Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology is a minimally invasive, targeted treatment. It is first-line care for treating a wide range of conditions, including cancer, spinal problems, vascular disease, and pain. It eliminates the need for open surgeries, posing less risk to you. It may decrease your hospitalization time as well.
"Stroke accredited"
Aurora BayCare interventional radiologists provide high-quality care utilizing the most advanced techniques for minimally invasive vascular treatment of a variety of conditions.
Aurora BayCare Medical Center is recognized by the American College of Radiology (ACR) as being accredited in vascular testing, including extracranial cerebrovascular testing, peripheral venous testing, and peripheral arterial testing.
This means that we meet or exceed extensive standards that define high quality care in noninvasive testing for early detection of vascular disease that can lead to heart attack and stroke. You might say we are “stroke accredited.”
How It Works
The interventional radiologist uses various imaging methods, including X-ray and MRI, to guide catheters, needles, stents and other devices into the body, often through an artery. These tools are used to break up blood clots, burn or freeze tumors, and treat back and joint pain.
Benefits to You
Interventional radiology provides you a more comfortable treatment experience and better outcomes. Compared to open surgery, the benefits of interventional radiology include:
- Less pain
- Less risk of infection
- Lower medical costs
- Shorter recovery time
Some common minimally-invasive radiologic interventions include:
- IVC filters
- PICCs, ports, and dialysis lines
- Fistulagrams
- Vertebroplasty
- Nephrostomy Chemoembolization
- Neurointerventional Radiology
IVC Filters
Using fluoroscopic image guidance, Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) filters are inserted via the blood vessels.
IVC filters are used to prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs.
PICCs, Ports, and Dialysis Lines
Interventional radiologists use various imaging methods to insert peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), ports, and dialysis lines. These are outpatient procedures. PICCs, ports, and dialysis lines are useful when multiple blood draws are needed, or as a delivery system for antibiotics, pain medicine, chemotherapy, nutrition, for other intravenous treatments. Their use minimizes the need for multiple needle insertions and preserves veins.
Fistulagrams
A fistula is the passage from your kidney that allows kidney dialysis. A fistulagram is an outpatient x-ray procedure your doctor uses to check for blockages or blood clots in the fistula that may interfere with dialysis.
Vertebroplasty
Bone loss from osteoporosis can lead to a painful vertebral compression fracture (VCF), causing acute back pain. Vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to relieve chronic pain when non-invasive approaches are unsuccessful.
Using fluoroscopy guidance, bone cement is injected into the vertebral site. This procedure stabilizes the vertebrae and usually brings immediate pain relief.
Nephrostomy Chemoembolization
Chemoembolization localizes cancer treatment to the tumor area, sparing the rest of the body of the effects of chemotherapy. Using x-rays to visualize the kidney, an interventional radiologist inserts a catheter into an artery in the groin and guides it to the artery adjacent to the kidney. Chemoembolization directs chemotherapy into the tumor and contains the drugs at the site to block the blood supply that feeds the tumor.
Neurointerventional Radiology
Neurointerventional radiologists use minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat head, neck, and spine blood vessel disorders. A relatively new but growing subspecialty of radiology, neurointerventional radiology takes the place of some procedures that in the past required opening the skull or exposing the spinal column.
Using high-tech image guidance, the interventional neuroradiologist uses balloons, microcatheters, stents, and similar devices to diagnose/treat aneurysms, vascular formations, strokes and other conditions.
For example, cerebral coiling is a minimally invasive procedure for treating brain aneurysms. In this procedure, a catheter is threaded to the aneurysm and a coil is inserted to fill the aneurysm and stop circulation, causing it to clot.