Minnesota Oncology · Maplewood, MN
Minnesota Oncology Maplewood Cancer Center – Osteoarthritis Low-Dose Radiation
Minnesota Oncology
1580 Beam Avenue, Maplewood, MN 55109
Conditions treated: Osteoarthritis / degenerative joint pain
Dedicated LDRT-for-OA page. Treats knees, hips, hands, ankles, shoulders, and spine. Dr. Ryan Funk appeared on Twin Cities Live discussing the treatment.
See other confirmed LDRT locations across Minnesota, or browse the full nationwide directory.
Usually, yes. Medicare and most major commercial insurance plans cover LDRT for osteoarthritis, though coverage details vary by plan. The radiation oncology office listed above can verify your specific benefits before you schedule.
It depends on your insurance plan. Many plans allow scheduling directly with a radiation oncology department once osteoarthritis is documented; others require a referral from your primary care doctor, orthopedist, or rheumatologist first. Call the office above to ask what they require.
A typical LDRT course uses a low total dose delivered over six treatments, substantially less than the dose used in cancer treatment. Long-term clinical experience hasn't identified a clear signal of increased radiation-related cancer risk after LDRT for osteoarthritis, though studies aren't large enough to rule out a very small risk entirely. The radiation oncologist above can walk through how the benefit and risk apply to your specific case.
A consultation, then a CT planning scan, then typically six treatment sessions given two to three times a week over two to three weeks. Each session takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes, mostly positioning; there's no needle, sedation, or recovery time.
See the full LDRT FAQ for more on cost, safety, effectiveness, and what to expect.
How the treatment works, the typical schedule, and what the evidence shows.
What programs generally look for before recommending LDRT.
What Medicare and most commercial plans typically cover.
The joint with the most direct clinical trial evidence.
How the evidence and dosing approach apply to the hip.
For finger and thumb-base joint pain.
What a typical LDRT appointment and course of treatment looks like.
What's known about safety and the most commonly reported side effects.
What the published response and pain-relief rates actually show.
Answers to the most common questions patients ask before their first appointment.