Prevention of restenosis with intravascular beta-radiotherapy.

Beta radiation has been clearly shown, in a specific dose range, to be highly effective in the inhibition of the restenotic process after balloon or stent injury in animal experiments, as well as in randomized, placebo-controlled human trials. The major advantage of beta radiation, in comparison with gamma radiation, is a significantly lower radiation exposure to the personnel and patient, and easier adaptability to existing cardiac catheterization laboratories. Rapidly accumulating evidence indicates that the two major problems, late thrombosis and edge stenosis, may be minimized with prolonged antiplatelet therapy (6 months or more) and broader radiation coverage of the intervention site. Although there may be better, safer, and easier options to reduce restenosis in the years to come, intravascular radiotherapy is the first breakthrough modality that has been shown to significantly reduce restenosis after percutaneous vascular interventions.