Yttrium-90 Radioembolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Metastatic Disease to the Liver

 

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ABSTRACT

Yttrium-90 (⁹⁰Y) radioembolization is a catheter-based therapy that delivers internal radiation to hepatic tumors in the form of microspheres. ⁹⁰Y can be delivered to the hepatic tumor as either a constituent of a glass microsphere, TheraSphere^®, or as a biocompatible resin-based microsphere, SIR-Spheres^®. Once embedded within the tumor microcirculation, these microspheres emit β-radiation at therapeutic levels. While the technical aspects of radioembolization are quite complex, the collective clinical experience presented in the literature supports the use of ⁹⁰Y radioembolization for unresectable hepatic malignancies.

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Riad SalemM.D. 

Director of Interventional Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center

676 N. St. Claire, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60611