[en] Purpose/Objective: A large number of investigators have begun utilizing radiation modalities in order to prevent or delay neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) formation. Following our initial successful studies looking at single fraction low doses of HDR brachytherapy given immediately after injury, we extended this model to look at the long term effects on the inhibition of NIH in the rat common carotid artery. Materials and Methods: The right common carotid arteries (CCA) of 4-5 month old male Sprague Dawley rats were injured using a 2F balloon catheter. Immediately post-injury, a delivery catheter was sutured alongside the injured artery and the vessel received either 0, 5, or 10 Gy irradiation using an Iridium 192 afterloader. Six months post-treatment, the animals were sacrificed and both the right and left CCA were harvested following perfusion fixation, and processed for light and electron micrography. Specimens were stained with PAS and the intima and media areas were calculated using a computer-assisted digitizing program. Additional immunocytochemical staining was carried out, looking particularly at PDGF. Results: In contrast to our previous findings which were assessed at 3 weeks post-treatment, at the later time point of 6 months post-treatment, there was no significant reduction in intimal area of the radiation-treated balloon-injured animals compared to the balloon-injured alone and the intima: media ratios was the same in both groups (Fig. 1). The lumenal area in both treatment groups was significantly reduced from normal controls (Fig. 2). Immunocytochemical staining for PDGF at 3 weeks demonstrated that there was an immediate (24 hours) release of growth factor from the medial smooth muscle in the balloon-injured animals; there was no similar release in the radiation-treated animals at the 1 day, 1 or 3 week time points. This will now be assessed at the later time points. Higher doses of 15-25 Gy are now being studied since other investigators have shown persistent inhibition at 1 and 6 months post-treatment following >10 to 30 Gy. Conclusion: Low dose HDR brachytherapy inhibited NIH in the rat model at 3 weeks post-treatment, but this effect was not sustained at the doses studied (5-10 Gy) to the later time point of 6 months