radiation for non-cancer related problem

[jpro]

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I know that rad oncs have used Gamma Knife to treat trigeminal neuralgia. Is there any other non-cancer related uses of radiation? Please don't reply with imaging.

 

[Gfunk6]

There are quite a few. Three more examples that I have seen are treating AVMs, preventing heterotopic ossification in trauma patients, and treating intractable keloids.

 

[f_w]

In the 'good old days' they used to radiate hands for rheumatoid arthritis. Apparently it works fairly well. It has fallen out of favor, but considering the significant morbidities associated with some of the hard-core rheumatoid drugs, it doesn't sound like such a bad deal (synovectomy by instillation of a radioactive phosporus isotope is still around, but as an open isotope, it falls under nucmeds scope of practice).

 

[stephew]

its easier to use methotrexate.

 

[stephew]

for OCD.

 

[f_w]

You treat obsessive compulsive disease with methotrexate ?

 

[Explosivo]

Did an early rad-onc elective this year for 2 weeks and had a renal transplant patient with acute rejection whom we were planning to radiate. Apparently it's done as a last ditch effort to save the kidney after the patient fails the usual immunosupressants used in AR including IVIG.

 

[radonc]

gynecomastia in men that is caused by hormonal therapy

 

[summerteeth]

Graves ophthalmoplegia

 

[cdf95cro]

Keloids are extremely repsonsive to low dose XRT; however, the US public has an overt fear of XRT compared with European countries. Consequently, the Germans have great data on all kinds of benign diseases, (keloids, plantar fascitis, macular degeneration, histiocytosis X, etc); just look at Strahlentherapie und Onkologie for good articles.

 

[stephew]

not there is reasearch on radiosurgery for ocd. RA with methotrexate.

 

[jpro]

I'm sure the thyroid is treated with radioisotopes of Iodine as well, but this may be in the realm of Nuc Med.

 

[stephew]

we planned for a women who was rejecting her cardiac transplant