@ctsenior Your post is incorrect. Gold seeds are absolutely used with IMRT.
1. Gold Seeds vs. Radioactive Seeds
In brachytherapy, the "seeds" are actually radioactive pellets (typically Iodine-125 or Palladium-103) that are left permanently in the prostate to kill the cancer. My post was completely accurate to my treatment: I received non-radioactive gold seeds alongside my IMRT radiation.
In external beam treatments like IMRT (Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy) and SBRT (Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy), doctors frequently implant 3 to 4 tiny, non-radioactive gold fiducial markers (often called gold seeds) into the prostate before treatment begins. Because the prostate shifts slightly depending on how full the bladder or rectum is, these gold markers act as precise "bullseyes" on daily X-rays. This ensures the IMRT or SBRT machine targets the prostate exactly and avoids surrounding healthy tissue. 2. IMRT Dosage and Precision
IMRT is not a "low dose" treatment, nor is "wideband precision" a medical term. IMRT delivers a highly effective, full curative dose of radiation. However, it splits that total dose into many small, daily fractions (usually 20 to 45 sessions over several weeks). This slower timeline gives healthy tissues time to heal between treatments. Like I originally posted, I had exactly 28 sessions of IMRT with gold seeds inserted.
3. SBRT Delivery
Your point about SBRT is accurate. SBRT is an ultra-precise form of external radiation. Because the tracking is so tight, doctors can deliver highly concentrated, "ablative" doses safely. Instead of taking several weeks like IMRT, SBRT condenses the entire course into just 5 treatment fractions over a week or two.
I hope this clears up your misconceptions about gold fiducial seeds, radioactive seeds, and how these treatment types work.