About the Seattle Prostate Institute

The Seattle Prostate Institute was established in 1997 by a group of physicians who, in the mid-1980's, had pioneered the introduction and development of ultrasound-guided prostate implantation in the United States from their base at Seattle's Northwest Hospital. After relocating to Swedish Medical Center, another of the city's premier institutions, these physicians sought to expand and improve upon the work they had started with an emphasis on the highest standards of patient care, medical research, and clinical education. To date, SPI physicians have performed more than 10,000 prostate implants. Of the patients treated at SPI, half have come from other states and from other countries in order to benefit from the expertise that has been developed in Seattle.

The Leadership Role and professional reputation of the SPI medical team has firmly established the Institute as the leading center of expertise in the area of prostate brachytherapy. Not only do patients come from around the nation and around the world for consultation and treatment, but physicians and other health professionals from the U.S. and abroad are also drawn to Seattle to participate in SPI's highly respected clinical education and training programs. To further demonstrate its commitment to high standards of clinical practice, the Institute has recently initiated a voluntary accreditation and quality assurance program through which it provides technical assistance and ongoing monitoring to medical centers establishing new prostate implant programs or reassessing existing ones. Overall, the research and professional activities of the Institute's physicians and staff have contributed greatly to the understanding and acceptance of prostate implantation by the medical community and by the public.