Brachytherapy

Last revised by Arlene Campos on 6 Nov 2024

Brachytherapy, also known as sealed source radiation therapy or endocurietherapy, is a form of radiation therapy where a radioactive source is placed, under the guidance of imaging, within or next to the area requiring treatment. This provides localized targeted internal radiation.

Brachytherapy has been used to treat:

On plain radiography and CT, brachytherapy seeds appear as multiple small linear metallic density radiopacities within the prostate.

Side effects associated with brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer include:

  • urinary symptoms, often short-lived

  • infertility or impotence (6-50%)

  • migration of seeds out of the treatment region

Cases and figures

  • Case 1: prostate cancer
  • Case 2: prostate cancer
  • Case 3: brachytherapy tandem and ovoids
  • Case 4: prostatic brachytherapy
  • Case 5
  • Case 6: prostatic brachytherapy seeds

Imaging differential diagnosis

  • Prostatic urethral lift
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