title: Rhenium-188 mercaptoacetyltriglycine-filled balloon dilation in the treatment of recurrent urethral strictures: initial experience with five patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of beta-irradiation therapy with use of a rhenium-188 mercaptoacetyltriglycine ((188)Re-MAG(3))-filled balloon for the prevention of restenosis in urethral strictures refractory to repetitive surgical or interventional procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five male patients with traumatic (n = 4) or postoperative anastomotic (n = 1) recurrent urethral strictures were included. One to four sessions of 20-30 Gy beta-irradiation at a 1-mm tissue depth with (188)Re-MAG(3)-filled balloon dilation were undertaken in each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No procedural complications or toxicities were noted. During the mean follow-up period of 16.2 months, the stricture did not recur in two patients, whereas three patients required additional interventional procedures. In two of these patients, the treatment intervals between the required sessions were significantly prolonged. For the entire group, the mean treatment interval was prolonged from 2.2 months before (188)Re-MAG(3)-filled balloon dilation to 10.7 months after therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (188)Re-MAG(3)-filled balloon dilation shows promise in preventing or delaying stricture recurrence in patients with recurrent urethral strictures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 388-1, Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea. jhshin@mc.seoul.kr
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Ho-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Dae Hyuk
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Seung-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Tae-Hyung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin-Oh
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C114893:rhenium-mercaptoacetyltriglycine