %. The most important sequelae were radiation optic neuropathy (29 %), maculopathy (37 %) and radiation retinopathy (32 %). After terminating the study the 34 % of the patients achieved a visual acuity of 20/40 and more, another 34 % had a visual function of 20/200 and lower. Conclusion: Ruthenium 106 brachytherapy is our method of choice in small medium sized uveal melanomas and a maximum tumor prominence of 6 mm. Tumors have to be located in the midperiphery and outer periphery of the fundus including the ciliary body. In addition to the indications introduced by Lommatzsch we treated ciliary body melanomas with a tumor base more than 3 clock hours (by shifting the plaque) as an alternative therapy to enucleation. (author)

[en] Nuclear Recycle Group of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has indigenously developed Ruthenium Brachytherapy (RuBy) Plaque for the treatment of eye cancers. RuBy plaque contains Ruthenium-106 radioisotope. The unique radiochemical characteristics of the radioisotope such as emission of high energy beta radiation (3.54 MeV) and rapid beta radiation dose rate fall off make it useful for selective killing of cancer cells without damaging the healthy organs of the eye. RuBy plaques of two different configurations (round and notched) have been successfully deployed for the treatment of eye cancers. Round plaque is used commonly whereas notched configuration is suitable for the treatment of eye cancers located adjacent to the optic nerve. The first use of the indigenous plaque was carried out on 21st August 2019 by Dr. Santosh Honavar at the Centre for Sight Hospital, Hyderabad for treating a patient with ocular surface squamous neoplasia and the results were very encouraging with no evidence of local tumor recurrence, well-maintained and complete vision. Presently, RuBy plaques are being used at seven hospitals in the country and more than fifty patients have been treated. All post-treatment results are highly satisfactory, confirming the fact that RuBy plaques have gained the trust of doctors and patients alike. More hospitals are progressively adopting RuBy plaques for better and cost-effective treatment of eye cancer

[en] To evaluate the retina dose as a risk factor associated with loss of visual acuity (VA) in ¹⁰⁶Ru plaque brachytherapy.

[en] This case report deals with brachytherapy, subsequent local resection and pars plana vitrectomy for a large ciliary body melanoma. In 1990 a 6 mm high ciliary body melanoma was treated with Ruthenium 106. In spite of early regression of the tumour infiltrating the choroid the remaining ciliary body melanoma was removed by local resection with simultaneous cataract surgery and anterior vitrectomy. 6 months later a focal PVR retinal detachment at the site of the scar of the Ruthenium-106 plaque developed and was treated by vitrectomy, membrane peeling and SF-6 gas tamponade. After 1 year of follow up the retina remained reattached, the tumor had regressed to a chorioatrophic scar. Internal examination could not reveal any sign of metastasis, visual acuity was 1/36 due to a maculopathy. Regarding to our knowledge of cell biology development of metastasis is a much more complex procedure than pure mechanical dissemination of tumor cells. In our opinion cataract or even vitreoretinal surgery may be justified in case of a necrotic tumor. (authors)

[en] ¹⁰⁶Ru/¹⁰⁶Rh based eye plaques are very popular for treatment of tumour with apical height upto 5 mm due to its number of advantages. Recently, BARC has also developed ¹⁰⁶Ru/¹⁰⁶Rh eye plaque for the treatment of eye cancer. ¹⁰⁶Ru/¹⁰⁶Rh eye plaque manufactured by BEBIG was available and used worldwide. The present work describes the dosimetric comparison of these two sources used in treatment of ocular cancer. Uniformity of activity distribution of sources were found to be 6.8% and 12 % for BEBIG and BARC source respectively. These values are well within the acceptance limit of 20%. Measured relative percentage depth dose at zero mm, 1mm, 2mm, 4 mm and 8 mm from the inner surface of the plaque were found to be 163.0 and 160.6; 130.0 and 130.2; 100 and 100; 53.6 and 51.5; 9.2 and 9.4 for BEBIG and BARC source respectively. The dosimetric parameters of both plaques were measured and found to be comparable with each other

[en] Ruthenium Brachytherapy (RuBy) plaques of two different configurations (Round and Notched) developed earlier are being used for the treatment of eye cancers in seven Indian hospitals. In addition, development of paediatric plaque has been completed and it will be dedicated to the nation shortly for the treatment of retinoblastoma, which is prevalent in eye cancer of children below 4 years of age. Development of paediatric plaque was taken up based on the demand from RP Centre of AIIMS, Delhi. The Paediatric RuBy plaque is a sealed source (silver material with 99.9% purity, Grade 999 of IS2112), bearing ¹⁰⁶Ru radioisotope as a radiation source. Ru is electroplated on a flat circular disc (with 9.55 mm diameter and 0.2 mm thickness), which is then sandwiched in between two circular silver discs (with 0.9 mm and 0.1 mm thicknesses) and sealed by a brazing process

[en] SRNL has considerable experience in designing, engineering, and operating systems for removing iodine-129 (I-129) and ruthenium-106 (Ru-106) from waste streams that are directly analogous to the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) waste streams. SRNL proposes to provide the technical background and design and engineering support for an improved I-129 and Ru-106 removal system for application to ALPS on the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

[en] In this paper, we describe the studies undertaken to optimise method for the electrodeposition of ¹⁰⁶Ru on either silver or copper matrix for the preparation of brachytherapy plaque made of 0.7 mm silver backing and 0.1 mm thick window for the treatment of ophthalmic cancer, where in the ¹⁰⁶Ru is deposited on the concave surface and sealed to prevent leaching

[en] The NPL secondary standard radionuclide calibrator was introduced in 1985 in order to provide a highly stable, sensitive and accurate facility for the assay of radionuclides. One of its principal advantages is the direct traceability of its calibration figures to national standards of radioactivity. Since its introduction, several additional calibration figures have been measured for radionuclides which had not been previously standardised at NPL. Details of these new calibration figures are presented together with their appropriate volume correction factors