What is Y90 in cancer treatment?

Radioembolization is a minimally invasive procedure that combines embolization and radiation therapy to treat liver cancer. Tiny glass or resin beads filled with the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90 are placed inside the blood vessels that feed a tumor.

What type of radiation is Y90?

Y90 is a pure beta-particle-emitter with a physical half-life of 64.2 hours, 0.94 MeV decay energy, and an average penetrative depth of 2.4mm in human tissue.

How long is Y-90 mapping?

Step 1: Mapping: The first step in treatment with Y-90 Radiotherapy is a called a mapping angiogram. The mapping procedure will take about 2-4 hours. Dr. Christenson will place a small plastic tube (called a catheter) into one of the vessels in your groin and direct the catheter to the blood vessels in your liver.

How long do Y-90 side effects last?

The most common side effect after Y-90 radiotherapy is fatigue. This can be mild or severe. It can last up to a few weeks. Other side effects include: • Poor appetite • Mild abdominal pain • Slight fever • Nausea These symptoms should slowly go away over 1 to 2 weeks.

How is Y 90 used to treat cancer?

Tiny glass or resin beads filled with the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90 are placed inside the blood vessels that feed a tumor. This blocks the supply of blood to the cancer cells and delivers a high dose of radiation to the tumor while sparing normal tissue.

What is the half life of y90 therapy?

These spheres will remain in the tumor and are not removed. The Y90 has a half-life of 64.2 hours. This means that it will be non-radioactive in about a month’s time. When is Y90 therapy indicated?

When was the first y90 treatment for liver cancer?

The first treatment was in July 2016, the second in October. Follow-up scans thus far have shown positive results, Dr. McBride says. “If it looks like it’s progressing again, we can potentially treat again with Y-90,” says Dr. McBride, who is careful to limit how much radiation a patient’s liver can take.

How is yttrium 90 used in nuclear medicine?

Yttrium-90 (Y90) is a commonly used isotope within the nuclear medicine and radiation oncology communities for radiation therapy. When used for the treatment, Y90 is relied upon to provide a prescribed amount of radiation to a targeted area. Y90 is most commonly used during a radioembolization therapy, an internal radiation therapy.