Interventional Radiology is a relatively new specialty that treats patients by using minimally invasive, radiography-assisted techniques utilizing small catheters and catheter-based instruments. The majority of these procedures are performed without the need for large surgical incisions or general anesthesia. For patients, this means less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to traditional surgical procedures.
Interventional Radiology was first introduced during a “transluminal angioplasty” to open blocked arteries of the legs, which was an alternative treatment for traditional surgical arterial re-vascularization. During the next 20 years, physicians in the United States and Europe further developed their techniques, perfecting them to include treatment options for a variety of arterial and venous conditions for all parts of the body.
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