| Angiography |
An X-ray of the arteries and veins to diagnose blockages and other blood vessel problems; uses a catheter to enter the blood vessel and a contrast agent (X-ray dye) to make the artery or vein visible on the X-ray. |
| Balloon Angioplasty |
Opens blocked or narrowed blood vessels by inserting a very small balloon into the vessel and inflating it. Used by IRs to unblock clogged arteries in the legs or arms (called peripheral vascular disease or PVD), kidneys (called portal hypertension), brain or elsewhere in the body. |
| Biliary Drainage and Stenting |
Uses a stent or small tube to open up blocked ducts and allow bile to drain from the liver. |
| Central Venous Access |
Insertion of a tube beneath the skin and into the blood vessels so that patients can receive medication or nutrients directly into the blood stream or so blood can be drawn. |
| Chemoembolization |
Delivery of cancer-fighting agents directly to the site of a cancer tumor, currently being used mostly to treat cancers of the endocrine system and liver cancers. |
| Embolization |
Delivery of clotting agents (coils, plastic particles, gel, foam, etc.) directly to an area that is bleeding or to block blood flow to a problem area, such as an aneurysm or a fibroid tumor in the uterus. |
| Gastrostomy Tube |
Feeding tube inserted into the stomach for patients who are unable to take sufficient food by mouth. |
| Hemodialysis Access and Thrombolysis |
Use of angioplasty or thrombolysis to open blocked grafts or fistulas used for hemodialysis in patients with kidney failure. IRs can also place temporary or permanent (tunneled) hemodialysis catheters. |
| Laser Treatment of Varicose Veins |
Laser (or endovenous) ablation of varicose veins is a non-surgical procedure performed by an interventional radiologist with special training in image guided, minimally invasive techniques to treat a wide variety of conditions that once required surgery. |
| Radiofrequency (RF) Ablation |
Use of radiofrequency (RF) energy to kill cancerous tumors in various parts of the body, most commonly in the liver, lung and bone. |
| Stent |
A small flexible tube made of plastic or wire mesh, used to treat a variety of medical conditions (e.g., to hold open clogged blood vessels or other pathways that have been narrowed or blocked by tumors or obstructions). |
| Stent-graft |
Reinforces a ruptured or ballooning section of an artery (as aneurysm) with a fabric-wrapped stent, a small, flexible mesh tube used to "patch" the blood vessel. Also known as an endograph. |
| Thrombolysis |
Dissolves blood clots by injecting clot-busting drugs at the site of the clot. |
| TIPS (Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt) |
A life-saving procedure to improve blood flow and prevent GI hemorrhage in patient with severe liver dysfunction. |
| Uterine Artery Embolization |
An embolization procedure of uterine arteries to stop life-threatening postpartum bleeding, potentially preventing hysterectomy. The same procedure is used to treat fibroid tumors causing pain or heavy bleeding. Follow this link for more information from the SIR website. |
| Varicocele Embolization |
A treatment for "varicose veins" in the scrotum, which can cause infertility and pain. |
| Vena Cava Filter |
A tiny cage-like device that is inserted in a blood vessel to break up clots and prevent them from reaching the heart or lungs. These devices can be permanent or temporary. |
| Vertebroplasty |
Injection of bone cement into the spine to alleviate pain caused by fractured vertebra, a common result of osteoporosis. |
