A preloaded radium needle implant device for maintenance of needle spacing.

A small stainless steel bar was machined to accept radium needles. The stainless steel bar will hold a rack of two, three, four, or five radium needles in a single plane. The crossing needle may be affixed to the bar so that textbook-like geometry is possible. The stainless steel bar remains in place during the entire implant. Spacing between needles is close to perfect. The time required to insers the implant is reduced compared to free-hand insertions, and less variation in dose is seen on computer-assisted calculations. Two years' experience in the use and development of the radium needle holder will be reviewed.