You will be asked to return for a CT scan approximately one month following your low dose rate brachytherapy treatment. This will be arranged by Dr James Mackean and enables him to determine the exact position of each seed in the prostate and that your prostate is receiving the proper amount of radiation throughout the entire gland.

You will have a regular follow-up schedule alternating between Dr Swindle and Dr Mackean. You will see Dr Mackean 1 month after the brachytherapy around the time of the CT Scan, and then Dr Swindle at 3 months. You will have a PSA each 3 months for the first year then each 6 months for the next 2 years then yearly thereafter for 10 years. These visits will alternate between Dr Swindle and Dr Mackean.

Approximately one quarter of patients will experience a minor temporary rise in PSA known as a “PSA bounce”. The exact aetiology of this is unknown however it is thought to be related to inflammation of the prostate as a result of the low dose rate brachytherapy. This can occur between 6 months and 2 years after the procedure and usually drops back to pre-existing levels within the following few months. If this occurs it has no bearing on the future success of the treatment.