Leakage test evaluation used for qualification of iodine-125 seeds sealing

Brachytherapy is one of the possible treatments with ionizing radiation available for prostate cancer, in which small seeds containing iodine-125 radioisotope are implanted directly into the prostate. The seed consists of a sealed titanium tube containing a central silver wire with adsorbed iodine-125. The tube sealing is made with titanium at the ends, using plasma arc-welding (PAW) or laser process. This sealing must be leakage-resistant and free of cracks, therefore avoiding iodine-125 to deposit in the silver wire to escape and spread into the human body. To ensure that this problem is not occurring, rigorous leakage tests in accordance with the standard ISO-9978 should be applied. The aim of this study is to determine, implement and evaluate the leakage test to be used in the iodine-125 seeds production, in order to qualify the sealing procedure. The standard ISO-9978 presents a list of tests to be carried out according to the type of source. The preferential methods for brachytherapy sources are soaking and helium. To assess the seeds leakage, the method of immersion test at room temperature was applied. The seeds are considered leakage-free if the detected activity does not exceed 185 Bq (5 nCi). An iodine standard was prepared and its value determined in a sodium iodide detector. A liquid scintillation counter was calibrated with the standard for seed leakage tests. Forty-eight seeds were plasma arc-welded for these tests.