Principles and applications of beta therapy in veterinary medicine

Beta therapy is a form of brachytherapy where the beta ray emitting source is positioned directly in the area in which it is desired to be treated. The main applications are in dermatology and ophthalmology in the treatment of superficial lesions, since beta particles have great ionization power and small reach in the tissue. Radiotherapy in veterinary medicine has been increasing and presenting results satisfactory in Brazil and around the world. This review aimed to describe the principles and applications of beta-therapy in veterinary medicine. For the realization, a bibliographic research was carried through, making possible, to consolidate information related to the theoretical base and to the proposed theme. The use of Strontium-90 (Sr90) was observed in the main procedures performed on domestic, wild and experimental animals, highlighting the importance of this adjuvant technique. Beta therapy has been shown to be feasible and easy to handle for veterinary medicine applications, especially in cases of superficial lesions and neoplasms. Beta-emitting radioactive sources, such as those of Sr90, do not require great care with radiological protection, which contributes to the viability of their manipulation in veterinary radiotherapy, especially in intraoperative procedures. (author)