Intraoperative fluoroscopic dose assessment in prostate brachytherapy patients

To evaluate a fluoroscopy-based intraoperative dosimetry system to guide placement of additional sources to underdosed areas, and perform computed tomography (CT) verification.

Twenty-six patients with prostate carcinoma treated with either I-125 or Pd-103 brachytherapy at the Puget Sound VA using intraoperative postimplant dosimetry were analyzed. Implants were performed by standard techniques. After completion of the initial planned brachytherapy procedure, the initial fluoroscopic intraoperative dose reconstruction analysis (I-FL) was performed with three fluoroscopic images acquired at 0 (AP), +15, and -15 degrees. Automatic seed identification was performed and the three-dimensional (3D) seed coordinates were computed and imported into VariSeed for dose visualization. Based on a 3D assessment of the isodose patterns additional seeds were implanted, and the final fluoroscopic intraoperative dose reconstruction was performed (FL). A postimplant computed tomography (CT) scan was obtained after the procedure and dosimetric parameters and isodose patterns were analyzed and compared.

An average of 4.7 additional seeds were implanted after intraoperative analysis of the dose coverage (I-FL), and a median of 5 seeds. After implantation of additional seeds the mean V100 increased from 89% (I-FL) to 92% (FL) (p < 0.001). In I-125 patients an improvement from 91% to 94% (p = 0.01), and 87% to 93% (p = 0.001) was seen for Pd-103. The D90 increased from 105% (I-FL) to 122% (FL) (p < 0.001) for I-125, and 92% (I-FL) to 102% (FL) (p = 0.008) for Pd-103. A minimal change occurred in the R100 from a mean of 0.32 mL (I-FL) to 0.6 mL (FL) (p = 0.19). No statistical difference was noted in the R100 (rectal volume receiving 100% of the prescribed dose) between the two techniques. The rate of adverse isodose patterns decreased between I-FL and FL from 42% to 8%, respectively. The I-125 patients demonstrated a complete resolution of adverse isodose patterns after the initial isodose reconstruction (I-FL). The Pd-103 patients demonstrated a final rate of 8% gaps, 0% islands, and 0% holes on corrected isodose reconstruction.

The use of intraoperative fluoroscopy-based dose assessment can accurately guide in the implantation of additional sources to supplement inadequately dosed areas within the prostate gland. Additionally, guided implantation of additional source, can significantly improve V100s and D90s, without significantly increasing rectal doses.