CT-guided Transgluteal Prostate Fiducial Marker Insertion for Localized Radiation Therapy

Abstract

Purpose: To Evaluate the safety and technical success of transgluteal CT-guided fiducial marker implantation into the prostate as an alternative method to transperineal and transrectal approaches.

Material and methods: We retrospectively identified all patients who had undergone CT-guided transgluteal fiducial marker insertion between 2020 and 2022. Four patients with confirmed prostate cancer were identified. One radiologist performed all procedures via a bilateral transgluteal approach under the guidance of real-time CT-fluoroscopy. Twenty cm long pre-waxed 18G guiding needles, preloaded with smooth gold fiducial markers, were used to implant markers. Technical success was defined as the successful placement of the fiducial markers into the planned positions.

Results: The mean age of patients was 70 years. The mean procedure time was 19.25 (SD: 6.75) min, and the mean total dose length product (DLP) was 801.75 (SD: 291.17) mGycm, which is compatible with the 12 mSv estimated effective dose. All procedures were technically successful (100%). All patients tolerated the procedure and did not require any analgesia for pain, and there were no requests to stop or pause the procedure. Only one patient reported hematuria one day after the procedure, which required no treatment.

Conclusion: Transgluteal CT-guided fiducial marker implantation into the prostate is an alternative method to transperineal and transrectal approaches. In this technique, the risk of septic complications is minor, and general anesthesia is not required. Thus, transgluteal CT-guided marker insertion is a feasible and well-tolerated method for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) in patients with prostate cancer.

Keywords: Fiducial marker; Interventional radiology; Prostate cancer; Radiotherapy.