Interventional Radiology

Radiology is a medical field dealing with imaging tests -x-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI and more. Today, this is one of the most important field of medicine, as part of the tendency to perform more and more treatments and surgeries in as minimal scope as possible for the general health and quick recovery of the patient. Imaging tests that allow us to “dive” into the depth of the body without penetrating it physically contribute a lot to this trend – mostly thanks to their constant development and improvement of quality.

One of the examples for this is the Invasive radiology – a method invented many decades ago, but has recently become more and more common in various procedures. Invasive radiology offers in fact a combination between imaging tests and Invasive procedures, but thanks to the advanced radiology abilities, these procedures are considered minimally invasive and will therefore be easier for the patient.

Invasive radiology treatments are done via some imaging device so many actions can be performed with minimal invasion to the body – using different types of catheters. This way, the patient is spared a wide scope surgery and he can be discharged and recover within a relatively very short period.

General information about the action

Invasive radiology is in fact a group of treatments done under a certain imaging test. The idea behind it is the insertion of a diagnostic and treatment tool into the examined organ or treated area under “screening”, meaning the doctor sees what’s happening in the treated area in every moment and without performing a large incision in the skin or conducting a comprehensive surgical action.

This way, many actions can be performed that in the past were only done within a large surgical procedure. The difference between a large surgery and catheterization is a  substantial difference from both the aspects of the pain with which the patient will deal after action and the possible risks and side effect, and anything relating to the recovery and healing period of course. In an age where doctors strive for as minimal actions as possible and with as not radical as possible, Invasive radiology has become a very common means.

Preparing for action

Since this is still an Invasive action, it will be done under general or localized anesthesia, or deep sedation that would sometimes require fasting several hours before the action.  In certain actions, particularly those testing or treating blood vessels, a contrast agent (usually iodine) will be injected into your body a few minutes before the action to facilitate “seeing” the treated area and imaging it. If you’re allergic to iodine, you must inform the medical staff in advance.

Course of action

Invasive radiology  is usually done via catheters and stents, according to the action’s purpose. The catheter is inserted into the body through a small incision, mostly in the area of the middle finger or groin, where large blood vessels are found through which the catheter can be inserted with relative ease.

Many actions are performed with this method today, among them are diagnosis and examination of internal areas, opening blood vessel occlusion in all parts of the body, expanding blood vessel stenosis, treating blood vessel aneurysms, blood vessel occlusion, stopping bleeding and more

Through Invasive radiology, even very focused actions can be done – inserting a surgical tool for taking a biopsy for example, chemotherapy, administering antibiotics and more. Likewise, this technique allows “use” of large blood vessel (veins and arteries for example) for convenient and direct access to a certain organ or area of the body.

Invasive radiology is an action that could last very little (half an hour or less sometimes), but could also be stretched over significantly longer periods – all depending on the nature and scope of the action. Recovery from it will mostly be relatively quick: after a few days – and sometimes even that day – you are already expected to be discharged.

side effects

Invasive radiology is naturally perceived as a medical procedure with low risks and rare side effects, especially compared to “complete” surgeries. Infections and bleeding are considered the most common effects following these procedures, but they too are fairly rare – mainly thanks to the tiny incision made in the skin and the minimal scope of action.