Medical procedures can sometimes be daunting, especially when the terminologies are complex. A relatively new discipline, interventional radiology, may not sound familiar, but it is a game-changer in patient care. It is a minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedure that uses medical imaging to guide instruments in performing specific procedures inside the body. In this blog post, we will discuss what interventional radiology is, and its types.
1. What is Interventional Radiology?
Interventional radiology or IR involves the use of image-guided therapy to diagnose and treat various ailments. It is a minimally invasive procedure, meaning that it requires only a small incision. The physician inserts a thin, flexible catheter into the blood vessels and thread it to the target organ while continuously monitoring with the aid of medical imaging. This specialized care technique offers quick recovery, less pain, shorter hospital stays, and fewer risks associated with open surgery.
IR can treat an extensive array of medical conditions, including cancer, vascular disease, fibroids, deep vein thrombosis, kidney stones, and others. The procedure involves very little risk and causing less pain than traditional surgery, which leads to faster recovery times. The Physician uses imaging techniques such as ultrasound, fluoroscopy, MRI, and CT to diagnose and treat disorders inside the body with a less invasive technique.
2. Types of Interventional Radiology
There are several types of interventional radiology, including:
a) Vascular Intervention Radiology (VIR)
VIR is a procedure that treats multiple blood vessel-related disorders such as aneurysms, blood clots, narrowing of the blood vessels, varicose veins, and others. It typically involves the insertion of stents, balloons, and other tiny objects in the blood vessels.
b) Neuro Interventional Radiology (NeuIR)
NeuIR is the utilization of image-guiding techniques to diagnose and treat neurological conditions such as aneurysms, strokes, and brain tumors. This type of IR is also capable of evaluating the blood vessels of the brain and detecting abnormalities.
c) Pain Management Interventions
Interventional radiologists have long played a crucial role in pain management therapy. They use image-guided techniques to administer pain medication in the affected parts of the body, such as joints or muscles, rather than systemically, lessening the medication’s side effects.
d) Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary (GI/GU) Interventions
IR in GI/GU involves the insertion of a tiny instrument to the patients’ gastrointestinal tract or urinary system, depending on the diagnosis. It is used to treat disorders and conditions such as gallstones, kidney stones, and occluded bile ducts.
e) Pediatric Interventions
Pediatric interventional radiology involves the use of minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat conditions in children. This type of IR is aimed at reducing exposure to radiation and promoting faster recovery times and less invasive care. Commonly treated conditions include obstructive uropathy, vascular malformations, and kidney problems.
Interventional radiology procedures offer remarkable benefits to patients in diagnosis and treatment of various disorders. Patients receive less invasive care with significantly less pain, scarring and a shorter hospital stay. As a relatively new discipline to the medical field, IR will continue to advance with new and innovative techniques in diagnosis and therapy. An experienced imaging center such as XYZ Imaging Center, we offer expert care and treatment with state-of-the-art equipment to provide accurate diagnosis and treatment plans tailored to meet the needs of every individual patient.