Prostate SBRT
High dose-per-fraction treatment makes rectal sparing especially valuable. At AARO, SpaceOAR is routinely paired with prostate SBRT.
Treatments
SpaceOAR moves healthy tissue
SpaceOAR moves healthy tissue
out of the beam.
SpaceOAR is a soft, temporary hydrogel placed between the prostate and the rectum before radiation therapy. That extra centimetre of space dramatically reduces the radiation dose the rectum receives — and with it, the risk of bowel side effects.
~1cmSpace created behind the prostate
~10minPlacement procedure
~6moBefore the gel is naturally absorbed
Image · placeholderIllustration — hydrogel spacer between prostate and rectum
Image · placeholderUltrasound-guided placement illustration
SpaceOAR · What it is
A spacer, in plain language.
The rectum sits directly behind the prostate — millimetres away. During prostate radiotherapy, that proximity is the main constraint: the anterior rectal wall inevitably catches part of the dose, and rectal irritation is one of the most common side effects of treatment.
SpaceOAR (the OAR stands for "organ at risk") is a biodegradable hydrogel injected into the space between the prostate and rectum in a short, ultrasound-guided procedure. The gel firms into a soft spacer roughly a centimetre thick, pushing the rectal wall back out of the high-dose region.
Because radiation dose falls off steeply with distance, that centimetre matters: clinical studies show a substantial reduction in rectal dose and in late bowel toxicity. The gel holds its position through the course of treatment, then liquefies and is absorbed by the body over about six months, leaving nothing behind.
SpaceOAR Hydrogel · Who is it for
Cancers and situations where SpaceOAR Hydrogel can help.
SpaceOAR is an adjunct to prostate radiotherapy — most valuable where the rectal dose would otherwise be the limiting factor.
Conventional & moderately hypofractionated courses
Longer prostate radiotherapy courses also benefit from reduced rectal dose across every fraction.
Men prioritising bowel function
Patients for whom minimising the risk of long-term bowel changes is a key treatment-decision factor.
SpaceOAR · How it works
One short procedure, protection for the whole course.
Placement is a single outpatient procedure, done before your planning scan so the spacer is captured in the treatment plan.
Image · placeholderConsultation — reviewing the procedure with the patient
Assessment & consent
Your oncologist confirms you're a suitable candidate, explains the procedure, and answers your questions. Fiducial markers are often placed at the same sitting.
Image · placeholderUltrasound guidance during spacer placement
Ultrasound-guided placement
Under local anaesthesia and ultrasound guidance, the liquid hydrogel is injected between the prostate and rectum, where it sets within seconds. The procedure takes around ten minutes.
Image · placeholderPlanning scan showing the hydrogel spacer in position
Planning with the spacer in place
Your planning CT and MRI now show the created space. The treatment plan takes full advantage of the lower rectal dose it allows.
Image · placeholderFollow-up imaging — spacer resorbing after treatment
Radiation, then natural absorption
The spacer quietly does its job through your course. Around three months later it begins to liquefy, and by about six months it is fully absorbed.
SpaceOAR · What to expect
Brief discomfort, lasting benefit.
The placement feels similar to a prostate biopsy — pressure and brief discomfort under local anaesthesia, over in minutes. Most men resume normal activities the same or next day.
For a few days you may feel a sense of fullness in the area. Significant complications are uncommon; your oncologist will run through the specific risks before you consent.
During radiotherapy itself the spacer is imperceptible — you won't feel it. It simply sits where it was placed, keeping the rectal wall out of the steepest part of the dose gradient at every session.
Image · placeholderPatient leaving the day-procedure suite
SpaceOAR Hydrogel · Cost & insurance
Is SpaceOAR Hydrogel covered?
SpaceOAR is billed as a procedure alongside your radiotherapy course. Coverage under MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans varies by plan and indication, and our care coordinator can verify your position with your insurer before you decide.
We provide a written cost estimate at consultation — for the spacer and for the radiotherapy course together — before any treatment begins.
Image · placeholderAARO specialists at the Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery
SpaceOAR · Your specialists
Meet Dr Daniel Tan→
Who places SpaceOAR at AARO.
SpaceOAR placement at AARO is performed by our prostate radiation oncologists as part of an integrated prostate radiotherapy pathway — the same specialist who places your spacer plans and oversees your radiation course.
Dr Jonathan TehProstate · Breast · Gynaecological
Dr David TanGU · Prostate
Considering prostate radiotherapy?
Book a consultation. We'll explain whether SpaceOAR is appropriate for your case and what difference it makes to your specific treatment plan.