Using Ultrasound in Image-Guided Brachytherapy: Everything Old is New Again

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Ryan Urban, a radiation oncologist from Vancouver, Canada, summarizes his fellowship at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, focusing on gynecological and genitourinary brachytherapy in 2022. He praises the Centre's high volume, advanced techniques, and excellent care. Utilizing the Elekta Geneva applicator, he explains the precision in intracavitary and interstitial cases. Urban emphasizes the role of ultrasound—transabdominal, transrectal, and transvaginal—in planning and verifying brachytherapy, which boosts confidence and safety. Upon returning to BC Cancer, he adopted these advanced ultrasound methods despite local resource limitations. He highlights specific case studies showcasing how adaptation and creative problem-solving enabled effective treatment despite constraints. Urban concludes by stressing the importance of pre-treatment MRI and continuous learning in brachytherapy, reflecting on the high expertise and collaborative environment at Peter MacCallum.

Keywords

brachytherapy

ultrasound

gynecological

genitourinary

MRI