Interventional Radiology Offers Patients Nonsurgical Choices

Interventional Radiology Treatments Are First-line Care

For many years, surgery was the only treatment available for many conditions. Today, interventional radiology treatments are first-line care for a wide variety of conditions. Patients should be offered the least invasive option first. It is important to get a second opinion and know all of your treatment options before consenting to any procedure or surgery. Interventional radiologists are specialists in minimally invasive treatments, have a unique breadth of training and provide consults to every type of specialist.

The ads below offer a quick overview of interventional radiology treatments for common conditions. For a full description of the minimally invasive treatments available, visit our Patients section.

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INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE UTERUS, INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGISTS ARE REPLACING THE NEED FOR SURGERY. Uterine fibroids affect up to 40 percent of all women 35 and older. With advances in interventional radiology, women now have an option that’s far less invasive than hysterectomy or other surgery. Using their expertise in imaging to deliver treatment directly to the fibroid, Interventional Radiologists block the flow of blood to the tumor, causing it to shrink. This minimally invasive, targeted treatment called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), offers less risk, less pain and less recovery time than surgery. UFE is just one of many advances in medicine pioneered by Interventional Radiologists. INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGISTS ARE HELPING PATIENTS WITH PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE GET BACK IN CIRCULATION. Do your legs hurt when walking – then feel better when you stop? Do you have leg numbness or sores that don’t heal? Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can have many symptoms, all caused by arterial clogging. An increasing number of PAD patients are walking pain free due to Interventional Radiologists – specialists who pioneered and perform minimally invasive treatments that restore circulation.
INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGISTS PUT LIVES AND VERTEBRAE BACK TOGETHER. There is new hope for osteoporosis patients who live with the pain and lifestyle restrictions caused by spinal fractures. Since 1994, a nonsurgical, outpatient procedure called vertebroplasty has brought relief – often within hours of treatment. This minimally invasive, image-guided treatment, performed by an Interventional Radiologist, significantly reduces pain and improves range of motion in more than 90% of patients treated. INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGISTS ARE TOUGH ON CANCER. KIND ON PATIENTS. Advances in interventional radiology make it possible to kill tumor cells without harming the surrounding tissue. Two procedures, tumor ablation and chemoembolization, offer hope for patients whose tumors are inoperable. Using their skill in imaging to guide a needle through the skin and into the tumor, Interventional Radiologists apply heat to kill the tumor. These doctors also deliver a high dose of cancer-killing drug directly to the site while depriving the tumor of its blood supply. Tumor ablation and chemoembolization are just two of many minimally invasive, targeted treatments offered by Interventional Radiologists.
THE NUMBER 3 KILLER NOW HAS A NUMBER 1 ENEMY: THE INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGIST. New, minimally invasive, targeted techniques provide hope for stroke victims and patients at risk. Using their expertise in imaging, Interventional Radiologists who specialize in neurological procedures guide a catheter into the brain to administer a clot-busting drug directly to the site. If given early enough, this restores blood flow and often reverses the effects of the stroke. In high-risk patients, Interventional Radiologists also identify and treat blockages in the carotid artery, preventing strokes from even happening. These nonsurgical techniques are just two of the many ways Interventional Radiologists are advancing medicine and improving outcomes for a range of patients with life-threatening conditions. Visit www.SIRweb.org to learn more about the risk factors and warning signs of stroke or for a directory of Interventional Radiologists in your area. SOME PROBLEMS JUST FADE AWAY WITH THE HELP OF AN INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGIST. With a slight nick to the skin, a thin catheter and imaging technology, Interventional Radiologists treat varicose veins with a higher success rate, a lower recurrence rate and far less pain than surgery. This minimally invasive, targeted treatment called vein ablation, takes less than an hour and allows an immediate return to normal activities. Vein ablation is just one of the advances in medicine offered by Interventional Radiologists.
INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGISTS ARE MAKING GIANT STRIDES FOR DVT PATIENTS. A painful blood clot in the leg, known as deep vein thrombosis, can occur without warning. Unfortunately, blood thinners can’t dissolve it, and left untreated, the clot may damage the leg and cause permanent disability. Using their skill in imaging to guide clot-busting drugs directly to the site, Interventional Radiologists clear the clot and prevent disability. This minimally invasive, targeted treatment, known as catheter-directed thrombolysis, is just one of many advances in medicine pioneered by Interventional Radiologists.