A recent clinical study concluded that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) guided brachytherapy achieves high quality implants and allows more accurate identification and sparing from radiation of critical anatomy than ultrasound-based treatment planning. 

Details of the study, presented at The World Congress of Brachytherapy meeting in San Francisco last month. were provided by C4 Imaging LLC based on data covering 47 patients treated with prostate brachytherapy. 

The study was conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX and was presented by Pierre Blanchard MD, PhD. C4 Imaging’s Sirius MRI Markers were utilized to assess the location of radioactive seeds implanted during prostate brachytherapy.

The study concluded that MRI guided brachytherapy achieves high quality implants and allows more accurate identification and sparing from radiation of critical anatomy than ultrasound based treatment planning. 

Brachytherapy, or radioactive seed implantation, is a cost-effective option for the curative treatment of prostate cancer. It involves implanting around 100 radioactive seeds into the prostate. Its popularity has increased due to its effectiveness, convenience, low incidence of erectile dysfunction, and minimal invasiveness.

Radiation released from the seeds penetrates the prostate tissue at a limited distance, with most of the radiation concentrated within the prostate. Outcomes after brachytherapy can be excellent but depend greatly on the quality of the implant.

“I believe the data presented on MRI-guided prostate brachytherapy shows that it leads to a high quality implant that avoids delivering radiation to critical anatomical structures around the prostate,” said Steven J. Frank MD, Founder and Chairman of C4 Imaging. “If seeds can be more readily localized with MRI it would lead to more effective treatment and better patient outcomes.”

C4 Imaging is a technology company focused on developing medical devices that enable clinicians to more accurately perform image-guided procedures.