Radiology is a medical specialty that uses medical imaging technology to diagnose medical conditions. Imaging technologies include x-rays, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT). Radiologists are medical doctors who have graduated from an accredited medical school, passed a licensing exam, and completed an additional four years of graduate medical education, usually referred to as a residency. They must pass a board exam and be approved to practice by the American Board of Radiology.
An interventional radiologist is a specialized radiologist who is trained not only in applying standard medical imaging technology for diagnosis but has also been trained to perform procedures to treat a wide range of disorders.
Our procedures are intended to treat a broad spectrum of conditions and disorders all with the use of x-ray guidance and minimally invasive non-surgical techniques. Almost all of our procedures are done through a small hole in your groin, which gives us access to the femoral artery as a conduit to other blood vessels in your body. With the use of catheters, guide wires, and medical imaging techniques, we are able to precisely locate certain blood vessels for local treatment. Using these techniques we can close off bleeding blood vessels, open up closed or narrowed vessels, and deliver certain medications directly to specific regions in the body.
Most interventional radiology procedures are very quick, can be done on an outpatient basis, and require no general anesthetic. The actual procedure time is usually less than an hour, and recovery from most procedures is very short.