Usefulness of Iron-Containing Fiducial Marker for Prostate Radiotherapy

Abstract: Visualization of markers is critical for imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the size of the marker varies according to the imaging technique. While a large-sized marker is more useful for visualization in MRI, it results in artifacts on CT and causes substantial pain on administration. In contrast, a small-sized marker reduces the artifacts on CT but hampers MRI detection. Herein, we report a new iron-containing marker and compare its utility with that of non-iron-containing markers…

Conclusion: Our findings show that an iron-containing marker is extremely useful in image registration. Bleeding and pain can be avoided by using a thin needle, and the marker can be recognized on prostatic MRI even when using a thin 22 G needle. The present findings suggest that the Gold Anchor will indeed be useful in daily practice.

Article in Polish Journal of Medical Physics and Engineering, 2016