Chemical durability of Y2O3‐Al2O3‐SiO2 glasses for the in vivo delivery of beta radiation

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Abstract
Microspheres made from Y2O3-Al2O3-SiO2 (YAS) glasses, which contain radioactive Y-90, are currently being used to treat liver cancer in humans, where their chemical durability is of prime importance. In deionized water or saline at 37°C, the weight percent Yttrium (Y) dissolved from eight different YAS glasses ranged from only 0.02–0.13% of the total Y present and their dissolution rate was barely measurable, ≤ 1.0 × 10−9 g/cm2-min. The most chemically durable YAS glass was 17Y2O3-19Al2O3-64SiO2, mol %. The small amount of Y released from microspheres, 25–35 μm diameter, of this glass after corrosion in saline or deionized water at 37°C was essentially the same as for bulk glass samples. Based on their excellent chemical durability, it is concluded that YAS glass microspheres are suitable for in vivo use. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.