Interventional radiologists perform minimally invasive procedures using
image guidance. Some of these procedures are done for purely diagnostic
purposes (e.g., angiogram), while others are done for treatment purposes
(e.g., angioplasty). During procedures, these images provide road maps
that allow interventional radiologists to guide instruments through the
body to areas of interest.
Advantages
The risks of interventional radiology procedures are less than the risks
of open surgery.
Most procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis or require a shortened
hospital stay.
General anesthesia is usually not required.
Pain and recovery time are significantly reduced.
Procedures can be less expensive than surgery.
Treatment
Interventional radiologists are devoted to advancing patient care through
clinical and image based diagnosis and minimally invasive procedures to treat:
Cancer: Cancer can be treated with chemoembolization. Chemoembolization is a
process that delivers a high dose of chemotherapy directly to the tumor,
blocking its blood supply, or with radiofrequency ablation that heats
and kills the tumor.
Hardening of the arteries: Hardening of the arteries in the legs or peripheral arterial disease,
which blocks circulation, can be treated with balloon angioplasty to open
the pathway for blood.
Varicose veins: Heating and sealing the great saphenous vein in the leg to treat painful
varicose veins. This procedure will improve circulation and shrink the
bulging veins using a technique called vein ablation.
Blood clot in leg: A blood clot in your leg, known as deep vein thrombosis, can be removed
by placing clot-busting drugs on the clot to prevent vein damage.
Uterine fibroid embolization: Uterine fibroid embolization delivers tiny beads to the artery feeding
the tumor, which then blocks the blood supply causing the uterine fibroid
to shrink.
Spinal fractures: Patients with osteoporosis and spinal fractures can have bone cement injected
into their vertebra to reduce pain and reinforce the spine through Kyphoplasty.
Blocked arteries: Blocked arteries in the neck that may lead to a stroke can be opened and
reinforced using carotid stenting.
Infertility: Interventional radiology can offer non-surgical infertility treatments
for both men and women. Varicose veins in the scrotum that can cause infertility
can be closed using embolization. Blocked fallopian tubes can be opened
with a catheter using selective salpingography.
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