Intracardiac Embolized Prostate Brachytherapy Seeds: Imaging Features in Patients Undergoing Electrocardiogram-Gated
Darragh F Halpenny1, Larry Latson, Derek Mason
1From the *Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; and †Department of Radiology, Cardiac Imaging Section, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY.
Objective:
This study aims to provide the first description of the computed tomographic (CT) appearances of intracardiac embolized brachytherapy seeds in patients undergoing electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated cardiac CT.
Methods:
The institutional Picture Archive and Communication System was searched for male patients who underwent enhanced ECG-gated cardiac CT, and reports were searched for the key words "metallic," "prostate," "brachytherapy," "radiation," "embolized," and "radioactive." Each study was identified and examined for an intracardiac metallic object conforming to the size of a prostate seed.
Results:
Between January 01, 2005, and June 30, 2014, a total of 3206 male patients underwent ECG-gated cardiac CT. Five patients (0.15%) had a history of prostate cancer and an intracardiac metallic object with CT imaging characteristics consistent with an embolized prostate seed. In all 5 patients, the seeds were embedded in the trabeculations of the inferior aspect of the basal right ventricular free wall.
Conclusions:
Intracardiac embolized brachytherapy seeds appear as small objects with surrounding metallic artifact characteristically embedded in the inferior aspect of the basal right ventricular free wall.
More Related Videos
10:17Real-Time Cardiac Mapping with a Noninvasive Imageless Electrocardiographic Imaging System
Published on: April 11, 2025
09:32Time-Resolved, Dynamic Computed Tomography Angiography for Characterization of Aortic Endoleaks and Treatment Guidance via 2D-3D Fusion-Imaging
Published on: December 9, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:28Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
01:17Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography
Indications: Echocardiography is utilized to diagnose heart failure, valve disorders, and myocardial infarction. It also assesses cardiac structures' size, shape, and motion,...
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
01:27Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for...