Technical Note D276.200.

0/1

New Isotope Factors for CURIEMENTOR 2

I. Introduction
CURIEMENTOR 2 is an isotope calibrator for
activity measurement in Nuclear Medicine.
For every radionuclide the isotope calibrator uses a
specific calibration factor to calculate the activity
and display it in GBq or Ci. This factor is called
isotope factor.

II. Default setting of isotope

factors
Figure 1: CURIEMENTOR 2 with well chamber
The isotopes listed below are stored with isotope
factors. They can easily be selected by entering the
mass number of the radionuclide via the keyboard.
III. Isotope factors for other
Radionuclide T½ [1] Relative Isotope
Factor
radionuclides
18
F (*) 0.07623 d 146 The isotope factors for the following radionuclides
51
Cr (*) 27.705 d 4167 have been determined.
57
Co (*) 271.83 d 443 The factors are valid for a standard filling in the
58
Co (*) 70.86 d 162 manufacturer´s vial. For other fillings this factor may
59
Fe (*) 44.53 d 143
not be valid because of self absorption of the
67 radionuclide.
Ga (*) 3.2612 d 456
75
Se (*) 119.783 d 241
87m Radio- T½ [1] Relative Filling Manufacturer
Sr (*) 0.11679 d [2] 362 nuclide Isotope
99m
Tc (*) 0.25028 d 527 Factor
111 32
In (*) 2.8047 d 253 P 14.262 d 12342 (*) 2 ml Nycomed
111
IN (**) 2.8047 d 243 Amersham
89
113 m
In (*) 0.069092 d 498 Sr 50.53 d 14050 (*) 4 ml Nycomed
123
Amersham
I (*) 0.553 d 338 90
125
Y 2.671 d 7250 1.75 ml Nycomed
I (*) 59.391 d 480 Amersham
131
I (*) 8.0207 d 338 153
Sm 1.9284 d 305 0.1 ml CIS
133 1
Ba (*) 3848 d 157 169
Erb 9.40 d 202000 (*) 3 ml CIS
137
Cs (*) 1.100E4 d 259 186
Re 3.7183 d 1570 0.7 ml CIS
192
Ir (*) 73.824 d 215 186
Re 3.7183 d 1750 1 ml Mallinckrodt
197
Hg (*) 2.6725 d 340 188
Re 0.7075 d 1193 2 ml Nycomed
198 Amersham
Au (*) 2.6943 d 340
201 224
Tl (*) 3.0424 d 282 Ra 3.66 d 93 2 ml Altmann

All measurements with Curiementor lead shield T23365/60-62
(*) Isotopes measured in “P6” vial from Nycomed Amersham.
(**) for measurements in a syringe (for differentiation the isotope is
displayed in capitals)
1
The isotope factor for Barium-133 is only listed for
technical and check purposes. It is not to be used in the
context of medical measurements.
All measurements with Curiementor lead shield (T23365/60-62) and
Curiementor liner with cut out section (T233652/8) in the vial of the
nuclide manufacturer.
(*) As only a 4 digit isotope factor can be stored in Curiementor 2 for
this isotope the activity has to be calculated by multiplying the
displayed value with the quotient from the isotope factor of the
measured radionuclide and the isotope factor of the selected
radionuclide.
E.g.: Measured radionuclide: Sr-89 (Isotope factor 14050). Selected
radionuclide Cs-137 (Isotope factor 259), measured value 5.18
MBq.
Activity of the measured isotope: (5.18 MBq / 259) x 14050 = 281
MBq.
Technical Note D276.200.0/1

How to enter a new isotope factor: If a number of connected seeds of the strand
After pressing the “*”-button the display shows “Iso- should be measured together a correction factor for
Factor =” and the cursor blinks for the input of a free the displacement of the seeds from the center of
isotope factor between 1 and 9999. the chamber must be considered.
After terminating the input with “ENTER” the display
shows “xx” for a free isotope factor. Pressing the Strand length Correction factor for
“#”-button once the actual factor is displayed. (Number of seeds) displacement (*)
Pressing “#” again toggles back to the measured
value. 1 1
The factor is stored nonvolatile. 2 1.05
3 1.10
4 1.24
IV. Measuring radionuclides (*) For RAPID Strandä from Nycomed Amersham
without a given isotope factor
If the radionuclide which should be used is not
mentioned in one of the above lists, please ask
PTW-Freiburg if an isotope factor is already
available.
If not, an isotope factor can be determined in the
following way, using a reference solution:
The activity of the reference solution must be known
exactly. With the radionuclide placed inside the
CURIEMENTOR chamber the free isotope factor
must be varied until the given activity is displayed
correctly.
Please read the instruction manual for detailed
information.

Figure 2: Funnel for seed measurement

V. Measuring LDR Brachytherapy
Seeds
I-125 and Pd-103 seeds for permanent seed VI. Conclusions
implantation can be measured with the
CURIEMENTOR 2 using a funnel specially With the possibility to enter new isotope factors the
designed for seed measurement (T23365/U901-1, isotope calibrator CURIEMENTOR 2 can be used
see figure 2). for measurement of nearly all isotopes in nuclear
The manufacturer of the seeds offers reference medicine.
seeds with a stated equivalent activity for In conjunction with the seed holding device
comparison measurement. CURIEMENTOR 2 is well suited to measure
To determine the correct calibration factor place the brachytherapy seeds.
reference seed in the funnel and change the
isotope factor as described above until
CURIEMENTOR 2 displays the correct value.
----
This calibration factor can be used to check the
[1] PTB Bericht Ra-16/5 U. Schötzig, H. Schrader: Halbwertszeiten
seeds according to TG-56 [3]. It is valid for seeds und Photonen-Emissionswahrscheinlichkeiten von häufig verwen-
from the same manufacturer and design only. deten Radionukilden.
The funnel can also be used to measure Nycomed [2] WWW Table of Radioactive Isotopes
http://nucleardata.nuclear.lu.se/nucleardata
Amersham RAPID Strandä seed strands.
[3] Code of practice for brachytherapy physics: Report of the AAPM
A RAPID Strandä consists of 10 single I-125 seeds Radiation Therapy Committee Task Group N0. 56; Med. Phys. 24
spaced at fixed distances of 1 cm center to center (10), October 1997
within a braided absorbable suture.
As the manufacturer states an activity range of 6%
within one strand, measuring a single seed of the
strand is sufficient for standard QA.

subject to change D276.200.0/1 2003-04 Chr/Zi