Brachytherapy devices and related methods having microencapsulated brachytherapy materials

A brachytherapy method comprising:

• implanting a low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy device in a treatment region of a subject, the brachytherapy device comprising:
• a bioabsorbable support;
• and a plurality of microcapsules on the support, each of the plurality of microcapsules comprising a plurality of microspheres and a bioabsorbable microcapsule wall that encloses the plurality of microspheres, the plurality of microspheres comprising radiation-emitting microspheres comprising a radioactive material and radio-opaque microspheres comprising a radio-opaque material, wherein the plurality of microspheres are sized and configured so as to be subject to phagocytosis by macrophages in the subject after bioabsorption of the bioabsorbable support and the bioabsorbable microcapsule wall;
• and
• after a time sufficient for the support and microcapsule wall to bioabsorb in the subject and for phagocytosis to occur, imaging the treatment region of the subject to confirm that the radio-opaque microspheres are dispersed.