Why will the patient have a CT scan and chest x-ray soon after the procedure?
The CT scan is done to confirm the placement of the seeds. The CT allows the implant team to do a dose determination called dosimetry. The post implant dosimetry acts as a permanent record of the implant. It also gives the implant team another means of evaluating the quality of the implant. On very rare occasions, additional therapy may be suggested. Also on rare occasion, a “free” seed (a seed that is placed in the needle individually) will be inadvertently implanted in the middle of one of the large veins around the prostate. This seed can travel in the veins, eventually reaching the lungs. Seeds in the lung have not caused any harm to any patient and nor any adverse symptoms. The chest x ray is performed to determine if there is a seed in the lung.
