palladium-103

Palladium-103 (103Pd) is a radioactive isotope used in low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy for the treatment of various localized malignancies, including prostate cancer, uveal melanoma, and early-stage breast cancer. It decays via electron capture to stable rhodium-103, emitting low-energy X-rays with an average energy of approximately 21 keV and a half-life of 17 days. This low energy profile results in a rapid dose fall-off, allowing for highly localized radiation delivery that spares adjacent healthy tissues, such as the rectum in prostate cancer or the fovea in ophthalmic applications. The isotope is typically encapsulated in titanium seeds, gold plaques, or uni-directional polymer sheets for permanent or temporary implantation directly into or around the tumor site.

Brand names

TheraSeedCivaSheetConcure Breast Microseed

Other names

palladium 103palladium103palladium-103radioactive palladium-103