40 Years of Evidence: LDRT Delivering Successful Pain Relief
Low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) has been used as a standard of care for inflammatory joint conditions in Germany and across Europe since the 1980s. It was developed and refined at leading academic medical centers, validated in prospective and retrospective studies, and adopted across major health systems throughout the region.
The published literature is extensive and consistent. Across 18 peer-reviewed studies involving more than 6,000 patients, LDRT demonstrates response rates of 70 to 90 percent across multiple joint indications, with a safety profile that is exceptionally well-documented. The mechanism is well understood: ultra-low doses modulate the local inflammatory microenvironment, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine activity and normalizing the immune response driving chronic joint pain.
The barrier to LDRT adoption in the United States has not been the science. It has been infrastructure. JointGlow was built to solve that.
“The radiation doses used for benign conditions are so low that stochastic effects are not an issue. The clinical results are impressive and consistent across the literature.” — Representative of published academic consensus on LDRT safety
Review the full clinical literature and study summaries. Review the Research →
Launch LDRT
in 30 days.
JointGlow gives your radiation oncology team the clinical training, protocols, launch support, and growth tools to build an LDRT program on the equipment you already run.
What Your Patients Can Expect: Outcomes & Experience
That is a meaningful alternative to continued injections, escalating medication management, or a surgical pathway many patients are not ready for. For patients who have exhausted first-line options, LDRT often delivers the relief they stopped believing was possible.
Clinical outcomes your patients see:
- 70 to 90% response rate across published studies
- 18+ months of lasting relief after completing treatment
- Meaningful reduction in pain scores within 2 to 6 weeks post-treatment
- Improved range of motion and functional capacity in most responders
- No systemic side effects reported in clinical literature
- Total treatment dose less than a single CT scan
The patient experience:
- 6-10 sessions, approximately 5 minutes each, over 2 to 3 weeks
- No anesthesia, no needles, no preparation required
- No recovery period — patients return to full activity immediately
- Covered by Medicare
- No lifestyle restrictions during the treatment course
- Glow Score tracking provides objective progress data post-treatment
How to Refer Your Patient: Our Streamlined Process
JointGlow is designed to make the referral process as simple as possible for your practice. Here is how it works from your side.
Submit the referral.
Complete our simple online referral form. Name, contact, condition, and any relevant imaging notes. It takes about three minutes.
We confirm candidacy.
A JointGlow physician reviews the referral and confirms the patient is appropriate. We handle all intake and eligibility verification.
We schedule and treat.
We contact the patient directly, schedule their 6-10 sessions, and manage the full treatment experience. No ongoing coordination required from your team.
You get the outcome.
Upon request, we provide your practice with a post-treatment outcome summary so you have full visibility into how your patient responded.
How to Know if Your Patient Is a Candidate for LDRT
That is a meaningful alternative to continued injections, escalating medication management, or a surgical pathway many patients are not ready for. For patients who have exhausted first-line options, LDRT often delivers the relief they stopped believing was possible.
Primary indications:
- Knee osteoarthritis (grades I-IV)
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Shoulder tendinopathy and subacromial bursitis
- Lateral and medial epicondylitis
- Plantar fasciitis (chronic, refractory)
- Trochanteric bursitis and other bursal conditions
- Calcific tendinopathy
Appropriate patient profile:
- Symptoms present for 3 or more months
- Inadequate response to conservative treatment (NSAIDs, PT, corticosteroid injection)
- Patient seeking to avoid or delay surgical intervention
- Medicare coverage (most common payer profile)
Contraindications and exclusions:
- Active infection at or near the treatment site
- Pregnancy
- Prior therapeutic irradiation to the same anatomical region (physician review required)
- Active malignancy at the treatment site
Notes for referring physicians:
- All referrals are reviewed by a JointGlow physician prior to scheduling
- Relevant imaging (X-ray, MRI) is helpful but not required at referral
- JointGlow handles patient intake, candidacy confirmation, and scheduling
- Referring physician receives a post-treatment outcome summary upon request
Your Practice, Our Partner: JointGlow as a Service
If your practice or facility already has a linear accelerator or appropriate imaging equipment, there is a strong likelihood you have treatment capacity that is not currently generating revenue. LDRT patients require minimal machine time, no oncology infrastructure, and no disruption to your existing program.
JointGlow is the only organization providing full-service LDRT program implementation for partner practices in the United States. We handle credentialing, protocol development, staff training, patient acquisition, and billing support. You focus on treating patients. We build and run the program around you.
- Clinical protocol development: JointGlow-standardized treatment protocols adapted for your equipment and patient population.
- Staff training and certification: Comprehensive training for your clinical staff. JointGlow-certified means patients receive the same standard of care at every location.
- Patient acquisition support: Marketing templates, referral network integration, and intake funnel support to drive patient volume to your new program.
- Billing and reimbursement guidance: Support navigating Medicare billing for LDRT. Most patients pay nothing out of pocket, which makes conversion straightforward.
- Ongoing clinical support: Access to JointGlow clinical leadership and a network of certified partner practices for peer consultation and protocol updates.
Three Ways to Get JointGlow for Your Patients
Whether you are looking to refer, integrate, or build, we have a pathway for your practice.
Referring Physician
You have a patient with chronic joint pain who could benefit from LDRT. Submit a referral and we handle everything. No infrastructure required.
Learn More →Certified Partner Practice
Your facility already has the equipment. JointGlow provides the protocols, training, certification, and patient pipeline to activate an LDRT program in 90 days.
Learn More →Health System or Network
Large-scale implementation across multiple sites. JointGlow is currently operational across 40 Cardinal Health sites and expanding. Talk to us about your network.
Learn More →