The progress in brachytherapy

The recent technological developments were focused on three dimensional imaging allowing the implementation under direct control of tumor imaging until now inaccessible. The brachytherapy of prostate cancers beneficing of echography system of the prostate by endorectal path is a model. The reproducibility of methods, design of new systems of implementation, development of prescribing rules to the target volume and constraints to organs at risk have rapid development and improvements based on retrospective and prospective studies. The brachytherapy of prostate cancers represent today a model of the development of an elaborated optimized conformal technique. The use of imaging in real time is also used for other interstitial applications. In gynecological brachytherapy, the diagnostic MRI and the pre implantation echography improved the sources positioning and the use of optimized applicators. (N.C.)