Radiation therapy isn’t just for cancer. In low doses, it can be used to treat non-malignant conditions like osteoarthritis, but many clinicians barely learn about it.
As part of Xstrahl’s clinical education program, we invited Dr. Jason Beckta, Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director at Rutland Regional Medical Center, to provide a detailed overview of low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) – diving into the history of the modality, how it works, and why it matters.
Here is a short summary of each episode with links to listen to the episode in its entirety.
If you would like to learn more about treating patients with osteoarthritis using LDRT, listen to Dr. Beckta’s Live Q&A on the topic.
Episode Summaries
“LDRT Predates the Airplane”
This episode starts in 1895 and Wilhelm Roentgen aiming his newly discovered “X-rays” at his wife’s hand. Within three years, radiotherapy was treating arthritic conditions in Europe before coming to America in 1906. By 1930, the scientific literature contained more than 6,000 patients treated by LDRT for arthritis (and other degenerative inflammatory conditions). This episode showcases how LDRT has been in use for ~125 years with tens of thousands of patients experiencing excellent outcomes. (run-time – 24 mins)
• Listen on Apple Podcast
• Listen on Spotify
“Radiophobia and Secondary Malignancies”
This episode circles back to the 1940s and Dr. Beckta explains the extraordinary flaws of the “linear no threshold” (LNT) model of radiation risk. Dr. Beckta discusses backroom deals, corporate greed, regulatory capture, hormesis, OSHA violations, and many other topics to conclude how there has never been a case of secondary malignancy from therapeutic radiation at the LDRT threshold. (run-time – 54 mins)
• Listen on Apple Podcast
• Listen on Spotify
“How to Get Your First Patient, Setup, and Treatment Planning”
This episode provides a high-level overview of the laboratory evidence for LDRT, followed by information about how to start treating your first patient. Dr. Beckta explores CT SIM setups and target volumes/PTVs. He describes the standard LDRT protocol of 3 gray over 6 fractions with an evaluation after 12 weeks to determine whether a second, identical course is necessary. (run time – 42 mins)
• Listen on Apple Podcast
• Listen on Spotify
“LDRT Coding and Billing”
This episode explains how to approach coding and billing in the United States, while highlighting the tremendous burden of osteoarthritis on the American population and how LDRT is the most economical treatment option to both the patient and the healthcare system as a whole. (run time – 33 mins)
• Listen on Apple Podcast
• Listen on Spotify
“Those ‘negative’ randomized control trials everyone likes to cite and say ‘LDRT doesn’t work’ are really, really bad”
This episode reviews two randomized clinical trials out of the Netherlands showing that LDRT had no benefit in osteoarthritis. Dr. Beckta dissects the study design and methodology to explain how the trials were designed to fail. (run time – 18 mins)
• Listen on Apple Podcast
• Listen on Spotify
“High Yield LDRT for OA – Everything Under the Sun”
This episode provides the one-stop guide to understanding the science, clinical efficacy, and practicalities of LDRT by summarizing the previous episodes. It’s perfect for clinicians looking to expand their practice with LDRT. (run time – 56 mins)
• Listen on Apple Podcast
• Listen on Spotify
Ready to Learn More?
If you would like to learn more about treating patients with osteoarthritis using LDRT, listen to Dr. Beckta’s Live Q&A on the topic.
