What is Interventional Radiology?

Interventional Radiology is a new and rapid growing branch of medicine in which the procedures are performed under imaging guidance or known as imaging guided procedure. Due to its medical advances it is sometimes called the "surgery of the 21st century" or "High-Tech surgery".

Who are interventional radiologists?

An interventional radiologist at work in catheterization lab

Interventional radiologists are specially trained doctors (specialist) who use X-rays and other imaging modalities like "ultrasound" scanner to "see" inside the body while they guide the narrow tube (catheter) and other small instruments through the blood vessels and other pathways of the body to the site of problems or disease and treat a variety of medical disorder without conventional surgery.

These procedures performed by interventional radiologist and generally less expensive and less traumatic to the patient, involving a smaller incision, less pain, and shorter hospital stays (usually overnight stay for elective procedures). The procedures are usually performed under local anaesthesia with occasionally under conscious sedation. No general anaesthesia is needed except for a few procedures like placement of aortic stent graft for aortic aneurysm. The risks due to the procedures are very low.

How do the interventional radiologists work is practiced?

Interventional radiologists work very closely with the surgeons to provide the best treatment to the patients. Other times, they work on their own doing procedures that were formerly performed by surgeons. This often results in lower cost (because no operating room and no general anaesthesia charges are necessary), minimal invasive of the body and thus less hospitalization and faster recovery.