SDNDS - Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy
Internal radiation treatment achieved by implanting radioactive material directly into the
tumor or very close to it. Sometimes called "internal radiation therapy".
High
dose rate remote brachytherapy
A type of internal radiation in which each treatment is given in a few minutes while the
radioactive source is in place. The source of radioactivity is removed between treatments.
Also known as high-dose-rate remote radiation therapy.
Ultrasound
Guided Brachytherapy
The outlook for patients with localized prostate cancer is brighter than ever, thanks to a
new procedure that combines the exactness of computer-assisted planning with the precision
of ultrasound-guided technology. Known as prostate radioactive seed implantation, this
one-day surgical procedure places tiny radioactive seeds accurately within the confines of
the prostate gland where they act to destroy cancerous cells while leaving nearby healthy
tissue intact. In addition to its cancer-curing potential, this procedure preserves
quality of life by maintaining potency and continence.
The theory driving this advance outpatient procedure is to cause the highly concentrated radiation dose to coincide with the volume of the prostate, to a greater degree than is currently achievable with external beam radiation therapy.
The procedure is accomplished by combining ultrasound visualization and volume mapping of the prostate gland with three-dimensional computer-guided treatment planning. Intraoperative ultrasound and fluoroscopy provide a real-time image of the prostate target volume throughout the implant procedure. A computer grid overlaying the ultrasound prostate image assures accuracy. The grid matches a template through which very fine needles are inserted to place the seeds. This allows for the precise placement of approximately 100 tiny radioactive seeds within the prostate. Every needle insertion is visualized relative to the computer grid to assure that the seeds are implanted at the pre-planned coordinates, resulting in a geometrically correct radiation dose distribution.
This technique has vastly improved the accuracy and convenience of treating prostate cancer, compared with any previously described approach. Although no approach is perfect, ultrasound-guided prostate seed implantation is a technically sophisticated method that may strike the best balance between maximizing the cancer control rate while maintaining quality of life.