SIRT allows the treatment team to selectively target a very high radiation dose to all tumors within the liver, regardless of their cell of origin, number, size or location while at the same time maintaining a low radiation does to the normal liver tissue.

SIRT is a non-surgical therapy that uses microscopic radioactive spheres, called SIR-Spheres®, to deliver radiation directly to liver tumors. The treatment is typically done as an outpatient procedure.

Hepatoma, as well as neuroendocrine and colorectal liver metastases, are amenable to intraarterial therapy.

For patients with non-resectable tumors, SIRT offers several advantages over transarterial chemoembolization, a procedure in which the blood supply to a tumor is blocked (embolized) and chemotherapy is administered.

• Non-occlusive therapy, better tolerated (less post-chemoembolization syndrome)
• SIRT is outpatient, TACE requires inpatient stay with narcotics, anti-emetics
• Repeated interventions easier since arterial supply maintained
• Arterial access more difficult after TACE compared to SIRT

How it works

• SIR-Spheres are injected via a catheter placed into the femoral artery. The spheres are injected into the hepatic (liver) artery and from there into the tumor region.
• SIRT is point source radiation- and will only impact the region of the liver where the SIR-Spheres are placed
• SIR-Spheres can lead to a period of liver dysfunction in some individuals. Patients with severe underlying liver disease may not be candidates.