Revolutionary liver cancer treatment now performed outside of a hospital setting for greater patient comfort/convenience and lower overall cost

Precision IR, a Division of Michigan Healthcare Professionals, P.C., a medical practice specializing in vascular and interventional radiology, performed the first outpatient OBL (office-based lab) Y-90 radioembolization procedure in Michigan on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

To perform the procedure in an OBL setting, the facility must have the required imaging equipment and procedure rooms, along with the processes to safely handle nuclear materials. Clinical experience has shown that the vast majority of Y-90 radioembolization patients do not need to be kept overnight for observation; they are able to return home shortly after the two-hour procedure. In addition, a study published in September 2020 demonstrated that radioembolization procedures in the outpatient setting were safe, not subject to procedure delays common in hospitals and even had a shorter case duration.¹

“Patients and their doctors now have state-of-the-art cancer treatment options outside of a traditional medical center,” says S. Andrew Vartanian, M.D., medical director of Precision IR. “This offers a number of benefits to patients, with a significant one being a lower overall cost of treatment.”

Y-90 stands for yttrium-90, a radioactive element with a very short half-life of approximately 2.5 days. It is a very precise radiation treatment that uses a liver tumor’s own blood supply to deliver radiation directly into the tumor, while minimizing damage to the surrounding, healthy tissue.

During the procedure, an interventional radiologist uses imaging to advance a very small catheter through the body’s blood vessels and into the branches of the hepatic artery that feed the liver tumor. Tiny radioactive beads (called Theraspheres®) are injected into the microvasculature surrounding the tumor where they become lodged, block the blood flow to the tumor, and release radiation.

While Y-90 is not a cure for liver cancer, it can eliminate or slow the growth of tumors and extend and/or improve the patient’s quality of life. It is an especially important treatment option for those with inoperable liver tumors, or tumors that have grown into major blood vessels or other vital structures which make surgical removal of the tumors impractical or impossible.

Dr. Vartanian and his team at Precision IR perform a wide range of minimally invasive treatments, from several types of cancer treatment to treatments for enlarged prostate, uterine fibroids, spine fractures and knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.

“Hospitals play a vital role and do an excellent job treating trauma patients and the very ill,” adds Dr. Vartanian. “But cancer patients appreciate the option of having their treatment in a more relaxed and customer-focused environment.”

Precision IR is now scheduling Y-90 radioembolization patients. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 947-228-5500 or visit MyPrecisionIR.com/y-90.

1.Ryan M. Hickey MD et al. Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in the Office-Based Lab. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. Volume 31, Issue 9, P1442-1448 September 2020

About Precision IR

Interventional radiology (IR) represents an exciting new frontier in disease and pain treatment. Today’s IR therapies are more precise, less invasive and more effective than ever… giving doctors and patients additional options to treat disease and restore optimal health.

PrecisionIR doctors use the body’s vascular system—along with state-of-the-art imaging guidance—to reach the source of the problem and deliver precisely targeted therapy. Cancerous tumors, spine fractures, uterine fibroids and other health conditions can be treated faster, less expensively and with greater safety and accuracy than ever before. To learn more, visit MyPrecisionIR.com.

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