Interventional Radiology is a medical specialty which allows a physician to treat patients with minimally invasive procedures. By using tiny catheters, guidewires, and image-guided (CT, Ultrasound) assistance, an interventional radiologist can treat many diseases and conditions that traditionally required surgical treatment.
Examples of these procedures include opening blocked blood vessels with balloons (angioplasty) and stents, taking small samples of tissue (biopsy) with a needle, placement of drainage catheters, as well as placement of vascular access devices (Port-a-cath, Hickman catheter, PICC line).
