About the DVS Program
In order to provide the most advanced, precise and safe radiation treatments possible for prostate cancer, Jefferson is proud to offer the Dose Verification System (DVS®). Our radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and urologists consider DVS an exciting breakthrough in patient safety and quality assurance of radiation therapy, since this technology provides an unprecedented level of precision to physicians and added reassurance to prostate cancer patients. Jefferson is the only hospital in the Philadelphia region to offer DVS implantation.
The DVS technology allows our physicians to verify the daily dose delivered during your radiation treatment course. In order to do this, we will implant two in vivo dosimeters – which are housed inside a small capsule made of biocompatible glass – permanently on each side of the prostate gland using needles that are inserted into your skin. The procedure is similar to the implantation of other biomedical devices, such as a pacemaker or artificial joint. Not only is DVS used to verify the actual radiation dose delivered to the tumor, but it's also the only system available that provides the capability to use the dosimeter for tumor localization.
During the course of your radiation therapy, daily measurements are performed wirelessly via a sensor. In this way, information is transmitted from the DVS dosimeters to a hand-held monitor, which enables our physicians to verify that the dose you received is within an acceptable range of the prescribed radiation dose. In the unlikely event that the measured dose is significantly different from the prescribed dose, your Jefferson radiation therapy team will make the necessary corrections.
Our radiation therapy team strives to utilize the most effective technologies available to fight your prostate cancer and will be with you every step of the way.