Brachytherapy

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     Brachytherapy is a method of treatment in which sealed radioactive sources are used to deliver radiation a short distance from the tumor by interstitial, intracavitary, or surface application.  With this mode of therapy, a high radiation dose can be delivered locally to the tumor with rapid dose fall-off in the surrounding normal tissue.  Examples of brachytherapy available in our department include:

• Prostate brachytherapy (Iodine-125 seed implant using ultrasound and/or CT guidance for prostate cancer).  This treatment is given jointly with the Department of Urology.   Click here to learn more about our prostate brachytherapy program. 
• High dose rate (HDR) irradiation of lung and gynecologic lesions (a high activity Iridium-192 source under computer control dwells at various positions along a catheter that has previously been placed close to the lesion). Click here to learn more about our HDR program. 
• Brain implant (Iodine-125 seed or liquid balloon implant to treat a brain tumor).  This treatment is given jointly with the Department of Neurosurgery. 
• Strontium-90 treatment of coronary artery stents, to prevent restenosis.  This treatment is given jointly with the Department of Interventional Cardiology. Click here to learn more about our intracoronary program. 
• Eye plaques (Iodine-125 seed application for treatment of eye tumors such as ocular melanoma).  This treatment is given jointly with the Department of Ophthalmology.