A dosimetric study of polyethylene glycol hydrogel in 200 prostate cancer patients treated with high-dose rate brachytherapy ± intensity modulated radiation therapy

Abstract Background and purpose We sought to analyze the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel on rectal doses in prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Materials and methods Between July 2009 and April 2013, we treated 200 clinically localized prostate cancer patients with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy±intensity modulated radiation therapy. Half of the patients received a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided transperineal injection of 10mL PEG hydrogel (DuraSeal™ Spinal Sealant System; Covidien, Mansfield, MA) in their anterior perirectal fat immediately prior to the first HDR brachytherapy treatment and 5mL PEG hydrogel prior to the second HDR brachytherapy treatment. Prostate, rectal, and bladder doses and prostate–rectal distances were calculated based upon treatment planning CT scans. Results There was a success rate of 100% (100/100) with PEG hydrogel implantation. PEG hydrogel significantly increased the prostate–rectal separation (mean±SD, 12±4mm with gel vs. 4±2mm without gel, p 2 mL (47±9% with gel vs. 60±8% without gel, p Conclusions PEG hydrogel temporarily displaced the rectum away from the prostate by an average of 12mm and led to a significant reduction in rectal radiation doses, regardless of BMI.