Interventional Radiology - General

Role of the Interventional Radiologist

Interventional radiology is a subspecialty within the field of radiology, primarily focused on performing minimally invasive, image-guided therapies and diagnostic procedures using imaging guidance. Think, for example, of obtaining a targeted ultrasound/CT-guided biopsy or performing an endovascular thrombectomy for intracranial occlusions.
Using imaging techniques, instruments are inserted through a small opening in the skin, allowing the area of interest to be precisely targeted. Subsequently, diagnostic information can be obtained and/or local treatment performed. In this way, the patient can often avoid a (complex) surgery. The range of these so-called "minimally invasive" image-guided procedures in interventional radiology is broad. It continues to expand (ranging from treating acute/chronic vascular conditions to placing drains and treating tumors). See also the Procedures section.