Assessment of the feasibility of using transrectal ultrasound for postimplant dosimetry in low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy.

A study was performed to establish whether transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-based postimplant dosimetry (PID) is both practically feasible and comparable to computed tomography (CT)-based PID, recommended in current published guidelines. In total, 22 patients treated consecutively at a single cancer center with low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy for early-stage prostate cancer had a transrectal ultrasound performed immediately after implant (d0-TRUS) and computed tomography scan 30 days after implant (d30-CT). Postimplant dosimetry planning was performed on both image sets and the results were compared.