Interventional radiology is a very rapidly growing segment in the radiology industry. More and more radiologists are turning to less invasive procedures to treat patients which exactly what interventional radiology is. Instead of having to perform a major surgery a specialized physician can perform surgery by making a small incision that is minimally invasive and treating patients by using imaging procedures. This has many advantages such as ease the risk of disease, low pain for the patient, and also usually a quicker recovery time period.
Experts in Interventional Radiology
When you become an Interventional Radiologist or IR you are and expert in reading x ray images, ultrasounds, or other types of imaging techniques. Catheters are special instruments used to enter into blood vessels or other body pathways that provide disease treatment that is less expensive and also more low risk than a full blown open surgery that had to be performed in the past.
Medical doctor interventional radiologists are certified by the Board of Medical Specialties after completing four years of study and then completing a fellowship training program and specialize in minimally invasive techniques. Using imaging equipment like an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or computed tomography (CT) for diagnostics. The United States alone now has over 5,000 certified interventional radiologists with those numbers growing rapidly every year as more and more physicians can see the benefits of less invasive medical procedures.
Interventional radiology got its start in the 1970′s with the invention of the angioplasty and the catheter delivered stent which was first used on patients legs to help prevent amputation or other vascular diseases. Today many conditions of minimal surgeries may seem commonplace but because of these inventions that once required surgery many more less invasive surgeries have been invented. Having come of age interventional radiology usually means that the patient either is treated as an out patient or a very short hospital stay. The risks are certainly less along with the medical costs involved for these minimally invasive treatments.
Some of the minimal invasive procedures that physicians can now perform include angiography that x rays the arteries and veins to check for blockages, narrowing of the arteries, or peripheral arterial disease. Embolization techniques insert substances through a catheter port to stop excessive bleeding or hemorrhaging. Gastrostomy tubes are inserted into the stomach for feeding purposes when patients can not eat through the mouth. A now common procedure is placing a stent which is an expandable coil inside of a blood vessel to open it up to prevent blockages.
Other clinical procedures include foreign body extractions which a catheter is used and inserted into the body to serve as a pathway to remove a foreign substance. A needle biopsy is used in just about any part of the body when a physician needs a tissue sample for examination without the need for surgery. Or administering a cancer treatment directly to the affected area of the body that needs medical attention such as a tumor.
Interventional Radiology is Growing Fast
You can now see that the radiology field is wide open and will do so for many years to come. As more and more medical procedures are pioneered by interventional radiolgists that are least invasive to the patients involved doctors can treat more people with less risk and lessen recovery time dramatically without the need to stay in a hospital in most cases. Patients at any age are happy with less costs too. Interventional radiology is a fascinating medical field to enter. The pay scale for interventional radiology is very good once you have your degree and become board certified.