Most IR treatments begin with the prick of a needle. The interventional radiologist—who is trained in image-guided, minimally invasive therapies—directs a thin wire and a catheter, the size of a strand of noodle, through a blood vessel treat the source of pain or disease. It may sound futuristic, but that’s exactly how some of the most innovative and effective treatments in medicine are happening today. Interventional radiology treatments often come with less risk, less pain, shorter recovery times and better outcomes than traditional (open) surgery.

Breakthroughs in technology and imaging have created new treatment choices for patients. In this new era of medicine, personalized medicine means doing the right thing for each patient. Ask your doctor about treatments that are less invasive. And, if you are a candidate for open surgery, consider getting a second opinion from an interventional radiologist. There may be a minimally invasive approach that could dramatically reduce your pain, risk and recovery time.

The use of radiation in diagnosing and treating patients has significantly advanced the field of medicine and saved or extended countless lives. As with any medical procedure, the use of radiation has very low risk. Interventional radiologists undergo extensive training in radiation safety and know how to minimise the risks of radiation by following established guidelines. IRs make it a priority to use the lowest amount of radiation necessary to complete the treatment. Especially our systems are fit with radiation monitoring alarms to ensure that the radiation doses are kept within safety limits. 

Over the years, physicians and surgeons have tried making every treatment as minimally invasive as possible and Interventional Radiologists lead the way by performing procedures with no incision. Nothing could be more gentle.  

Yes, most of the IR procedures are covered under the private and government insurance policies. 

With innovations and continuing clinical research, there are many diseases that can be treated by IR now in each organ of the body. Some of the more common diseases that are treated are listed below:

1. Brain: Stroke, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, carotid stenosis, cerebral venous thrombosis
2. Aorta: aneurysms, dissection
3. Peripheral arterial disease: leg pain, ulcers
4. Venous problems: deep vein clots, chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins
5. Liver diseases: cirrhosis, jaundice
6. Gastro-intestinal problems: blood vomiting, blood in stools, stomach pain after eating 
7. Uncontrolled bleeding anywhere in the body 
8. Women’s health: Uterine fibroid, post pregnancy bleeding, pelvic congestion syndrome 
9. Men’s health: varicocele, prostate enlargement
10. Drainage of Abnormal fluid or pus collections in any part of the body 
11. Cancers: Liver cancer, renal cancer, lung cancer, tumours with increased blood supply