Fletcher-suit Afterloading Applicator (ca. 1960)
This Fletcher-suit afterloading system for treatment of cervical cancer was sold by Radium Chemical Company of 161 East 42nd St. in New York City.
From left to right: afterloading colpostats (2 cm diameter) with two pairs of nylon jackets to increase the colpostat (aka ovoid) diameters to 2.5 and 3.0 cm; three clear flexible tubes to insert radium sources into the tandems; three uterine afterloading tandems of different curvatures.
This photo shows how a plastic tube is inserted into a tandem. The white plastic rod (a pusher) with the "knob" is used to push the radium source into position at the end of the tube and hold it there. This would, of course, be done after the tandem was first positioned next to the tumor.
This photo shows the colpostats with 3 cm diameter jackets.
In use, the end of the tandem would be positioned next to the tumor. Next, the colpostat would be inserted and into the uterus and then locked at the appropriate diameter. The shielding provided by the tungsten ovoids reduced the dose to the rectum—a limiting factor in treating cervical cancer. Finally, the radium source, loaded into the end of the plastic tube, is inserted into the tandem.
Price: $440 ca. 1960
Reference
Radium Radon Catalog. Radium Chemical company. No date.