Enhanced efficiency and ergonomics of an intraoperative automated prostate brachytherapy delivery technique.

Introduction: In 2003, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre started a prostate brachytherapy program using Iodine-125 seeds, intraoperative treatment planning, and an automated remote afterloader, the seedSelectron. Over a 3-month period in 2004-2005, technologic changes were implemented with the intent of reducing the time spent in the operating room and improving ergonomics for the radiation oncologist/surgeon. New commercial software including inverse planning was installed, concurrent needle insertion and seed train building was implemented, and additional hardware (a slave monitor) was connected to the system.

Design, development, and implementation of the radiological physics center's pelvis and thorax anthropomorphic quality assurance phantoms.

The Radiological Physics Center (RPC) developed two heterogeneous anthropomorphic quality assurance phantoms for use in verifying the accuracy of radiation delivery: one for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to the pelvis and the other for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to the thorax. The purpose of this study was to describe the design and development of these two phantoms and to demonstrate the reproducibility of measurements generated with them. The phantoms were built to simulate actual patient anatomy.

Bypassing the learning curve in permanent seed implants using state-of-the-art technology.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to demonstrate, based on clinical postplan dose distributions, that technology can be used efficiently to eliminate the learning curve associated with permanent seed implant planning and delivery.

Methods And Materials: Dose distributions evaluated 30 days after the implant of the initial 22 consecutive patients treated with permanent seed implants at two institutions were studied. Institution 1 (I1) consisted of a new team, whereas institution 2 (I2) had performed more than 740 preplanned implantations over a 9-year period before the study.

A technical evaluation of the Nucletron FIRST system: conformance of a remote afterloading brachytherapy seed implantation system to manufacturer specifications and AAPM Task Group report recommendations.

The Fully Integrated Real-time Seed Treatment (FIRST) system by Nucletron has been available in Europe since November 2001 and is being used more and more in Canada and the United States. Like the conventional transrectal ultrasound implant procedure, the FIRST system utilizes an ultrasound probe, needles, and brachytherapy seeds. However, this system is unique in that it (1) utilizes a low-dose-rate brachytherapy seed remote afterloader (the seedSelectron), (2) utilizes 3D image reconstruction acquired from electromechanically controlled, nonstepping rotation of the ultrasound probe, (3) integrates the control of a remote afterloader with electromechanical control of the ultrasound probe for integrating the clinical procedure into a single system, and (4) automates the transfer of planning information and seed delivery to improve quality assurance and radiation safety.