What is Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology (also known as IR) is the minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of medical conditions that once required open surgery. By harnessing the power of advanced imaging (ultrasound, X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans and other innovative methods), interventional radiologists can see inside your body and treat complex conditions—even cardiovascular disease and cancer—less invasively and with unprecedented precision.
Interventional radiologists are on the front lines of clinical advances and use of the latest image-guided technologies. They are board-certified physicians who are trained in both radiology and minimally invasive therapies. No other specialty possesses this unique combination of skills! This expertise with imaging techniques enables them to guide small catheters (tubes), needles and guidewires through blood vessels or other organ pathways to treat many diseases. These small catheters are usually only a few millimetres in diameter.
What are the Benefits
Because of advances in interventional radiology, conditions that once had to be treated with surgery can now be treated with much less invasive methods. The imaging techniques allow accurate diagnosis and treatment using cutting-edge equipment. Minimally invasive procedures are performed through a small nick in the skin, leaving no scar tissue formation and minimising the patient’s discomfort and recovery time. Physical trauma to the patient is reduced, and this can reduce rates of infection. As interventional procedures tend to require only local anaesthesia, hospital stays are very short, with patients frequently going home the day the procedure is performed. In addition, the techniques can be used in very sick patients who are not suitable for surgery. Patients who undergo IR procedures experience less pain and reduced risks during and after the procedure than patients undergoing surgical procedures. The effectiveness of treatment is often be better than with traditional treatments. Post-procedural care is provided, along with follow-up imaging to confirm if the treatment has been successful.
