 The Speedloader™ is designed to facilitate the loading of low dose Iodine-125 or Palladium-103 seeds into brachytherapy needles.
It holds both seeds and spacers, and is constructed of stainless steel and brass, with a leaded glass top for radiation shielding.
Seeds and spacers required for the loading of a given needle are positioned in a 1mm-wide, 1mm-deep groove along the bottom of the box using a vacuum manipulator operated through a small opening in one of the side walls. To keep the seeds and spacers within the groove during the transfer to the needle, a stainless steel “transfer plate” is pulled over the groove before the transfer.
It is equipped with a wide V-shaped channel to facilitate placement of the seeds and spacers into the groove. A 1mm-diameter “custom made plunger” is used to expel the seeds from the groove into the needle. A spring loaded nozzle, attached to the bottom surface of the box and in line with the groove, ensures that the seeds and spacers go smoothly into the needle.
The Speedloader was designed and developed by Ivan Brezovich, PhD., University of Alabama, Birmingham.
|
The Speedloader™ is designed to facilitate the loading of low dose Iodine-125 or Palladium-103 seeds into brachytherapy needles. 
