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Embolization and Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT)

Embolization means deliberate, therapeutic blockage of blood vessels, usually with intravascular catheter techniques. The interventional radiologist may use particles such as microspheres or Gelfoam, metal coils, cements, balloons, or combinations of agents. Embolization is used primarily to treat certain tumors or vascular malformations, and as a means of stopping internal bleeding from various gastrointestinal disorders or caused by trauma such as a motor vehicle collision.

Tumor Embolization

Certain tumors such as kidney cancers and meningiomas of the skull lining can be highly vascular, and surgery can be complicated by serious bleeding. Pre-operative embolization blockage of arteries) via catheter can often dramatically reduce the amount of bleeding at the time of surgery, reduce surgery time, and improve the completeness of tumor removal.

Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT or SIR-Spheres®)

SIRT is a non-surgical outpatient therapy that uses microscopic radioactive spheres, called SIR-Spheres®, to deliver radiation directly to the site of liver tumors. This unique, targeted therapy spares healthy tissue while delivering up to 40 times more radiation to the liver tumors than would be possible using conventional radiotherapy.

Our interventional radiologists are very experienced at using catheter techniques to embolize inoperable liver cancer and other tumors. SIR-Spheres® were developed by the Australian company Sirtex Medical. This therapy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 for patients with primary colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver, and is the latest of a wide range of therapies we offer to our oncology patients.

While treatment with SIR-Spheres® is not curative, it has been shown to shrink liver cancer more than chemotherapy alone. This can increase patients' life expectancy and improve their quality of life.

Learn more about SIRT at the Society of Interventional Radiology website.

Gastrointestinal bleeding

Many types of GI bleeding can be controlled with interventional techniques.

Trauma

Severe injuries often result in massive internal bleeding that can life-threatening. Some of these cases can be managed effectively only with intravascular techniques that pinpoint a source of bleeding and provide a means of blocking the offending vessel or vessels.

For more information about Uterine Fibroid Embolization, visit the Society for Interventional Radiology UFE website.

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