Interventional Radiology, IR is a generic field within radiology. It is a way to diagnose and treat medical conditions such as cancer without a patient undergoing major surgery.
In IR, a physician does non-surgical procedures (minimally invasive) with the help of imaging tests such as MRI, CT scan, X-Ray, or ultrasound.
In such tests, the radiologist gives the patient a local anesthetic followed by a needle stick. The tests help your doctor to get a picture of how your body looks and may later use needles or tubes to perform a procedure if necessary.
Who Performs Interventional Radiology on A Patient?
An interventional radiologist is a certified medical doctor who performs IR. The interventional radiologist sits for a board exam under the American Board of Radiology, completing the accredited residency program. Later, they complete a fellowship-training program enabling them to work closely with other doctors in patient treatment.
The Working of Interventional Radiology
An interventional radiologist uses ultrasound, MRI, or CT scans to see the inner body parts that need treatment.
Next, a needle goes into your vein with contrast dyes to help get clear images. Some procedures involve using a catheter or wire through a small incision on your body.
Dye follows the blood flow direction to give many details. Then your physician advances a wire through the needle into your blood vessels as they watch the screen.
Alternatively, a physician may perform some procedures through the skin, e.g., liver tumor ablation (“tissue destruction”). Here, the physician inserts a needle through the skin directly into the liver tumor with the help of a CT scan or ultrasound.
The needle connects to an energy source that burns the growth. During the treatment process, you may need sedation to ease pain and help you relax. Often, you won’t need general anesthesia that makes you sleep during the entire procedure.
Interventional Radiology for Cancer
Physicians may use interventional radiology in cancer treatment in many ways. IR can help prevent excessive bleeding during surgery and minimize pain and the side effects of cancer treatment.
A doctor may use it to put chemotherapy and radioactive medicines (cancer-killing therapies) into the cancer cells. Again, a doctor may heat radio waves or electric currents or use ice crystals to kill cancer cells.
Cancer treatment side effects such as the build-up fluids or blood clots can also go through IR.
Examples of Procedures that take place in Interventional Radiology
- Angioplasty – unblocks or repairs damaged blood vessels to control bleeding
- Stenting – a physician inserts a tiny mesh coil to unblock blocked arteries
- Embolization – helps to block blood flowing into cancer cells
- Needle biopsy. Guided by imaging computers, a physician puts a tiny needle into the patient’s body for tissue biopsy
- Catheters insertions. Your physician may insert a large vein catheter to administer chemo drugs, hemodialysis, or nutrition
- IVC filters – where a radiologist will put a small filter into the inferior vena cava, a large vein in the abdomen. The filter traps blood clots that may enter your lungs Gastrostomy tubes- a doctor may put a feeding tube into the stomach of a patient who cannot eat by mouth.
What Are the Benefits of Interventional Radiology?
Interventional radiology has two main benefits. First, it grants your doctor access to internal body parts that require treatment. Again, when your patient is receiving treatment, it is doubtful they will get adverse side effects from the treatment.
IR is beneficial in cancer treatment as chemotherapy or radiotherapy may damage healthy cells. IR helps doctors to focus therapy on tumors and not healthy tissues.
The good news is that, interventional therapy isn’t only for cancer patients. People with kidney disease and cardiovascular problems like narrowed arteries may also benefit from it.
Another benefit is that you do not have to report for admission as an in-patient. So you don’t have to stay to stay overnight in a hospital for an interventional radiology procedure.
How to Find the Best Interventional Radiology Service
To get the best IR services, look for the best physicians with excellent reviews, current practice, and enough experience. Typically, professional companies recognize them as experts in specialized treatment therapies.
Ensure that the doctor is board certified in Vascular, Diagnostic Radiology and IR and Board Certified in Diagnostic Radiology. This assures you of getting quality service from the best physician.