Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiology, also known as image-guided surgery, is a subspecialty of radiology in which minimally invasive procedures are guided by special cameras. Some of these procedures are done to help diagnose disease, while others treat disease.

Images provide road maps that allow the interventional radiologist to guide special instruments through the body to the areas containing disease. By minimizing the physical trauma to the patient, interventional radiology can reduce infection rates and recovery time, as well as shorten hospital stays.

Interventional radiology has many applications, including:

• Cardiology
• Gastrointestinal
• Gynecology
• Nephrology
• Oncology
• Pulmonary
• Urology

Benefits of interventional radiology

Before imaging technology, doctors had no way to examine the inside of patients without surgery. Making incisions into a patient for diagnostic purposes was dangerous and put significant strain on the patient. It was impractical from every angle.

With imaging technology, a physician can often avoid making incisions entirely using the live-feed images provided by small cameras inserted into the body. When an incision is necessary, these tiny cameras make it so that only a few small, strategic cuts need to be made.

No longer do you have to deal with the stress of multiple large incisions for simple surgeries or diagnostic procedures. With interventional radiology, you can recover faster and experience a simpler, safer operation.