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The Radioactive Seed Implant is an ultrasound-guided implantation of radioactive seeds into the prostate.  Eligibility for the implant depends upon the stage of the cancer and the size of the prostate. 

Initial Planning

Before the implant procedure, the patient will have an ultrasound mapping of the prostate called a volume study.  A radiation physicist and radiation oncologist, aided by sophisticated computers, use the volume study to determine both the exact number of seeds needed to treat the cancer and precisely where the seeds should be placed. 

The Procedure

Utilizing a state-of-the-art implantation system for highly accurate placement of radioactive seeds into the prostate, a team of urology and radiation oncology specialists work to place internal radiation therapy exactly where it is needed most. 

No surgical incision is required.  Instead, thin needles are passed into the prostate gland through the skin between the scrotum and the rectum.   As the needles penetrate through the prostate, they are seen on the screen of the ultrasound machine and can be accurately guided to their final position.   

The procedure is performed in the hospital with general or spinal anesthesia.  Typically patients are back to their normal activities within a few days.  The tiny seeds gradually deliver radiation ot the prostate to kill the cancer cells.  The radioactivity level steadily drops off and disappears after several months.   

Men with early-stage prostate tumors are the best candidates for seed implantation.   Because of the development of the PSA test, patients are now being diagnosed at earlier stages, permitting more patients to become potential candidates for this therapy.   Your doctor can review your diagnosis, discuss treatment options and determine if you are a candidate for seed implantation.