The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of switching from sterile water to 5 % glucose (G5W) for the administration of yttrium-90 (⁹⁰Y)-resin microspheres on the total activity of ⁹⁰Y administered (expressed as a proportion of the prescribed/calculated activity), as well as the number of cases of stasis and the reported incidence of discomfort during the selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) procedure.

In December 2013, we switched from sterile water to G5W for the administration of SIRT using ⁹⁰Y resin microspheres in all patients. This retrospective observational single-center case series describes our experience in the months preceding and after the switch. Apart from the change in administration medium, the protocol for SIRT was otherwise identical.

One hundred and four SIRT procedures were performed on 78 patients (45 male, mean age: 63 years, range: 31–87 years) with either unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, or chemorefractory liver-dominant metastatic cancer. Compared with sterile water, the whole prescribed activity was administered in significantly more procedures with G5W: 85 vs. 22 %; p < 0.0001. A significantly higher proportion of the calculated activity was administered with G5W: 96.1 ± 11.0 % vs. 77.4 ± 24.3 % (p < 0.0001). G5W procedures were also associated with a significantly lower incidence of stasis (28 vs. 11 % procedures; p = 0.02) and mild-to-moderate upper abdominal pain during the procedure (1.8 vs. 44 % procedures; p < 0.0001).

Replacing sterile water with isotonic G5W during administration favorably impacts on the safety of SIRT, eliminates and/or minimizes flow reductions and stasis/reflux during administration of ⁹⁰Y resin microspheres, improves percentage activity delivered, and reduces peri-procedural pain.