High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy (HDR)
High-Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy is an innovative form of internal radiotherapy. Most of our procedures, at least at first, will be intracavitary (placed into the body cavities) or interstitial (placed directly into tissues). It involves the use of radioactive materials (isotopes) placed directly in contact with cancer tissues, which are then removed when a dose has been delivered to the cancer. The comprehensive, aggressive approach to treatment frequently uses internal radiotherapy for cancers of the breast, cervix, lung, prostate, rectum, tongue and uterus.
Brachytherapy is a quicker, more effective way to give radiation treatments. Brachytherapy places the radiation inside your tumor, tightly focused within the site of the cancer. This technique ensures the maximum radiation dose is given where you need it most, while allowing little radiation to reach the healthy surrounding tissue. In many cases, brachytherapy is an effective alternative to surgical removal of a tumor and the affected organ.
After your initial consultation, your radiation oncology team will determine whether you are an ideal candidate to be offered this form of radiation therapy.
Destroying Cancer While Protecting Healthy Tissue
Brachytherapy is radiation therapy which places the radioactive material in close contact to the tumor. Seed implants are a form of low dose rate brachytherapy used to treat prostate cancer. The other common form is high-dose rate, or "HDR". The goal of brachytherapy is to kill cancer cells with radiation while preserving healthy tissue. Doctors use the tiny radioactive seeds to target the tumor while controlling the area exposed to radiation.
Seeds can be left in place permanently, in which case they give off radiation for weeks or months, and are not removed once the radiation is gone.
Targeting Affected Areas with Ultrasound
Ultrasound and sophisticated computer programs help guide the placement of the radioactive seeds. Ultrasound is a procedure in which high-energy sound waves are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echo patterns are shown on the screen of an ultrasound machine, forming a picture of body tissues called a sonogram.
