Low-Dose Radiation Therapy Shows Promise for Severe Osteoarthritis
Low-dose radiation therapy is being utilized to treat severe osteoarthritis, a condition where cartilage degradation leads to bone-on-bone friction, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
Barbara Coates, a 58-year-old patient with severe osteoarthritis, reported significant pain reduction and improved mobility within 24 hours of her first low-dose radiation treatment session at Penn Medicine.
"Barbara Coates reported significant pain reduction and improved mobility within 24 hours of her first low-dose radiation treatment session at Penn Medicine."
Coates was one of the initial patients at Penn Medicine to undergo this treatment for osteoarthritis. While radiation therapy is predominantly applied in cancer treatment, its use for non-cancerous conditions is expanding. Penn Medicine physicians are at the forefront of implementing low-dose radiation therapy in a patient-focused manner and advancing research into these therapeutic approaches.