Yttrium-90 radioembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic disease to the liver

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. Copyright © 2006 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.