Yttrium-90 Radioembolization in the Office-Based Lab

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and benefits of performing yttrium-90 radioembolization in an office-based lab (OBL) compared to a hospital setting.

Materials and methods: A radioembolization program was established in March 2019 in an OBL that is managed by the radiology department of a tertiary care center. Mapping and treatment angiograms performed in the OBL from March 2019 through January 2020 were compared to mapping and treatment angiograms performed in the hospital during the same time period.

Results: One hundred seventy-six mapping and treatment angiograms were evaluated. There was no difference in the proportion of mapping versus treatment angiograms performed at each site, the proportion of lobar versus selective dose vial administrations, or the mean number of dose vials administered per treatment procedure. Procedure start delays were longer in the hospital than in the OBL (28.6 minutes vs 0.8 minutes; P < .0001), particularly for procedures that were not scheduled as the first case of the day (hospital later case delay, 38.8 minutes vs OBL later case delay, 0.5 minutes; P < .0001). Procedures performed in the hospital took longer on average than procedures performed in the OBL (2 hours, 1.8 minutes vs 1 hour, 44.4 minutes; P = .0004), particularly for procedures that were not scheduled as the first case of the day (hospital later case duration, 2 hours, 7.4 minutes vs OBL later case duration, 1 hour, 43 minutes; P = .0006).

Conclusions: Establishing a radioembolization program within an OBL is feasible and might provide more efficient procedure scheduling than the hospital setting.