Radioembolization (Y-90 / SIRT)
Radioembolization, also called Y-90 or selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), treats liver tumours from the inside. Through a thin catheter, interventional radiologists deliver millions of tiny radioactive yttrium-90 microspheres into the artery feeding the tumour, where they lodge and irradiate it while largely sparing the surrounding healthy liver.
Medically reviewed by the Florence Healthcare medical team · Last reviewed June 2026
Overview
Radioembolization is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure performed by our interventional radiology team rather than through open surgery. Using X-ray guidance, a thin catheter is passed from a small puncture in the wrist or groin into the hepatic artery that supplies the tumour. Millions of microscopic beads carrying the radioactive isotope yttrium-90 are then released; because liver tumours draw most of their blood from this artery, the microspheres travel into the tumour's small vessels, become trapped, and irradiate the cancer from the inside over the following days while the healthy liver is largely protected. It treats primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and liver metastases, such as those spreading from colorectal cancer or neuroendocrine tumours.
International patients are supported from the first enquiry by a dedicated coordinator. Before you travel, our specialists carry out a remote review of your scans and reports to confirm whether Y-90 is appropriate, and you receive a transparent, itemized cost estimate covering the mapping study, the treatment and your hospital care.
Who is a candidate?
- Adults with primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) that cannot be removed surgically
- People with liver metastases from colorectal, neuroendocrine or other cancers confined mainly to the liver
- Patients whose tumours are too large, too many or poorly placed for ablation or resection
- Those looking to control liver disease, relieve symptoms or shrink a tumour before possible surgery or transplant
- Patients with adequate liver function and a suitable arterial map shown on the planning angiogram
- People seeking an organ-sparing alternative or addition to systemic chemotherapy
What happens
- 1
Preparation
You first have detailed imaging — CT or MRI — to map the tumour and liver. A planning angiogram (mapping study) is then performed, in which the catheter is guided into the liver arteries, any vessels leading away from the liver are sealed off, and a test dose checks where blood flow travels. This lets the team calculate a personalised radiation dose and confirm the treatment is safe.
- 2
During the procedure
At the treatment session, usually one to two weeks later, the interventional radiologist again passes a catheter to the target artery under X-ray guidance and releases the yttrium-90 microspheres into the tumour's blood supply. You are awake but relaxed under local anaesthetic and light sedation, and most people feel little more than mild pressure.
- 3
Afterwards & recovery
You rest for a few hours, and many patients go home the same day or after one night. Some experience tiredness, mild abdominal discomfort or a low-grade fever for a week or two, which usually settles with simple medication. Follow-up scans after a few weeks to months show how the tumour has responded, and the treatment can be repeated if needed.
Benefits
- Minimally invasive — performed through a tiny catheter puncture with no surgical incision
- Organ-sparing — delivers radiation inside the tumour while largely protecting healthy liver tissue
- An option when surgery is not possible because of tumour size, number or position
- Usually a day case or short stay, with a quicker recovery than open surgery
- Can be repeated and combined with chemotherapy or other liver treatments
Risks & considerations
- Temporary fatigue, mild abdominal pain, nausea or a low-grade fever in the days afterwards (post-radioembolization syndrome)
- Small risk of radiation reaching nearby organs such as the stomach, bowel or lungs if microspheres travel off target
- Possible effect on liver function, particularly if liver reserve is already limited
- Bruising, bleeding or infection at the catheter entry site
- Contact your medical team straight away if you develop worsening abdominal pain, a high or persistent fever, redness or discharge at the catheter site, or yellowing of the skin or eyes, as these can be signs of a complication needing prompt attention
Conditions this treats
Where it is performed
This procedure is delivered by our Radiology & Imaging Department.
Learn more before you decide
Provider-reviewed guides on the related conditions, symptoms and tests in our Health Library.
Radioembolization (Y-90 / SIRT) — frequently asked questions
After our specialists review your case, your coordinator sends a transparent, itemized estimate that lists the planning (mapping) angiogram, the Y-90 treatment session, the microspheres, hospital care and follow-up imaging. We do not publish fixed prices online because the plan and dose are calculated individually for each patient.
Yes. You can securely share your CT or MRI scans and medical reports, and our interventional oncology team carries out a remote second-opinion review to confirm whether Y-90 is suitable for you — before you commit to any travel or treatment.
The first visit is a planning angiogram that maps your liver arteries, seals off any vessels that could carry beads to other organs and measures blood flow so a safe, personalised dose can be calculated. The actual radioembolization is then carried out at a second session, usually one to two weeks later.
The radiation from yttrium-90 acts over a very short distance and stays mainly within the tumour. The dose to people around you is very low, and your team will give you simple, time-limited precautions to follow for the first few days.
Because two visits are involved, most international patients plan for roughly two to three weeks, allowing for the mapping study, the treatment and initial checks. Your coordinator confirms the exact timeline once your plan is agreed.
Yes. Depending on how the tumour responds, the treatment can be repeated, and it is often used alongside systemic chemotherapy or other liver-directed therapies as part of a plan agreed by our multidisciplinary oncology team.
Related treatments
Considering radioembolization (y-90 / sirt)?
Share your reports for a medical second opinion and a transparent, itemized cost estimate — usually within 48 hours.