ABSTRACT
Brachytherapy was always considered more precise and more conformal than external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The conformity was assured by careful placement of radioactive source within the tumor, making it highly operator-dependent. The use of three-dimensional (3D) imagers such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in brachytherapy has led to image-guided brachytherapy (IGBT) concept, a more precise and less operator-dependent form of the technique. The goal behind Charles LeMoyne's advanced multimodality integrated brachytherapy suite is to have all of the imaging modalities in close proximity to achieve accurate positioning of the implant and accurate definition of the target, while minimizing the potential for displacement of implants within the patient. In brachytherapy, different 3D imagers can be used for different tumor sites and for different steps within the workflow preplanning, implantation, contouring, reconstruction, and dosimetry. Patients would remain in the suite under the care of a radiation oncologist, an anesthesiologist, a respiratory therapist, a radiation therapist (RTT), and nurses.
