Interventional Radiology: An Effective Treatment for Cancer

What is Interventional Radiology?

Interventional Radiology is a method used to produce a radiological image of parts of the body to increase precision and provide guidance in the treatment process. The image helps in diagnosing and treating diseases in nearly every organ system. Contrary to open and laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, this is a minimally invasive alternative that allows healing faster. The idea behind this procedure is to lower the risk, cause less pain and shorten the recovery time compared to open surgeries. It is often referred to as a pinhole surgery as many IR procedures start with passing a needle through the skin to the target.

Apart from cancer, this method significantly helped in diagnosing many perilous diseases. Some common interventional modalities used in IR technique include fluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound scanner. Ionizing radiation is used in Fluoroscopy and CT to find a treatment method faster. In case of MRI, superior tissue contrast is possible but it requires a specialized instrument and hence, turns out a little expansive for many patients.

Who are Interventional radiologists?

An Interventional radiologist’s skills lie in interpreting diagnostic images and manipulating needles and using fine catheter tubes and wires in order to move along the body under imaging control.  Every interventional radiologist has years of training in radiology and interventional therapy.  No other speciality in the medical field possesses this unique set of skills!

What are the procedures for which interventional radiology techniques are required?

Interventional radiology techniques are performed on multiple occasions. Some of the procedures for which it is used are:

Angiography – Often, blood vessels in our body get blocked due to a number of reasons. To treat this situation, X-ray imaging of blood vessels is done. It helps to identify the blockage or narrowing of the vessels with the help of IR images. Subsequently, physicians insert a small stent keeping the image in mind to inflate and open the blocked vessels.

Balloon angioplasty/stent- Balloon angioplasty is an alternative to Angiography. However, it uses a different procedure. Instead of a stent, doctors use a small balloon and fix it on the tip of the catheter. This helps to further widen the narrowed vessel in the body.

Embolization – Embolization is a useful process where experts use a substance for the treatment. It is inserted into the body through a catheter into the blood vessel. Doctors use it to check excessive bleeding and treat haemorrhaging.

Chemoembolization – Chemoembolization is a method in which the treatment is given directly to the tumour through its blood supply. The clot-inducing substance is used in this process to keep a check on the blood flow in the artery.

Needle biopsy – The process includes inserting a small needle into the damaged part of the body. The process is done with the guidance of the images produced. Surgical intervention is not required in this type of biopsy.

Catheters insertions – When a catheter is inserted into a large vein and used for delivering chemotherapy drugs, nutritional support, and hemodialysis, the process is known as Catheters insertions. This type of catheter is divided mainly into five types:

• Diagnostic angiographic catheters
• Micro catheters
• Drainage catheters
• Balloon catheters
• Central venous catheters

In order to cure fatal diseases like cancer successfully, radiology treatment is paramount. The process requires a group of well-qualified physicians to deliver more precision in the overall treatment process of interventional radiological.

The aforementioned things are a few things you need to know about Interventional Radiology. The initiative has helped tremendously in successfully treating cancer patients over the years and increasing the chances of survival. For processes like catheter insertion, it significantly assists doctors in ensuring precision and perfection. However, the catheter used should be of top quality. Smart Medical Buyer, one of the most prominent online retailers of medical devices and equipment, is your one-stop shop to buy top-quality catheters along with other high-end stethoscopes, otoscopes, laryngeal mask, bp monitoring machine etc.