INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY AND THE RADIOEMBOLIZATION Y-90 PROCEDURE Radioembolization Y-90 is an interventional radiology procedure used to treat cancer that has metastasized, or spread, to the liver. Radioembolization Y-90 works by delivering radioactive yttrium particles through the hepatic artery, which supplies blood to the liver. These particles are specifically designed to destroy cancerous cells and spare healthy tissue nearby, thereby preventing tumors from growing back and spreading throughout the body.
Treatments
There are several interventional radiology procedures available to treat abnormal body parts, including radioembolization, angioplasty, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), stents (procedures used in coronary care units), balloon angioplasty of blocked arteries and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Approach
Like other minimally invasive procedures, interventional radiology involves a small incision (called a cutdown) or puncture of your skin. Other than these two points of entry, no part of our treatment procedure requires traditional surgery. Most procedures are performed while you are under sedation; sometimes local anesthesia is used instead. Surgeons work through an imaging system to guide them through your body’s internal anatomy until they reach their target area for treatment.
Outcomes
If a cancerous tumor is blocking a major vessel that supplies oxygen to your heart, for example, we may be able to clear it using radioembolization. The radiotherapeutic material travels through your bloodstream directly to the tumors of interest. By avoiding areas of healthy tissue and organs, you can get rid of tumors in places where surgery isn’t possible.
