Interventional radiology of the biliary tract. Intraductal radiation

One palliative method of treating patients with a high duct cholangiocarcinoma is the use of 192Ir wire. This is placed through the tumor, which has been previously intubated, and delivers a high local dose of radiation. The mean survival time in 30 patients treated with intraductal radiation was 16.8 months, an improvement compared to surgical bypass or endoscopic and radiologic drainage procedures.