Who Is a Good Candidate for Low-Dose Radiation Therapy (LDRT)?

What programs generally look for, and who LDRT is generally not used for

Find a Location Interactive Map What Is LDRT? Is It Covered by Insurance? What to Expect
LDRT Side Effects Arthritis Basics LDRT Success Rates American Radium Society Guidance

Is LDRT Right for You?

Candidacy generally comes down to which of these scenarios sounds like you.

You Have Osteoarthritis

Programs generally consider adults with osteoarthritis or degenerative joint pain, most often in the knees, hips, hands, shoulders, elbows, ankles, or feet, who haven't gotten enough relief from medications, injections, physical therapy, or other conservative treatments. Evidence is not equally strong for every joint; it's most direct for the knee.

You're Younger, or Have More Advanced Damage

Many programs are cautious about using LDRT in younger adults, since radiation-related risk has more time to develop. People with persistent, function-limiting pain (roughly 4 out of 10 or higher) tend to be better candidates. The strongest sham-controlled evidence [1] involved mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis; LDRT cannot regrow cartilage, so more advanced structural damage may respond less.

You Have a Different Type of Arthritis

LDRT is generally not used for rheumatoid, psoriatic, or other autoimmune forms of arthritis. Those conditions are managed differently, and a rheumatologist is the right first call for them.

References:
1. Kim BH, et al. Clinical Effectiveness of Single Course Low-Dose Radiation Therapy in Knee Osteoarthritis: Short-term Results from the Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial. ASTRO 67th Annual Meeting Late-Breaking Abstract LBA 06. 2025. Abstract

What to Do Next

What Is LDRT?

How the treatment works, the typical schedule, and what the evidence shows.

Is It Covered by Insurance?

What Medicare and most commercial plans typically cover.

What to Expect

What a typical LDRT appointment and course of treatment looks like.

LDRT Side Effects

What's known about safety and the most commonly reported side effects.

LDRT Success Rates

What the published response and pain-relief rates actually show.

Arthritis Basics

How common forms of arthritis differ and when to seek care.

Find a Location

Browse confirmed hospitals and centers offering LDRT.