Interventional radiology (IR) is the use of radiology, image guidance, to perform minimally invasive procedures for diagnostics and treatments. Doctors can now do remarkable things from within the blood vessels of your body.
How Interventional Radiology Works
By using radiology images, physicians are able to insert a thin plastic tube—called a catheter—into your body. With the catheter in place, physicians can take samples of tissue or expand constricted veins or arteries. They can place stents—small tubes—that will allow for return blood flow to the legs or brain. They can even place chemotherapy directly into a cancer tumor and increase the effectiveness of the medicine without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. This is all done without making surgical incisions to reach the diagnostic or treatment area.
Types of Interventional Radiology
Different types of interventional radiology are offered at specific imaging center locations, some include:
Breast Care - provided by the MemorialCare Breast Centers
- Needle Biopsy
- Pre-op Needle Localization
- Stereotactic Core Biopsy
- Ultrasound-Guided Core Biopsy & Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy
Cancer Care
- Chemoembolization
Gynecology Care
Heart and Vascular Care - provided by the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute
- Angiography (Angio)
- Angioplasty and Vascular Stenting
- Cerebral Angiography
- Coronary Angiography
- Deep Venous Thrombosis
- Laser Vein Ablation – Varicose Vein Treatment
- Perpheral Vascular Disease
- Varicoceles
- Vascular Access Procedures
- Venous Disease
More Interventional Radiology
- Arthrography (X-ray of the Joints)
- Biliary Drainage
- Gastrostomy (Feeding Tubes)
- Liver Disease
- Nephrostogram
- Nephrostomy
- Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
- Stroke
- Thrombolysis