Interventional Radiology
Minimum Access – Maximum Result
Interventional Radiology is pin hole surgery
performed with the aid of
X rays, CT and ultrasound by specially trained
doctors called Interventional Radiologists
8 out of 10 procedures use skin incisions smaller
than 5 millimetres
9 out of 10 procedures use only local
anaesthetic, sometimes with sedation
Up to 8 out of 10 patients go home
the same day
And it’s often a less invasive option than
traditional surgical procedures
Targeted cancer
treatment
Aortic aneurysms
Blocked bile ducts
Blocked
kidneys
Internal Bleeding
Fibroids
We treat many conditions.......
Here are just a few
Dialysis
Blocked arteries
Varicose veins
Bone and spine
Leg arteries
Blood clots
Blood vessel
malformations
Scope of Interventional Radiology
Blood Vessel
Bleeding control
Cancer
Many other treatments
Blood Vessels
Treats blood vessels from 2 mm to 30 mm
Narrowed blood vessels are stretched (Angioplasty) to improve
blood flow
Blocked blood vessels can be internally reopened in many cases
Treatment of aneurysms (abnormal bulges in vessels).
Unblocking arteries
Blocked arm artery (Arrow)
causing pain and arm weakness
Treated by internally
unblocking the artery and
placing a stent
Major surgery avoided. Total
treatment time of one hour
Aortic Aneurysm
Abnormal bulge (aneurysm) of the
main artery in the abdomen
Risk of rupture and major bleeding
Treated by internally relining the
artery (Endovascular aneurysm
repair-EVAR)
Major surgery avoided. Total
treatment time of 90 minutes
Cancer
Treatment
Symptom relief
• Thermal destruction of small
cancers using image guided
needles
• Stent insertion
into the bowel for
relief of obstruction
• Targeted chemotherapy into
blood vessels supplying the
tumour
• Insertion of lines for
delivery of chemotherapy
and nutrition
Cancer Treatment
Small cancer lesion in the
liver (arrow) in a patient with
previously treated cancer
Image guided thermal
destruction
Surgery and chemotherapy
avoided. Treatment time of
60 minutes.
Bleeding Control
Key emergency role for Interventional Radiology
Treatment of bleeding from Trauma, bowel, child birth or
following surgery
Blood vessels as small as 2-3mm can be treated
Blood vessels can be blocked (embolisation) or relined with
a stent depending on the location and need
Bleeding into Bowel
Severe bleeding into the
large bowel (arrow)
Treated with selective
Blockage of the bleeding
Artery
Emergency surgery
avoided
Other Treatments
Bone
Dialysis
Liver and Bile ducts
Fibroids
Kidneys
Too many procedures...too little
space
For more detailed patient information and
further information about Interventional
Radiology please visit
www.bsir.org & www.bsir-qi.org
Interventional Radiology
Minimal access
Local anaesthesia/sedation
Quicker recovery
Less invasive alternative
Prepared on behalf of
British Society of Interventional Radiology
by
Dr G Ananthakrishnan
and
Dr I Robertson