Dan Theodorescu MD PhD

University of Virginia

Professor of Urology

Professor of Molecular Physiology

Last update:

"Brachy" is a Greek prefix meaning "short" (just as "tele" means long). Brachytherapy is a treatment at short range, as contrasted, for example, with being bombarded at a distance by external beam radiation (EBRT). In prostate brachytherapy, radiation comes from small radioactive "seeds" implanted very close to the area being treated. This minimizes the chance of affecting nearby tissue while still delivering enough radiation to the prostate to destroy the cancerous cells.

At the University of Virginia, we carry out Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided implants using only Palladium Isotope (Pd103). This method of implantation was popularized by physicians in Seattle has been performed for about 12 years. This method measures the patient's prostate several weeks before the procedure. The information is reviewed and the exact locations where seeds should be deposited in the prostate are determined. We have adopted this technique has been highly successful at relatively long follow up (refs…).

With this procedure, rice-size capsules containing radioactive Palladium are implanted directly into the prostate, using thin, hollow needles inserted through the skin between the scrotum and the rectum. A combination of transrectal ultrasound and CT imaging provides precise measurements of the prostate's size and shape and aids in treatment planning. Physicians will typically implant from 40 to 100 seeds. Almost all the radioactivity will be delivered by the third month. The procedure is typically done in an outpatient setting under spinal or general anesthesia. The patient can resume most normal activities within 48 hours following treatment.

By clicking on the following hotlinks you will find two slide presentations about brachytherapy that I have given to medical audiences and patient groups. The first is an introduction describing the history and results with brachytherapy. The second, outlines the brachytherapy approaches used at UVA to improve on the outcomes so far observed.