Anesthesia and Critical Care ,Hospital & Clinics Administration: Hospital
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Using various kinds of imaging techniques such as CT scans, MRIs,
and ultrasound to guide them, specially trained physicians insert
thin tubes and minute instruments through the blood vessels and
other pathways of the body. They use these instruments to diagnose
and treat many medical conditions that previously may have required
major surgery and hospitalization
Offering New Treatment Options
If we can help our patients avoid surgery and hospitalization,
that's exactly what we want to do. Technological advances have
allowed many medical conditions that previously required surgery to
be treated in less invasive, less stressful, and less expensive
ways. That's what our interventional radiology program may be able
to do for you.
What is interventional radiology? Using various kinds of imaging techniques such as CT
scans, MRIs, and ultrasound to guide them, specially trained
physicians insert thin tubes and minute instruments through the
blood vessels and other pathways of the body. They use these
instruments to diagnose and treat many medical conditions that
previously may have required major surgery and hospitalization.
What kind of doctor is an interventional radiologist?
Interventional radiologists are specially trained physicians who
have completed four years of study in radiology, passed a board
certifying radiology exam, and completed extensive specialized
training, known as fellowship training, in these procedures.
What are the benefits of interventional radiology?
These procedures are usually performed on an outpatient basis,
avoiding the need for a costly hospital stay, or resulting in a
significantly reduced hospital stay.
Candidates
for these procedures may avoid surgery altogether.
Patients
usually undergo local anesthesia with intravenous sedation instead
of general anesthesia.
Cardiac,
respiratory and other complications are less likely.
Patients
lose less blood since a large surgical incision is not necessary.
Recovery
times are reduced when major surgery is avoided.
Quality of
life is improved by increasing the speed of diagnosis and the
beginning of treatment.
What kind of doctor is an interventional radiologist?
Interventional radiologists are specially trained physicians who
have completed four years of study in radiology, passed a board
certifying radiology exam, and completed extensive specialized
training, known as fellowship training, in these procedures.
Interventional radiologists work closely with the entire health care
team to diagnose and treat conditions that previously may have
required surgery. Our goal is to help you recover from a medical
condition and return to your normal activities as quickly as
possible.
What are some of the procedures that interventional radiologists
perform?
Angiography
- x-rays to determine if there are blockages in the arteries or
veins
Angioplasty
- treatment of blockages in the legs and other areas of the body
using a small, inflating stent that opens the vessels
Blood clot
filters or injections - insertion of a small filter or a dose of
medication to destroy blood clots
Cancer
treatment - administration of cancer fighting medications directly
into tumors
Catheter
insertions - insertion of a small tube into a large vein for
giving chemotherapy, nutritional support or hemodialysis
Embolization
- delivery of a substance to stop bleeding
Feeding
tubes - placement of tubes for patients who have problems eating
Intravascular ultrasound - use of ultrasound to detect problems
inside the blood vessels
Needle
biopsy - use of a small needle to obtain tissue samples and
investigate tissue abnormalities
Percutaneous
vertebroplasty - the injection of a cement-like material into the
spine to treat painful compression fractures
